Future quickly became the game’s hottest rapper in 2015 thanks to his consistency, with the release of DS2, Beast Mode, 56 Nights, and What A Time to Be Alive. Little did we know just how far that consistency would extend, to 2017, not only with his full-length bodies of work but equally so for his friends and partners with an astounding amount of featured work. There was a slight concern for Future's direction (and future, ha) post-Honest in 2014, but Future was quick to wash that away, coming back bigger and better than before with his mixtape run and sophomore project.
Future's dominance often extends to the track he's featured on, even if it's only for a hook, Future will often determine the sound of a record, inadvertently or otherwise, monopolizing the sound. We’ve seen this play out to the artist's advantage too, with an artist only enlisting Future for that specific need of an auto-tuned, catchy hook. It often works. In terms of his solo career, Future’s pair of 2017 albums had a noticeable lack of outside voices, his own being all that was needed, for the most part. There have been out-right collaborative projects though, such as Beast Mode with Zaytoven, Drake for What A Time to be Alive, and the latest album Super Slimey, in collaboration with Young Thug.
Future's ability to take a step back and reevaluate his career and how he navigates the rap game is something to be observed in its own right. Where fans went from not being wholly interested in hearing more than a chorus from him, to now reciting every verse at a concert, speaks volumes to the work ethic, the constant reinvention and improvement of his style, and just how much he’s been able to affect the game in such a short time. We’re looking forward to seeing what Future has in store for the remainder of 2017 (you never know), and subsequently 2018. In the interim, we're celebrating Future's 34th birthday (!) by looking at some of the best features he's doled out thus far.
Let us know your favorite Future features.
For the purposes of this list, please note, we did not include or pull from either joint albums WATTBA and Super Slimey. Presented in chronological order.
Gucci Mane f/ Future “Confused” (2013)
Album: World War 3, Vol. 1: Lean
With production from frequent collaborator Zaytoven, this is an early banger from Future and Gucci Mane that appeared on GuWop's WW3 series. We hear a slightly less auto-tuned Future, but still get the hazy slur from Future that flows effortlessly on any beat he touches, as well as some #FreebandGang shout outs, and a catchy-ass hook. It still goes.
What are some of Future's earliest songs that you still find yourself bumping?
Big K.R.I.T. f/ Future “Just Last Week” (2013)
Album: King Remembered In Time
The feature that we might not have seen coming at the time, but we were all the more happy for it. Two southern rappers came together for a banger, initially appearing on Big K.R.I.T.’s King Remembered In Time. Originally released as only a snippet on K.R.I.T.’s mixtape, we were eventually granted the full song, although it did not serve its intended purpose-- it was meant as a single off Krizzle's Cadillactica, but it didn't actually make the final album. Still, insofar as its meant to be a turn-up record (as KRIT told Genius), it served that purpose extremely well, and it still does.
Ace Hood f/ Rick Ross & Future “Bugatti” (2013)
Album: Trials & Tribulations
Not all of us can wake up in such luxury, but we can dream, can’t we? This Nissan Versa might not be the $2.6 million sports car, but if I close my eyes hard enough and blast this banger from Ace Hood, Rick Ross and Future, it might just be enough to forget I’m still behind on my car payments. Released at the height of 2013, "Bugatti" went on to go platinum, and became a defining song of. the year, in large part thanks to Future's masterfully-yelled hook.
Lil Wayne f/ Future & Drake “Love Me” (2013)
Album: I Am Not A Human Being II
The first time we saw this trio connect on wax, there’s no arguing that this was a certified hit. It went on to peak at #9, becoming one of many top 10 Billboard Hot 100 single entries for Weezy. However, it was the first top 10 entry for Future, and it was highest-charting one until "Mask Off" came along in 2017. While this version went on to chart, Mike WiLL Made It, the song's producer, holds the original version which includes two verses from Future on his mixtape MikeWillBeenTrill.
Which version of the song do you like most?
Pusha T f/ Future “Pain” (2013)
Album: My Name Is My Name
Though “Pain” was released as the lead single to Pusha T’s My Name Is My Name, it failed to chart. This is in 2013, still, so Future as the hook-ruler hasn't been established all the way yet. Still, this hook isn't to be forgotten, despite Future's declaration that he never feels pain, his hook feels extremely emotional. As we track Future’s career, we can also hear the early signs of him perfecting the melodic and hazy cadence we’ve come to expect from him.
Rocko f/ Rick Ross & Future “U.E.O.N.O.” (2013)
Album: Gift of Gab 2
Aside from the controversy surrounding the original song at the time, and Rick Ross’ lyrics specifically, we hear a further-polished Future, while also being one of Future’s most successful singles, back in 2013. This was also back when Rocko and Future were on good terms, the good ol days. It's a important stepping stone feature in Future's career.
Travis Scott f/ Future “High Fashion” (2015)
Album: N/A
"We predicted this, you hear me," Future starts, aptly.
Travis Scott’s "High Fashion," produced by the formidable trio of Southside, WondaGurl & Metro Boomin, is home to another mesmerizing hook from Future. First released as a single, Travis didn't ultimately place the record on his debut Rodeo, but it's remained a favorite with its hazy synth and feathery piano.
Ty Dolla Sign f/ Rae Sremmurd & Future “Blase” (2015)
Album: Free TC
It was more than just the perky’s calling, by the looks of it Future didn’t take a day off in 2015. Being the go-to feature for a sure banger, Ty Dolla Sign teamed up with Future and Rae Sremmurd for the second single off his debut studio album.
Where does this song rank on your list of Future features? Honorable mention/shout out to "Campaign," it was a tough decision as to which one we wanted to include here.
Meek Mill f/ Future "Jump Out The Face” (2015)
Album: Dreams Worth More Than Money
Being among the most sought-out artist for features, in general, it’s no surprise that Meek Mill connected with Future for this braggadocious track. With production from Metro Boomin, we’re almost guaranteed that this was going to be a hit, and we weren’t disappointed.
How do y’all feel about this collaboration?
DJ Esco f/ Future & Lil Uzi Vert “Too Much Sauce” (2016)
Album: Project E.T. Esco Terrestrial
You know Future had to bless his personal DJ with something catchy and dripping in sauce, word to the title. Esco connected Future with Lil Uzi Vert on this collaboration. The bounciness of the piano-laden beat, produced by Zaytoven, not only plays to Lil Uzi Vert's upbeat attitude, while the trapiness of the hook is the perfect spot for Future to do his minimal flexing, thus resulting in the perfect collab.
Drake f/ Future “Grammys” (2016)
Album: Views
There’s no arguing that Future put in work in 2015, with the release of Dirty Sprite 2, and mixtapes Beast Mode, 56 Nights and WATTBA. Future didn't stop with his onslaught of content, tethering along the lines of over-saturation, but never overstepping that line, somehow. This collaboration with Drake appeared on the Toronto rapper's 2016 album, thus post-WATTBA, continuing the evolution of their collaborative efforts. It bridged the pop and the trap worlds in one smooth swoop-- it's an instance where the two sounds met in the middle, rather than Future dictating it de facto.
21 Savage f/ Future “X” (2016)
Album: Savage Mode
Taking a slight backseat on this feature, but still an important facet of the song, we hear Future provide a certain subtlety to 21 Savages 2x platinum record “X.” When Atlanta comes together on one track we can be sure it’ll slap. Back by the production of Metro Boomin, of course, it became an immediate highlight of Savage Mode.
Chance the Rapper f/ Future “ Smoke Break” (2016)
Album: Coloring Book
Chance and Future come together for a trap-infused moment of reflection. In his Zane Lowe interview, Chance speaks on the feature saying, “One of my favourite records is a song I made with Future on it called “Smoke Break” and I think Future was perfect for it cause he’s a father too and that record, I remember I started making it and my girlfriend came in and she didn’t like it at first, now it’s her favourite song. But the song talks about, you know, it’s another song that uses drugs as a metaphor for relationships or sex or whatever but you know, there really is a whole turning point in terms of your priorities and your schedule and we really did lose for a second, you know, the respect of time for ourselves and the respect of time to just take a break, put the baby down for a second and like, enjoy each other’s company.”
We also get a different side of Future on this feature, not as high with energy, but we can still enjoy the moment.
Lil Uzi Vert f/ Future “Seven Million” (2016)
Album: The Perfect Luv Tape
Lil Uzi and Future come together for another banger after “Too Much Sauce,” just to flex on us for a quick minute. Although Future is only on the hook, as we've seen, this is where he tends to shine, bringing the track's replay value to another level. It's the perfect way to close Uzi's mixtape, as it just makes you want to hit play all over again.
Young Thug f/ Future “Relationship” (2017)
Album: Beautiful Thugger Girls
Despite these two both playing a prominent role in the ATL hip-hop scene, they had collaborated minimal times up until the release of Super Slimey-- before we even got a full mixtape's worth, though, Young Thug and Future gave us this beautiful, country-influenced hit off Thugger's own Beautiful Thugger Girls.
