Music: Future, the Honest Rapper, Releases "Monster"

“Monster,” the appropriately dubbed project, is the latest from “Honest” rapper, Future. It outlines his progression as an artist who appeals to the Billboard charts as well as the streets. In light of his recent split with Ciara, who is now the mother of his child, the Atlanta-based rapper makes it clear that his sound will not suffer or be compromised.

As usual, “Monster” is filled with lyrics and anecdotes involving lavish living, drug references, and sexual endeavors—not necessarily tailored for young and mal- leable ears, but that is what has come to be expected from Future, whose birth name is Nayvadius Cash.

Production from the likes of St. Louis, Missouri’s Metro Boomin’ delivers suitable sounds on “Radical” for Halloween, as the mixtape was released October 31.

The fast lifestyle that stardom provides is illustrated on “Throw Away,” which out- lines his numerous and apparently mean- ingless escapades with different women. As far as having a lineup of star-studded features to assist Future Hendrix on the most recent work, the only back up he needed was YMCMB front man Lil Wayne on “After That,” a track on which neither artist steers too far away from his content comfort zone.

“I spend that mula, that fetti. What’s comin’ after that?” Future and Lil Wayne take on the TM-88/Southside-produced banger.

“Gangland” and “Fetti” certainly stay true to the trap music sound that Future himself helped dig out of the ground of At- lanta and guide toward the light. On songs like these, we really find the rapper in his element and recapture the grittiness of a song like “Tony Montana” or “Ain’t No Way Around It.”

The mixtape’s title song, “Monster,” accomplishes about the same feat, as well as demonstrating Future’s most authentic and original style and delivery.

Metro Boomin’ handles the production for the project’s majority as well as serving as executive producer. However, Future maneuvered through sound from others like DJ Spinz, Southside, Nard, B, TM- 88, Will-A-Fool, DJ Plugg, and Bobby Kritical.

There is not much here in the way of lyrical acrobats or thought provoking content from Future. However, his style remains untarnished and original, teetering back and forth between rapping and singing (if that’s what you’d like to call it) with auto-tune lightly drizzled over his vocals.