On Thursday night (July 16), Tribeca looked like a scene straight up out of Magic City sans strippers, thanks to Future. Posters and life-size images of the man of the night and Styrofoam cups affixed with the Freebandz logo were in abundance as guests filtered into the Three Sixty°, a modern 30,000-square-foot space complete with panoramic views of the city. If Future’s vision was to bring the Atlanta lifestyle to New York City for the release of his Dirty Sprite 2 project, complete with cocktails named after his hit songs like the Hennessy-Ginger ale combo, “The Monster,” then he won.
READ: 9 Signs You’re An Honest Member Of The #FutureHive
VIBE was in attendance at the L.A. Reid and Epic Records affair as the night kicked off with an hour-long jam session that kept the crowd turnt. The Atlanta trapper, real name Nayvadius Wilburn, made a grand entrance, followed by a double-digit entourage that made their way to a VIP section roped off with plush seating. He didn’t stay put for long. Fewtch had to touch the people, making his way front and center for an impromptu performance of his latest studio effort. Alongside DJ Esco and producer Metro Boomin, Future put on a show for the books that even had Jaden Smith hitting the Nae Nae.
Pluto and Honest were just a mere precursor of what the Dungeon Family affiliate had been cooking up in the real 6, a.k.a. Zone 6 in East Atlanta, for the past seven years. DS2 is Future’s third studio effort and it honestly can’t get any dirtier (he cops to sticking his thumb in a girl’s butt on “Stick Talk“). A follow up to 2011’s Dirty Sprite, this re-up sounds like a psychology sesh for the streets, but specifically, Future. A slight departure from the flashy Bugatti-riding rhymes, the 18-track project is a purple haze of Xanax, codeine, and Actavis. The boastful #FutureHive leader reminds us he’s not a pop star (see: Ciara breakup) but indeed a beast. The album is anchored by his own life experiences as he swerves in and out of the fast lane, with little regard for consequences. “Thought It Was A Drought” kicks off DS2 and reiterates Future Hendrix’s fondness for sex, drugs and designer clothes, but mostly sex and drugs. The project progresses with a gutter tone as Future brags about his shooters and plugs (“I Serve the Base”) and formulates a flawless anthem for those well-versed in finessing and hitting licks on the daily (“Trap N***s”). He even pens a track dedicated to his two favorite past-times (“The Percocet & Stripper Joint”), while sharing the spotlight with lone feature, Drake, on “Where Ya At.”
LISTEN: Future’s ‘Dirty Sprite 2? Is Available For Your Streaming Pleasure
Future may not be the most lyrical, but there’s no denying that dude can craft a hot hook. His smooth sing-song, Auto-Tuned vocals glide over Metro Boomin’s trap beats making for undeniable, melodic rap joints. However, the only problem to nitpick at DS2 is whether the non-singles will actually relate to the masses as likable, chart-climbers like his previous work. Then again, Future may not be looking to feed the masses but more so the streets. But in the words of the #FutureHive, “The drought is over.”