As if you needed one more reason to go see Future live on his "Purple Reign" tour with Ty Dolla $ign, the rapper decided to come through with a Purple Reign mixtape early Sunday morning. The ATL crooner already has enough material for any one fan to want to see him perform live, but Purple Reign just gave fans thirteen more reasons (maybe ten or eleven depending on if you fucked with the entire mixtape or not-- I've seen some division amongst fans in terms of how hard this project goes).
If there's one thing you can guarantee when Future releases a project, it's some fire production from his go-to set of Atlanta-based hitmakers; namely Metro Boomin, but Southside and DJ Spinz should also be factored in. Surprisingly, in our list of five best beats, there are also two lesser-known producers who show up. While someone could easily say that Future delivers more of the same on Purple Reign, I would be inclined to reply that his formula is tried and true, and exactly what the Future Hive wants.
Let us know your favorite record from the new mixtape.
All Right
Producer: Metro Boomin & Dre Moon
Sounds like: Not giving any fucks.
Future kicks off the mixtape with the hard-hitting yet scattered “All Right.” Metro Boomin, who serves as an executive producer on the entire tape, also had production on almost every record. Here though, he’s accompanied by a Grammy Award-winning producer, Dre Moon. The record feels incomplete though, or perhaps it’s just a snippet, not only because of how short it is but because of the abrupt ending (which includes a Drake drop-in). Metro and Moon create a looming beat that lurches back and forth with an echoing, robotic synth and bass line. At times, there’s almost no beat at all, with Future rapping over what sparsity remains. Whereas some records, as the tape wears on, come from a place of sorrow, this one is more on the positive and party-friendly tip.
Never Forget
Producer: Jonn Boi
Sounds like: A luxe, trap symphony.
Whereas Purple Reign largely consists of production from notable, well-known beatsmiths, Jon Boii is not one of them. He comes through though with one of the best beats on the tape, on track #4 “Never Forget.” The Atlanta-based producer cooks up a massive backdrop for Future’s elongated flow—Future is practically yelling (at least, yelling by Future rap standards, we’re not talking Meek-level yelling here) on his verses to match the largeness of the beat. Strings feel stretched out and become trap-friendly when placed beside synths, terse hi-hats, and a few raucous ad-libs. The entire record has a sense of victory, despite Future laying out all the things he had to do to get to this point—most of which could land him in jail.
Run Up
Producer: DJ Spinz
Sounds like: Nothing else on the tape.
The DJ Spinz-produced “Run Up” is bouncy as fuck. It’s amazing. When I first heard it, I found my head bobbing to the beat immediately, and when I looked to my left, I noticed my friend’s head was bobbing at the exact same time as me—we were moving in unison, coincidentally. That’s just what this beat will do to you. The beat remains minimal and crisp, built around a few simple piano keys, with clapping, light drums and synths rounding it out. It stands out among the 13 tracks on Purple Reign simply because of how it different it is, sonically, than the rest— rather than the dark, melodic trap vibe, it actually feels pretty upbeat, with Future employing a curt flow to match the abruptness of the beat.
Perkys Calling
Producer: Southside
Sounds like: The come-down.
Future somehow creates what feels like a love song for his vices: street life, drugs. It’s not your typical love song, it feels sad. Future seems aware of that, his energy is low and his voice feels anguished as he comes to terms with the perks callin’. Melancholy production from Southside sets the pace though, littered with a few forlorn keys and some buried scratches, even the drums feel lethargic when paired with Future’s crooning. It’s not a love song that reflects on the happy times, rather, a love song created out of addiction, one that you would make the morning after a binger, sunlight pouring through the window because you stayed up ‘til 6 AM, the harshness of reality setting in; and you just want to head back into the oblivion of the night prior—for Future though, it always feels like that binger is a never-ending one, his selection of beats paralleling his continuous highs and lows. Still, there’s no regret here, in the beat or in Future’s lyrics, it’s really just this sense of pain purveyed from both angles.
Purple Reign
Producer: Metro Boomin
Sounds like: A rainy day.
“Purple Reign” is almost an onomatopoeic record—from the production to Future repetitive mumbles of ‘purple reign’ on the hook—everything creates this woozy sound and feeling, similar to rain drops hitting the ground one after another. The title track, which closes out the mixtape, is more of a downer than an upper, whereas, as we saw, the project started with something more triumphant—“All Right”— the mixtape may not be super cohesive, but it feels like an appropriate way to end the project. Metro Boomin is behind the boards, creating a sprawling and spiraling beat that, as mentioned, imitates the idea of rain falling, and haunts the background while Future calls out for his girlfriend (by which he most certainly means lean, the substance that dominates and directs his life and his music). Towards the end of the record, Metro actually adds in the sounds of a thunderstorm, momentarily, before going back into the stretched out keys.
