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Monster (mixtape)

Monster is the thirteenth mixtape by American rapper Future. It was released on October 28, 2014 by Freebandz Entertainment.[1] Along with Beast Mode and 56 Nights, it is considered one of "a trilogy of album-quality mixtapes" that Future released following Honest.[2][3] The mixtape was executive produced by producer Metro Boomin.

On October 28, 2019, Monster was released onto streaming platforms in celebration of five years since release, excluding the tracks "Intro", "Abu's Boomin" and "Fuck Up Some Commas"; the latter of which is available on streaming services through Future's 2015 album DS2.

Critical reception

Monster was critically acclaimed by critics and fans alike. It is widely considered to be Future‘s best work and the best trap project. In Vice, Robert Christgau gave Monster a "B+" and described it as "strong like pop so seldom is. Vulnerable like pop so seldom is too."[5] Sam C. Mac from Slant Magazine gave Monster three-and-a-half out of five stars,[6] while PopMatters critic Colin McGuire gave it six out of ten stars.[7] Future explores a darker sound on this mixtape due to the help of producer Metro Boomin. According to XXL, Future shines on this mixtape even without the help of other rappers since the record only includes one guest verse from Lil Wayne.[8]

Track listing

Credits adapted from Tidal.[9]

Personnel

Credits adapted from Tidal.[9]

Charts

"Codeine Crazy"

According to the song's producer, TM88, "Codeine Crazy" samples Cedric Gervais' remix of "Summertime Sadness" by Lana Del Rey.[12] A music video for "Codeine Crazy" was released on February 23, 2015.[13] The American rapper Vic Mensa released a cover of the song later that same year.[14]

In 2022, Luke Hinz of HotNewHipHop retrospectively called the song "one of trap music's lasting contributions" and "a haunting translation of a low point in Future's life that renders a truthful depiction of the rapper in all his drugged up glory".[15] The Ringer listed "Codeine Crazy" as the ninth-best rap song of the 2010s, with Complex ranking it as Future's all time best song in 2018.[16][17] The song has sold half a million units, earning it an RIAA Gold certification in 2022.[18]

References

  1. ^ "Future - Monster Mixtape - Freebandz". LiveMixtapes. Retrieved 2021-11-05.
  2. ^ "Future: Dirty Sprite 2". Pitchfork.com. Retrieved July 22, 2015.
  3. ^ "#FutureHive, Assemble: Future Announces Monster vs. Beast Mode Tour". The Fader. Retrieved July 22, 2015.
  4. ^ "Monster Review by David Crone". allmusic.com. 28 October 2014. Retrieved 28 October 2014.
  5. ^ Christgau, Robert (October 2, 2015). "Future Is the Proof We Need That Money Doesn't Buy Happiness: Expert Witness with Robert Christgau". Vice. Retrieved October 5, 2015.
  6. ^ Mac, Sam C. (November 3, 2014). "Future: Monster". Slant Magazine. Retrieved October 5, 2015.
  7. ^ McGuire, Colin (November 24, 2014). "Future: Monster". PopMatters. Retrieved October 5, 2015.
  8. ^ "Future Explores A Darker Tone And Succeeds With 'Monster' Mixtape - XXL". XXL Mag. Retrieved 2016-03-03.
  9. ^ a b "Monster / Future". Tidal. Retrieved October 29, 2019.
  10. ^ Renshaw, David (October 28, 2019). "Future's Monster arrives on all major streaming platforms for the first time". The Fader. Retrieved October 29, 2019.
  11. ^ "Debuts on this week's #Billboard200 (3/4)". Billboard on Twitter. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
  12. ^ Sadler, Armon (2022-10-04). "TM88 Reveals Sample That Sparked Future's "Codeine Crazy"". Vibe. Retrieved 2024-09-10.
  13. ^ Frydenlund, Zach (February 23, 2015). "Watch Future's "Codeine Crazy" Video". Complex. Retrieved 2024-09-10.
  14. ^ Breihan, Tom (2015-07-22). "Vic Mensa – "Codeine Crazy (Icarus Story)" (Future Cover)". Stereogum. Retrieved 2024-09-10.
  15. ^ Hinz, Luke (2018-05-21). "The Legacy Of Future's "Codeine Crazy"". HotNewHipHop. Retrieved 2024-09-10.
  16. ^ "The Ringer's 100 Best Rap Songs of the 2010s". The Ringer. Retrieved 2024-09-10.
  17. ^ "The 50 Best Future Songs". Complex. January 5, 2018. Retrieved 2024-09-10.
  18. ^ "Gold & Platinum". RIAA. Retrieved 2024-09-10.