A$AP Rocky is giving flowers to some of hip-hop’s biggest names. In a new interview with VIBE, the rapper reflected on the strength of rap music in 2026 and revealed several albums that have stood out to him during the first half of the year.
Speaking about the current state of the genre, Rocky praised a diverse group of artists while arguing that 2026 has already delivered an exceptional run of releases.
“Kanye album, Baby Keem album, Don Toliver album, J. Cole album, Earl & MIKE album, Roc Marciano album,” Rocky said. “I’m forgetting a couple people, and forgive me because some of them might be my homies, but we’re only in the fifth month of this year and I just named so many f*cking one-of-ones… This is a great year for music.”
Among them is Don Toliver’s Octane, which debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 earlier this year with 162,000 equivalent album units earned during its opening week. The project marked the Houston star’s first chart-topping album and fueled his ongoing Octane Tour.
J. Cole’s The Fall-Off has also emerged as one of the defining rap releases of the year. Released in February, the long-awaited album debuted atop the Billboard 200 with 280,000 units, giving Cole his seventh No. 1 album and one of the largest opening weeks of any hip-hop release this year.
The timing of Rocky’s comments is particularly notable given his own return to the spotlight. After years of delays and speculation, Don’t Be Dumb finally arrived on January 16, 2026, through AWGE, ASAP Worldwide, and RCA Records. The album debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 and became one of the most anticipated hip-hop releases of the decade.
Rocky is currently supporting the project on his Don’t Be Dumb World Tour, which kicked off on May 27 with a sold-out performance at Chicago’s United Center. The opening night featured elaborate production elements, including a massive helicopter prop descending over the stage during “Stole Ya Flow,” alongside pyrotechnics, towering screens, and a setlist packed with new material.
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