Sometimes music becomes a means of capturing an artist’s most intimately personal emotions. This is especially true when it comes to rappers, who place themselves at the center of their songs’ narratives. Whether the artist wants the listener to pay close attention to those narratives or not, if the song is unique and well made, the listener will feel immersed and touched, and sympathize with them. A$AP Rocky’s new song “D.M.B.” is a perfect example of this. In his first solo single in nearly three years—he released “Babushka Boi” in 2019—Rocky professes his undying love for his girlfriend, superstar Rihanna, and proposes to her. It’s his most personal and emotional song yet.

Earlier this year, the couple announced they will be having their first child. Since then, Rocky was arrested in connection with a shooting that took place at the end of last year and faced allegations of being unfaithful toward Rihanna, the latter of which has now been cleared up through “D.M.B.”

Rocky spends the first verse talking about their beginnings, bragging about Rihanna, who is the perfect woman in his eyes. Then, in the second verse, he proudly celebrates her billionaire status, which she achieved as an artist and as a businessperson. He makes liberal use of his typical vulgar expressions, but he does so with poetic (or rather, rap) license and is entirely respectful of Rihanna, and it’s all done with her consent. The feeling of the lyrics changes after the first and second verses as Rocky switches over from rap to singing. The coarse language gives way to wooing words that are romantic but at the same time almost excessive (“my angel and my goddess … my soulmate”).

But the most interesting, and controversial, line appears in the first verse:

“I don’t beat my b!*$h, I need my b!*$h.”

It sounds like an extremely obvious statement simply turned into lyrics, but upon closer inspection it carries with it a deeper aim. It was actually veiled criticism of Chris Brown, Rihanna’s ex-boyfriend and R&B/hip hop star, with whom she broke up several years ago. Brown met with public backlash at the time when it was revealed that he assaulted Rihanna. He remained popular after the news broke, but his personal history with violence against women led many fans to turn their backs on him. Although Brown was not specifically named in Rocky’s song, social media is already taking it as a confirmed fact and supporting the sentiment. It’s a simple but powerful line.

Rihanna’s appearance in the music video confirms that she reciprocates Rocky’s feelings. The two artists portray a committed couple with New York as the backdrop. You don’t have to look far in the hip hop and R&B canon to find music videos that portray Bonnie and Clyde-like couples like this, but “D.M.B.” is delightful on an entirely different level thanks to its visually stunning editing and direction.

The hazy mood of the psychedelic production revs up the excitement in the video, too. The beat is reminiscent of the days of his first mixtape, LIVE.LOVE.A$AP (2011), and debut album, LONG.LIVE.A$AP (2013), as it captures your ears and your heart throughout the runtime.

It’s been well over 10 years since A$AP Rocky’s debut, but an aura of fresh energy still surrounds him. It wouldn’t feel out of place to list him among newer rappers who only became stars in the last few years. What is even more amazing is his clear and significant presence despite his lack of releases since 2018’s Testing. Maybe that’s because he’s an artist who doesn’t follow trends, but rather, sets them. That’s exactly the case with “D.M.B.” How’s that for a one-of-a-kind, experimental proposal?

TRIVIA

“D.M.B.” stands for “DAT$ MAH B!*$H,” and Rocky described the song as a “ghetto love tale.” The video was filmed last year in New York, before Rihanna became pregnant, with Rocky directing.