Hailed as the King of Trap, Future (born: Nayvadius DeMun Cash), has been an icon in the rap scene for more than a decade, and even at 40 years old he remains an idol. Releasing 3 studio albums, “We don’t trust you”, “We still don’t trust you,” and “Mixtape Pluto,” all in 2023, it is clear that despite his age Future has not slowed down in the production of his music.
Beginning his career with an introductory mixtape, “Astronaut Status”, released in 2012, Future began to get attention from well established artists in the rap scene. The album, which included features from Ludacris and Gucci Mane, made it clear that Future had a rich career ahead of him.
Future followed up his initial release with two more albums released in 2012, “Pluto” and “Pluto 3d” both of which are often overlooked because it was early in his career when he was still finding his sound. That said, these albums still have a lot to offer. Features from Snoop Dog, Juicy J, and Drake, alongside a unique flow and beat selection combine to make these albums timeless essentials to his catalog.
In 2014 Future released “Monster” a trap/ hip hop album that explores the effects that drugs and addiction had on him.. His distinct voice and auto tune effects, paired with trap beats produced by Metro Boomin, gives the album a feeling that is so uniquely “Raw” it’s hard to find something to truly dislike.
This album also features what is regarded as some of future’s best songs: “Codeine crazy” and “Hardly.” This era, in 2014, is known as the Xanax Era,. a time marked by his heavy drug and alcohol abuse. In these songs Future loses the masquerade of the never ending party, drugs, women and money, which he had made the face of his brand for the previous 2 years, and what got him started in rap.
Instead, he describes the pain and harm that these drugs have inflicted. “Codeine Crazy” describes his relationship with Codeine, a prescription cough syrup often abused by rappers for its numbing effects on the body and mind.
In 2015, Future released 4 different albums: , “Beast Mode”, “56 Nights”, “DS2 (Dirty Sprite 2)” and “What a time to be Alive”, a collaboration album with Drake. “DS2” is the most notable of these 4 albums, it is a follow up to the original “Dirty Sprite” album which had never been released. It features some of Future’s most energetic and popular songs. The album was supported by three singles: “Fuck Up Some Commas”, “Where Ya At”, and “Stick Talk”. DS2 debuted number 1 on the Billboard hot 200, and was generally regarded as one of the best albums of the year.
Future continued to release albums like “Purple Reign” and “EVOL” in 2016,” Super Slimey ft. Young Thug, HNDRXX, and the self-titled, FUTURE. (Self Titled) Iin 2017, saw and more collaboration albums like “World on Drugs” with Juice world in 2018, “Baby x PLuto” with Lil Uzi Vert in 2020, and “Mixtape Pluto” with Metro Boomin in 2024.
Future’s history of highly praised album releases, and consistency of with continued drops, even through 2024, mark him Future as an immovable object in the music industry. It’s clear that he has a lot more to offer, especially going into 2025.
