Rapper A$AP Rocky apologises to fans for album delay

Rapper A$AP Rocky has said "leaks and sample clearances" have been "disrupting" the release of his new music.

His fourth studio album Don't Be Dumb was expected at the end of August, but that will no longer be happening.

"I wanna make the best album ever. I'm sorry for the wait," he wrote on X, adding it's been "six years" in the making.

The Wild for the Night star's latest release was Testing in 2018, but he's continued to perform on stage at festivals and tours.

His new album has been rumoured to have appearances by J.Cole, Busta Rhymes and partner Rihanna, with whom he has two children.

The issue of leaks are not new for the rapper, whose real name is Rakim Mayers.

In an interview with Billboard, he hinted that leaks have previously impacted the progress of new music repeatedly over the years.

"They leak a lot of the music and it ruins it.

"Like my ‘Taylor Swift’ video," he says, referring to a visual for a song named for her that was leaked online last year.

In his post online, A$AP also spoke about "sample clearances", which refers to the process of getting permission from the owners of copyrighted music to use bits of it in a song.

The rapper was one of the biggest breakout stars of the 2010s, earning eight platinum singles in the US, including Wild For The Night, Everyday, LSD and A$AP Forever.

He rose to fame after being championed by Drake, and has worked with artists including Alicia Keys, Lana Del Rey, Skepta, Selena Gomez and Kendrick Lamar.

But he has also faced controversies over the years.

In 2019, the star was found guilty of assault over a fight in Stockholm and given a two-year suspended sentence.

And in 2023, a judge ruled the rapper will have to stand trial on charges that he fired a pistol in a feud with a former childhood friend – to which he pleaded not guilty.