Future

by Future

Released February 17, 2017 via A1 Recordings / Freebandz / Epic Records

Reviewed February 9, 2022

Top tracks (based on community voting)

Mask Off (56%), Rent Money (38%), Feds Did a Sweep (29%)

In the wake of masterpieces like 56 Nights, Monster, Purple Reign, and DS2, Future felt like he found his footing once again in 2017 with his self-titled release. Although he’s not exactly an artist you’d expect to experiment—with a style that’s unexplainably infectious—his best work always manages to pull something out of nowhere. Earworm beats are aplenty on FUTURE, as well as a confidence that seems to inflate with each year of Future’s career. The conviction in his art, although not always with the best outcome, has never wavered. FUTURE is absolutely addicting, strangely personal, and frenetic, making it one of his most overlooked projects. – Ben (Synth) (9/10)

Less than 45 seconds into his 2017 eponymous album, Future raps “...Your baby mama fuck me better when the rent's due.” With that alone, you know Future will be at his most ferocious. He may not scream at us like he did on “Stick Talk,” but instead, he takes on the role of a remorseless trap kingpin. He's a larger-than-life figure that doesn’t care if “you were [his] daddy, [he’d] still cut off your neck” (Wilburn, “POA”). For the first time, he fully commits to a side of his music persona and sticks with it for an entire project. To add onto that, he uses an array of beats, to minimize the fact that the subject matter gets a little less stale over 17 songs. However, there remain duds here and there, especially in the third quarter of the album. Despite that, FUTURE is a lot more than just the “Mask Off” album. It may seem to be just that and appear to be middle-of-the-road within his discography, but that’s almost fully expected within his discography. The truth is, it’s a great project that shows Future going in a new direction, resulting in some of his most iconic songs. – Alan (8.8/10)

In the prime of his career, Future dropped his self-titled project, FUTURE. This album featured certified future classics like “Rent Money,” “Mask Off,” and “Used to This.” As I revisit this project, I have grown to appreciate it more and more for what it is. Future is one of those artists that knows how to fill your ears with a vibe. This album is jumpy and can be thrown into any party playlist. Further, I understand more of Future’s message. Future includes skits to tie together concepts about “alleged” substance abuse, the business side to the music industry, and women using him for clout. While I often dismiss Future as being a one-dimensional artist, I will say that I haven’t given him a fair shot. Now of course, Future is not holding a candle to some more lyrically renowned artists, but he did put together a dope project. FUTURE is a fitting title and he was able to put together a great sound—and coupled with elite production—this album is still enjoyable five years after its release. – Daniel (7/10)

Future’s status as one of trap music’s mightiest heroes is certainly in part due to hits from his self-titled album; however, Future isn’t nearly his most self-describing work. In fact, FUTURE (and its sister record HNDRXX) represents a transitional period in the career of a trap icon. At its best, FUTURE is anthemic and entertaining, though it’s got a slight underbelly of less exciting tracks. What keeps Future from ending up a middling experience in the end (unlike HNDRXX), are its cycles of energetic production that generally keep the momentum from sinking beyond reprieve. It shows that Future has always kept a handful of hits ready for every season, trend, and major change in the music industry for about a decade now. – DeVán (7/10)