3.
Future
DS2
Producers: Metro Boomin, Southside, Zaytoven
Freebandz/Epic
Future‘s epic Fall 2014 to Summer 2015 run culminated in a sequel to his breakout Dirty Sprite mixtape, DS2, which would be released commercially and—Future hoped, at least—dispel previous notions that he wasn’t build to be more than an underground star. It did more than just dispel those notions, it proved that Future had reached star status. With three critically-acclaimed and relentlessly downloaded mixtapes on the streets, many wondered whether or not the Atlanta rapper had enough material to make DS2 a viable offering, and those qualms were quickly put to rest. The singles themselves didn’t resonate as well as some of the deep cuts—”Thought It Was a Drought,” “Freak H*es”—and Metro Boomin once again provided the perfect soundscape for Future to weave his tales of codeine-induced depression, triumph, love and self-doubt. From the clubs to the critics, Future had achieved the very success he tried to orchestrate with 2014’s Honest, and DS2 is the crown jewel of his rise to prominence.