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Reviewed by @Bossin777

Futuristic released 13-track album titled The Rise in May of 2015 and it’s evident early on in the album that The Rise not only feels like tactical warfare on any competition Futuristic has—But also a predictive statement on the snowball affect his sound seems to already be having in the independent hip-hop scene. The Rise has accumulated several million plays on Soundcloud in its debut quarter.

The Rise opens with “The Greatest” a confident claim that pushes listeners to hear him out. This initial track isn’t your standard diss-other-rappers track, it tells a bit of Futuristic's story— “I been snapping like a turtle/dressed like I’m Urkel/They concerned about me going too commercial/killing shows without rehearsal” his machine gun flow may come naturally, but it's clear he wants his audience to know his music is a labor of love “I am a created player and I put myself in the game."

Futuristic’s style is undeniably and substantially smart—and eclectic; not just across tracks on The Rise but within each track. For example, “No Way” varies from moderate to rapid-fire flow with a crooning and melodic hook. His overall style is anything but boring. “Not Enough” is a tamer more reflective track…while “Do Something” is quirky and playful. While the album takes it down a notch half-way through; it picks back up with the track “Too Easy.” The album also has five collaboration tracks featuring peer independent artists. The most notable of those is “Call of Duty" featuring Castro —a metaphor for the independent scene paying homage to the popular video game, and perhaps a nod to his wide spread and growing following.

The heavy-hitting tracks on this release from Futuristic are the title track, “The Rise" feat. Devvon Terrell,  “Man on a Mission,” and “OD" feat. D-Pryde. Perhaps the most impressive aspect of The Rise are it’s intelligent but clever lyrics. Futuristic has clearly invested himself in his music. He always reverts back to the theme that hard work pays off, “ But the real hard workers always win in the end/I bought a trip that’s gon’ last me a lifetime/music’s in my blood like water in pipelines/ I don’t even sleep in the night time.” The album also has frequent colorful metaphors and pop cultural references that add to this release’s flavor.

Weaknesses are few and far between with The Rise. Less dynamic, and perhaps not needed, is the track “Whatever I Want” — tolerable, but less inventive than other tracks on the album. “Catch You” is the main “love” track on the album which almost sounds like commercial hip-pop and lacks the depth Futuristic’s other tracks hold.

Creative, well-executed, and great production make The Rise a great album, one you can listen to often and not grow tired of—though fans of Futuristic probably don’t want to long to find out what the next level of his climb will sound like.

Connect with Futuristic
www.onlyfuturistic.com
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