DS2 (Dirty Sprite 2) By Future Album Review

Future is the man of right damn now. In the past week, the Atlanta-based MC has been in headlines across the media from his multi part mini-documentary collaboration with Complex or his comments regarding Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson‘s relationship with the rapper’s young son. He also released his follow-up to 2011’s mixtape Dirty Sprite that brought the codeine crooner to the national spotlight.

DS2, as the album is being called already, is a classic Atlanta album already; bangers are the central recurring theme and no track exists without at least one bone-rattling 808 subwoofer. The only voice on the album besides Future’s own is the 6 God himself, Aubrey Graham who is better known by his stage name, Drake. In interviews leading up to the album release, Future himself told Complex that he wanted to “give the streets more music, prove I can still do that and establish a new body of work.”

This is Future’s third release of the year, following his two free mixtapes Monster from January and 56 Nights from March.

In terms of making a completely new catalog, Future doesn’t entirely succeed. DS2 is a return to everything that made him famous, a man who claims on album opener “Thought It Was A Drought” that he “just took a piss and saw codeine comin’ out” and whose last mixtape, 56 Nights, contains references to taking “56 bars all in one month” and whose entire career has been built on saying some of the wildest things in the entire rap game.

That isn’t to say this is a bad thing at all, though. For every fan of Kendrick Lamar or J. Cole, there is sure to be someone else who isn attracted to rap music because of the drugs, women and perceived glamour. This is how artists like Future, Gucci Mane, Peewee Longway and many other Atlanta artist make their bread and butter.

Future has publicly spoken many times on how his relationship with DJ Esco, one of Future’s close collaborators, started with DJ Esco playing his music in Magic City, a legendary strip club in south central Atlanta. With backstory like that, it’s almost inconceivable that Future would abandon his roots to make anything except “trap music.”

The influence of the trap is also unavoidable in the production; the list of those who contributed beats to the album reads like a list of who’s who in the Atlanta hip hop scene. Future brings in repeat collaborators Metro Boomin’, Sonny Digital, Southside and Zaytoven and between the four, one of them has a hand in every single song on the album. Distorted low ends, 808 subs, looping keyboards and Future’s signature slightly AutoTuned chanting cum singing cum rapping are the recipe for every verse from open to close.

If you’re already a member of #FutureHive — the rabid following of Future fans on social media — congratulations. This album will be soundtracking the rest of your summer. If you’re at all unsure about Future, it’s worth checking this out if only because although the album is repetitive, Future’s music is perfect for certain times and moods that you will understand instantly. If you already know you don’t like Future, sorry. Don’t waste your time here, it’s nothing new from the newly minted A-lister.

Get DS2 here: