After 59 songs in six months, Atlanta trap Godfather Future released a brand new project on September 20th, 2024, titled “Mixtape Pluto.” The project up to this point has had fairly good reviews and criticisms, but what stands out the most is the production and subject matter of this project. As fans, we get to see the mind of Nayvadious Wilburn and the image he’s built himself as ‘Future.’ It’s an eerie project that considers the ups and downs of his extravagant lifestyle, which poises this to be his best yet strangest project since 2017’s “HNDRXX.” With Mixtape Pluto, the Atlanta-based rapper ventures deeper into the abyss of emotional turmoil, crafting a sonic odyssey that is as captivating as it is soul-stirring, which Pitchfork notes, could be due to his public perception. Since “Monster,” Future rapped and spoke frequently in interviews about the rejection he felt after releasing happier, more tender songs. (Pitchfork. 1) He laments his feelings on “I Serve the Base,” saying, “Tried to make me a pop star and they made a monster.” It has shaped his entire run since he provides us with tunes that express irreplaceable joy and tunes expressing otherworldly pain while providing us with trap sounds that are exclusive to his prowess.
Future and close collaborators Southside and Wheezy crafted this LP with one simple purpose, mainly to exercise the emotions Future has been subject to for most of his career, but also to stay true to his patent sound and energy in the music. The title alone suggests this project isn’t a massive production like “We Don’t Trust You.” “We Still Don’t Trust You,” or even “Heros and Villains,” his collaborative project with Metro Boomin. Ultimately with this being his first solo project since 2017, as previously mentioned, Future excels, providing us with some of his most impactful verses in almost a decade. Compared to the rest of his discography, the sound of this project is very polished, yet chaotic which truly illustrates the mind of the artist considering his recent endeavors. From the early release of tension on “Ski,” we get to see gritty lyricism and a moody atmosphere with tracks like “Teflon Don” and “Ocean” demonstrating his ability to blend cinematic soundscapes with the aggressive trap percussion sound. You can hear his dark patent sounds on “Lil Demon” and “Plutoski.” His flows start to become a production of what he’s been living through in addiction. It’s almost like you’re audibly listening to him spiral into a gloomy state of fame. An even gloomier example of him fighting is the song “Lost My Dog,” which is an elegy to a former friend who succumbed to his opioid addiction. It becomes a difficult pill to swallow with lines such as: “Started to take advantage of these pills when he drill/I want to tell him, Stop,’ but it help him when he kill,” “Drugs in my body, I still cry for you,” Thought I was done with it, then got the news about you, All it made me wanna do is relapse.” It is no secret substance abuse has been coupled with Future’s image, but it’s very hard to listen to this track, and not feel some remorse for what he is feeling.
The production of this project was shared by a group of producers but headlined by 808 Mafia member Southside and highly decorated Wheezy. They attempt to provide a fresh sound while using iconic elements from Future’s past work. “South of France” does a beautiful job of trying to execute the creative vision of the project. Pitchfork notes, it’s “a wistful but anvil-heavy missive that locates the intersection of “Bugatti” and “U.O.E.N.O.,” marrying 808 Mafia-style maximalism to the slyer, woozier style that competed with it for airtime in the early 2010s”. Other tracks like “Made My Hoe Faint” redesign ratchet club music from L.A. and Louisiana in the syntax of contemporary East Coast club rap, while “Ready to Cook Up” is very reminiscent of “DS2” channeling dark, murky holiday bells that sound like they spawned straight out of a cracked version of FL Studio. In comparison to his previous collaborative albums dropped this year, this project sounds dark, raw, and aggressive, yet Future’s emotions run loose on the project. The cover hits home, as it is a tribute to his fallen cousin Rico Wade. It brandishes the most famous house in Atlanta Hip-hop history, “The Dungeon,” where if you’re aware of the genre’s history, it has produced some of the most famous acts in Hip Hop. Acts such as Outkast, Ceelo Green, and even Future himself have graced the Southwest Atlanta home and refined their musical visions. This is where the question lies: Is Future himself okay? On this album, he raps endlessly about living a larger-than-life character that has been the center of the genre of Hip Hip for a decade. With that are intoxicated lines about sex, money, drugs, fame, and depression that give us a peek into what’s inside of Future’s cup, and how hard a life of fame can be hard to swallow. In his words, he’s been “Surfing a Tsunami” since before he’s ever come near fame. The emotional depth and environmental chaos serve as an ocean while the seemingly endless extravagant lifestyle he lives is a raft keeping him afloat while periodically dragging him under. This album befittingly illustrates that the only way to confront past demons is to reinvent yourself in new ways and styles.
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