The city of Atlanta is a rap factory which has produced rap legends for over twenty years. It’s an environment bursting with competition, where every up and coming artist believes they are the next big thing, which is not exactly a bad thing as rap is a sport after all. So, if you do make it, you must have something special. But that’s when the real challenge emerges. Not only must you differentiate yourself from competitors, but can you last and not fade away like so many before? Not many have lasted as they’ve struggled to adapt to the ever-changing sound. Although, now and again, pioneers emerge, leaders of a sound. Future is just that.
Having had to unfairly deal with the label as a “wannabe” T Pain, it soon became apparent that they were lazy comparisons, as Future has his own sound, his own style and his own wave. He has consistently and prolifically delivered an abundance of high quality projects multiple times a year. As such, he has become arguably the most in demand rapper of the past two years working with various artists from Drake, Maroon 5 and Ariana Grande.
Now, Future is coming to the UK for a select number of shows across the country. You can grab tickets for his shows in Manchester, London and Birmingham by clicking right here.
With such a vast catalogue of collaborations, we have done our best to achieve the impossible by compiling seven of the waviest tracks Future has featured on to celebrate these upcoming shows.
Rocko ft. Rick Ross & Future – “U.O.E.N.O.”
If it were not for the controversy surrounding Rick Ross’ verse on the track, it would have achieved greater radio airplay and chart success. Yet there is no denying despite the negativity, the song is wavy as hell, and it’s a shame because Future thrives on this simplistic yet spacey instrumental. Over the years, Future has developed the uncanny ability to produce hooks made up of phrases. They eventually become infused into a listener’s repertoire of everyday language and forces them to listen to the song over and over again, and uoeno. Simply genius.
French Montana ft. Future – “Miley Cyrus”
Styles makes songs and the connection between Future and French Montana is so strong that their distinctive modes of expression result in this absolute banger: “Miley Cyrus.” The title of the track is reference to the product whipped in the pyrex rather than a means of paying homage to the actress and singer as they illustrate the lavish lifestyle Miley Cyrus has bestowed upon them. The song is from the “Wave Gods” mixtape which features some of the greatest names in rap and hip-hop such as Nas, Kanye West and Jadakiss, yet it is telling of Futures own standing that the track he features on was not swamped amongst those by heavyweights of hip-hop. Instead it was perhaps the best track on the entire project. Not that it should be of any surprise as Future is arguably the most prolific and perhaps in-demand rapper of the past two years.
Rich Gang ft. Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj, Birdman, Future & Mack Maine – “Tapout”
As the first song released off the YMCMB compilation album Rich Gang it was essential for it to be a hit, and with Birdman enlisting the help of Lil Wayne, Nicki Minaj, Mack Maine and of course Future Hendrix, they all combined to deliver one of the biggest songs of 2013. Every artist leaves their own mark on the track but there is no denying it was Future on the hook over the synth-driven instrumental who bind them together to made this song a club hit.
DJ Esco ft. Lil Uzi Vert & Future – “Too Much Sauce”
The exquisite piano keys on the instrumental of “Too Much Sauce” perfectly flaunts the opulent serenity of Future and Lil Uzi Vert’s sauce levels. As with many of his features, Future can single-handedly carry a song through his catchy and triumphant hooks, and whilst as Lil Uzi Vert shines on the Zaytoven instrumental, it is the hook which has made this song such a hit. So long as Future avoids getting lost in his own sauce, he will continue to hypnotise listeners and reign supreme on any track he features on.
Young Thug ft. Future – “Relationship”
Was the beef between the two Atlanta rapper’s genuine? Who knows but importantly, its quashed as the chemistry between the pair is exceptional, where their combination of melodies and experimental futuristic sounds are defining the sound of rap for a generation. “Relationship” is a melodic banger which encapsulates the matter many rappers experience of simply having no time for a relationship, although Future, unlike Thugga, recognises the emptiness it leaves where he says, “I need to cut some of ‘em off, I need help.” In fact, the track was probably recorded around the time of Future recording his HNDRXX album as the tone and content of the track reflect the album respectively.
Ty Dolla $ign ft. Future & Rae Sremmurd – “Blasé”
When you bring together three of the waviest acts in music, there is a strong possibility that it’ll either going horribly wrong where their styles clash or their distinctive sounds flourish amongst one another to produce a definitive banger. Thankfully, Ty Dolla $ign, Rae Sremmurd and Future made the collaboration work creating an ominous yet wavy turn up track. The hook is slurred back and forth between Future and Ty Dolla, perfectly personifying the sensation many people experience whilst they’re listening to the track spaced out of their minds.
DJ Khaled ft. Jay Z & Future – “I Got the Keys”
For rap purists, the idea of Jay Z collaborating with Future over an 808 Mafia instrumental is preposterous. Although, the problem with rap purists is that they’re all stuck in a bygone era and fail to appreciate the evolution of rap, something that Jay Z has masterfully achieved without compromising his own sound. Whilst Jay Z flawlessly delivers on the track, there is no doubt that “I Got The Keys” is all about Future. His electrifying hook reverberates in your eardrums and epitomises the current sound of rap; a song with a catchy hard-hitting chorus empowered by forceful trap like beat.