As one-trick pony as he can be at times, Future’s back-to-back number one albums earlier this year prove he’s not going anywhere. Loyal fans will eat up anything he puts out and maintain his success regardless of quality or creativity. Though two full-length projects in two weeks deserves all its due credit, it highlights the tendency for rappers like Future to go for quantity over quality. There’s no denying HNDRXX and FUTURE have their filler tracks. That’s why we’ve isolated the essentials from both projects, trimmed the fat, and compiled the album that could have been for your enjoyment.

NAYVADIUS respects Future’s original goals of his two albums. FUTURE represented the usual sonic facade that has carried his career, while HNDRXX was an attempt to show a different, more personal side of the Atlanta rapper. While these sufficiently paint the picture Future was trying to create for himself, I think the true Future is hiding in plain sight.

Our compilation begins with an apologetic Future wearing his heart on his sleeve with “Sorry”, the closing track to HNDRXX. From there, we embark on a battle royale between Future’s natural, rugged, styrofoam cup-holding form and his desire to establish himself as a softer and more reflective artist. While this image begins to rear it’s head with tracks like “Turn On Me” and “Might as Well”, we simply find ourselves spiraling back and forth toward the syrupy, droning trap anthems from which Future cannot rid himself. It is his true strength, the essence of his artistry. Future takes a deep breath of “Fresh Air”, and dons his final, air-wave dominating form on “Draco”. For better or for worse, this is the Future that will live on. This is Nayvadius DeMun Wilburn, an artist whose deeper-self may continue to try, but likely fail to crack the sticky, chronic coating of molly and codeine that keeps fans begging for more.