RECORD REVIEW: Future’s ‘HNDRXX’

The Atlanta trap baron talks tragedy on his latest triumph

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Future is a man of many contradictions. His output has also been quite profound as of late. The recent self-titled album featured the familiar trap sounds and themes, with a creative spin on production. Yet, on HNDRXX, Atlanta’s favorite son makes an earnest attempt at ... an album about love?

Make no mistake, Future’s idea of love isn’t truly realistic, nor is it even fair in most cases. Even while he croons about being done wrong on “My Collection,” he immediately alludes to his own emotional shortcomings — “Anytime I got you girl you my possession, even if I hit you once you part of my collection” — not necessarily the most romantic approach to love. “Comin Out Strong,” featuring the Weeknd, is the first taste of what the album truly is: the contradictions of a man struggling to deal with love and fame. At times, Future almost pleads for someone to “be honest to me,” while simultaneously speaking on his disregard for the actions of others: “They take my kindness for weakness, still coming out strong.” Though both “Comin Out Strong” and the Rihanna-featured “Selfish” work well to give the album a bit of diversity, the best moments come from Future, and Future alone. For what it lacks in selflessness, HNDRXX is unrelentingly transparent. Both the aforementioned “My Collection” and “Sorry” bookend the album, and perfectly illustrate what makes Future, and the album itself, so emotionally complex. “My Collection” is a glimpse into Future’s tainted look at love, while also showcasing his odd, if not somewhat cruel, standard of give-and-take. “Sorry,” however, is one-track minded. As it completes the album, it also serves as the final piece of the intricate puzzle that is the mind of Nayvadius DeMun Wilburn. It’s both revealing and legitimately depressing. He addresses both his own horror at the wrong he’s done (“sold crack to a pregnant lady, forgive me for the crack baby”) and his dependency on the love that seemingly created his self-destructive behavior (“I breathe the air she breathe, it’s hard to breathe on my own”).
The two latest Future projects are easiest to digest if they are viewed as a double-album of sorts. The self-titled album serves as the superstar exterior that deems drug use and emotionless escapades as a rapper lifestyle necessity, while HNDRXX is a review of the man himself, a voyeuristic look into what keeps trap rap’s biggest star up at night. Future may be his own worst enemy, making the most intimate of moments on HNDRXX truly tragic. ★★★★☆