It’s been less than a week since hip-hop superstar Future released his fifth and latest album, the out-of-nowhere self-titled effort that racked up sales and streams quicker than a hiccup. Behind the decks was a veritable armada of production all-stars, including DJ Khaled, Metro Boomin, Zaytoven and others, but not one of the 17 tracks featured any trace of a guest vocalist, cementing for all time Future’s place as a generational talent in his own right.
It was reminiscent of Kendrick Lamar’s untitled unmastered that landed with next to zero fanfare behind it early last year, but where Kendrick chose not to follow up that record in the same year, it appears as though Future isn’t even close to being over and out for 2017 yet. Various media outlets are reporting the Atlanta rapper is ready to release another new album as early as this week (!) in news that will send his fans into hyperventilation.
Hits Daily Double broke the rumour late yesterday, describing the album as “more rhythmic-leaning and radio-friendly” than his self-titled. They attribute no sources to this claim but there’s no fun to be had in not speculating with all the intensity of a chemtrails conspiracy theorist and the story has spread like wildfire since. For instance, could this next album be full of the collaborations that were conspicuously absent from last week’s release? Specifically, the kind of collaborations that artists like Chance The Rapper have recently alluded to on Instagram? Maybe Drake might be back to capture more of the magic the pair bottled on joint record What A Time To Be Alive or Gucci Mane might have some left in the tank that didn’t make Zone, their collaborative effort from earlier this year.
Our dream list? Chance, Frank Ocean, Kanye, Skepta (the Drizzy connection is definitely there for an introduction) Kendrick or Andre 3000 (did you hear those two bump on Benz Friendz??? Why haven’t we heard more???). None of them might be featured but it’s worth a hope right? Just please, for the love of God no more Maroon 5 anywhere.
Whatever this new album might hold, or whether it even exists and this isn’t just somebody’s fever dream that found itself snowballed into a news story, Future’s place on the upper tier of hip-hop artists is unquestionable and the world will be talking regardless of what happens.
Image: Billboard