Future: “FUTURE” & “HNDRXX” (Album Review)

We can skip the small talk to be honest. When it comes to rap music you gotta love when a rapper gives you content. Super Future has for surely given his audience that. In 2014 after giving the people Honest, he dropped a holy trinity of trap bibles with Monster, Beast Mode and 56 Nights. If that wasn’t enough for the culture, he dropped DS2 and went one. Then he dropped Purple Reign, and What A Time To Be Alive with Drake…AND THEN he dropped EVOL. With Future it’s not about what you say but how you say it and can it sound beautiful. A lot of people make complaints about Future, saying “oh all his stuff sounds the same, all he talks about is drugs and girls and the trap…” His fans, myself included, will ask you…”Is it catchy? Is it hot? Is it quotable?” The trap says YES.

While listening to FUTURE I noticed…most of it sounds like typical mixtape Hendrix, the music his fans and supporters love. He kicks it off with “Rent Money”, a banger right out of the gate, downright disrespectful. On “Good Dope” we find Hendrix stunting on us and explaining the difference between the clothing lines Pucci and Gucci. If you want to dance and have some fun you’ll thoroughly enjoy yourself with FUTURE. It’s not about what you say, it’s how you say it. On “POA” and songs like it on this album you get a more aggressive and vicious sounding Future. One of my favorite songs on this album is “Mask Off”, where it sounds like Future is placed in the middle of my favorite anime shows with a heavy trap snare and a slowed up delivery. Naturally FUTURE has plenty of quotes that have spawned plenty of new FutureHive memes and photoshop pictures, which brings the fun of being a fan of his full circle. “I’m So Groovy” is so turned up that there’s even a video of LeBron dancing with a glass of wine. This album isn’t all fun and games though. History shows that Future is often at his best when he’s showing vulnerability, songs like “Codeine Crazy, No Matter What, Purple Reign” show that. “Feds Did A Sweep” is Future at his most introspective on the album, reflecting on how he’s lost friends to the streets and jail, and closes the album on a somber note.

One day last week I found myself enjoying FUTURE, and scrolling down my timeline to see that he was dropping HNDRXX. As a fan I was delighted. However I’ll keep it all the way real and say that there was no way I could be prepared from what I was gonna hear.

With HNDRXX, Future put all of that “all his music sounds the same!” talk to rest. He goes from Flu Game Future and Super Future to Future Vandross, and Earth, Wind and Future. There are a lot of R&B vibes here and there’s an early Weeknd feature. This album reminds people that Future has some pretty heavy R&B writing credits. The hook on “Use Me” sounds like it’s coming from God himself to be honest. Earlier I told y’all it’s not about what’s being said with Future but how it’s being said. “Fresh Air” has “pop/r&b smash” written all over it and some dancehall drums too (!!!!). This album is heavy with quotes for people’s IG picture captions and what not. “Turn On Me” is giving off heavy Outkast vibes in terms of the instrumental, this album seems to satisfy every area of music all while sticking to the trap we know and love. “Selfish” is a song featuring the lovely Rihanna and it may throw you in the feelings to be honest, but they blend and mix together so well. HNDRXX could be classified as the “trap” Take Care, or that could be a reach. But if FUTURE is a little harsh to your ears then HNDRXX will for sure take some edge off. Less hilarious quotes, more introspection and focus on the actual music for sure.

Naturally after listening to them separately I listened to them together, and coming from a former hater this is good quality music. A lot of times you’ll see people being turned off because they think they know what they’re gonna get. But Future put some work in these albums show it. Future made it to the point where there is now something for everyone to enjoy.