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Switched on Pop

Jazz is A$AP Rocky’s secret weapon

2/10/202636 min

A$AP Rocky’s latest album, Don’t Be Dumb, is a wild ride through a cacophony of sounds — punk, industrial, drum ‘n’ bass, indie rock, and of course, hip hop. But on one track, “Robbery,” he and the rising superstar Doechii sample the world of jazz, specifically Thelonious Monk’s 1955 cover of Duke Ellington’s “Caravan.” In the process, Rocky and Doechii don’t just loop and flow, they create a whole narrative of jazz age victors and villains inspired by the rhythms and harmonies of jazz greats. The result is a song, and album, that makes the case for why hip hop matters more than ever in 2026. A$AP Rocky – ROBBERY (feat. Doechii) A$AP Rocky – STOLE YA FLOW A$AP Rocky – ORDER OF PROTECTION A$AP Rocky – PLAYA A$AP Rocky – STFU (feat. Slay Squad) A$AP Rocky – AIR FORCE (BLACK DEMARCO) A$AP Rocky – THE END (feat. will.i.am & Jessica Pratt) Kendrick Lamar - For Free? - Interlude  Clairo - Sinking  Thelonious Monk - Caravan A$AP Rocky - L$D Lou Donaldson - Ode To Billie Joe  Thelonious Monk - Black And Tan Fantasy Wu-Tang Clan - Shame On a N****  Duke Ellington, John Coltrane - My Little Brown Book  Ghostface Killah - Malcolm  Thundercat - Them Changes Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Clips

Robbery Means Cultural Theft
Great Artists Steal, Literally
Hip-Hop As Musical Archivist
Wung-Wung Bass Demo
Caravan’s Mysterious Phrygian Flavor

Transcript preview

First 90 seconds

  1. Speaker 00:00

    [upbeat music] This show is brought to you by Pepsi. In 2025, Pepsi brought back a classic, the Pepsi Challenge, where in blind taste tests, participants were given two zero sugar colas and had to choose which taste they preferred. 66% of participants chose Pepsi Zero Sugar over Coca-Cola Zero Sugar, and Pepsi Zero Sugar won 100% of markets where Pepsi conducted the Pepsi Challenge, even in Coke's hometown of Atlanta. It's the Pepsi Paradox, the idea that once labels and bias disappear, you may be surprised by what you actually prefer. And in the case of the Pepsi Paradox, cola drinkers prefer the taste of Pepsi Zero Sugar. Go out and try Pepsi Zero Sugar today. You deserve taste. You deserve Pepsi.

  2. Speaker 10:45

    [upbeat music] Just the tips!

  3. Speaker 20:48

    Just the tips?

  4. Speaker 10:49

    Stops those split ends lickety-split. Look at those ends, they are a-mending.

  5. Speaker 20:55

    Now that's what I call a happy ending.

  6. Speaker 10:58

    Redkin ABC Hair Vantage, boom!

  7. Charlie Harding· Host1:02

    [upbeat music] Nate.

  8. Nate Sloan· Host1:05

    Yeah.

  9. Charlie Harding· Host1:06

    Nate, what are you [chuckles] what are you playing?

  10. Nate Sloan· Host1:08

    Oh, you know, uh, "Caravan," Duke Ellington, Juan Tizol.

  11. Charlie Harding· Host1:12

    [upbeat music] [chuckles] Didn't you study Duke for your, uh, PhD?

  12. Nate Sloan· Host1:16

    Oh, yeah. Why do you ask?

  13. Charlie Harding· Host1:18

    Uh... Well, because we're, we're tracking.

  14. Nate Sloan· Host1:22

    Ah, Charlie, great to see you.

  15. Charlie Harding· Host1:24

    [chuckles] Hi.

  16. Nate Sloan· Host1:26

    Hey.

  17. Charlie Harding· Host1:27

    Uh, podcast time.

  18. Unknown speaker1:28

    [upbeat music]

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