Welcome back to the Deep Dive.
Today, we're turning things up with a deep dive
into Future's Brazier.
Oh yeah.
This is one you guys sent in.
I gotta admit, when I first saw the title,
I thought we were gonna be analyzing
some kind of medieval barbecue situation.
Yeah, I can see how that could be a little confusing.
Right.
But trust me, Brazier, the song is a whole lot hotter
than a medieval barbecue.
It's a prime example of Future's signature trap sound
and a glimpse into the complex persona
he's built throughout his career.
Okay, so let's set the stage here
for those who might not be familiar
with Future's whole deal.
Right.
Can you give us a quick rundown of his journey?
The source material mentions something about Meathead
and a family connection.
Right, so way before Brazier Future
was part of the Dungeon Family Collective in Atlanta.
Oh wow.
A group that's basically hip hop royalty down there,
and get this, his stage name back then was Meathead.
Oh no.
Apparently, the name stuck
because he was the biggest guy in the studio.
Yeah.
Not exactly the image that comes to mind
when you think of Future today, right?
Dungeon Family Meathead.
This is already so much more interesting than a barbecue.
I know, right?
But seriously, that's wild.
It's almost like he's had multiple lives
within the music industry.
So how did Meathead transform into the future
we know today?
Well, a big part of that transformation
was his cousin Rico Wade.
Okay.
Rico was part of Organize Noise,
a legendary production team within the Dungeon Family,
and he saw something special in Future.
He became a mentor, pushing Future to refine his skills
and find his voice.
It makes you wonder,
what kind of music was Future making back then?
Was it already trapping,
or was he experimenting with other sounds?
That's where it gets interesting.
Early Future sounded very different.
Okay.
He wasn't using auto-tune at all.
Whoa.
Which is pretty mind-blowing,
considering how synonymous it's become with his sound.
Hold up, no auto-tune.
That's like saying pizza without cheese.
It's just not.
Yeah.
Okay, so Brazier clearly comes much later in his career.
For those just tuning into Future's world,
can you give us the Trap 101 breakdown?
What are the key elements that make this song
a textbook example of the genre?
All right, let's break it down.
Trap music is all about that dark, hypnotic vibe,
think heavy 808 bass synths that sound like they're melting,
and lyrics that often center around street life,
hustling, and achieving success.
Despite the odds, Brazier checks all those boxes.
The production is heavy and intense, almost cinematic,
and Future's lyrics paint a vivid picture of his lifestyle,
the highs, the lows, and everything in between.
And this is where Future's use of auto-tune
becomes a game changer.
Yeah.
It's not just a gimmick,
it's part of the texture, the atmosphere of the song.
Exactly.
He bends and distorts his vocals with auto-tune,
creating these warped, almost otherworldly melodies.
It's almost like he's using his voice as another instrument,
adding another layer
to the song's already intense sonic landscape.
Okay, so we've got the sonic backdrop.
Let's talk lyrics.
Future is known for being pretty bold,
and Brazier definitely doesn't hold back.
He's dropping lines about expensive cars, designer clothes,
basically flaunting his success.
What's the overall vibe he's going for here?
It's classic Future braggadocio.
He's rapping about taking cheap prices up high,
suggesting he's in control,
dictating the value of his product.
Right.
This is a common theme in trap music overcoming struggle
and rising to the top.
But with Future, there's always this edge,
this sense that he's not afraid to get his hands dirty.
Right, and he even name drops Wakanda.
Oh yeah.
Like the fictional African nation from Black Panther.
That's a pretty bold statement,
connecting himself to this image of wealth and power.
Right.
Like he's saying he's built his own empire,
his own Wakanda.
That Wakanda reference is super interesting.
It speaks to Future's ambition
and his connection to Black excellence.
He's not just boasting about material wealth.
He's tapping into a deeper cultural narrative
about overcoming oppression and achieving greatness.
It's also fascinating how he blends these grand statements
with gritty details about street life.
Yeah.
Like in one line, he's talking about Chanel bandanas.
Right.
And in the next, he's rapping about guns.
It's a jarring but powerful juxtaposition.
It's that contrast that makes Brazier so compelling.
Okay.
Future isn't shying away from his past
from the struggles that shipped him.
He's embracing both sides of his identity,
the street hustler and the successful artist,
and weaving them together into a complex
and captivating narrative.
And the chorus, talk about a mood,
he's heavy sedated, doxicated, I'ma go crazy.
It's like he's embracing chaos, even reveling in it.
Exactly.
The chorus is where the meaning of Brazier becomes clear.
It's a play on the word brazy,
which basically means crazy or out of control.
Future's creating this persona, the Brazier,
someone who lives on the edge fueled by excess
and unconcerned with consequences.
It's almost like a warning shot,
like buckle up, things are about to get wild.
Yeah.
There's a sense of danger and unpredictability
in the lyrics, but also an undeniable swagger.
You can't help but be drawn in by this Brazier persona,
even if it's a little unsettling.
That's the genius of Future.
He makes you confront the darker aspects of human nature,
the allure of excess and the consequences that come with it.
He's not afraid to push boundaries
and make his listeners uncomfortable,
which is ultimately what makes his music so powerful.
Okay, so we've established that Brazier is a wild ride,
lyrically and sonically.
Yeah.
But there's some specific lines
that really jumped out at me,
like when he says, I'm the realest nigga she fucks,
so that make the pussy a virgin again.
Oh yeah.
Whoa, talk about a statement, what's going on there?
That line is pure future rate.
Yeah.
It's provocative, outrageous, and undeniably memorable.
On one level, it's just classic hip hop braggadocio,
but it also speaks to his need to be seen as the best,
the most authentic.
He's rewriting the rules, claiming ownership
in this incredibly bold way.
It's almost like he's creating his own mythology
around himself, elevating his experiences
to this legendary status.
Right, and by doing so,
he's challenging societal norms and expectations.
He's saying, I define my own reality, my own value.
It's a powerful message, even if it's delivered
in a way that's sure to raise some eyebrows.
Speaking of eyebrow-raising lines,
there's another one that caught my attention.
I took them cheap prices up high.
It seems simple on the surface,
but I feel like there's more to it.
What do you think he's really saying here?
It's a power move, plain and simple.
He's saying he controls the market, he dictates the value.
It's likely a reference to his past involvement
in the drug trade, but it also speaks to his current status
in the music industry.
He's risen above his circumstances
and become a major player, someone who sets trends
and influences the game.
And it's interesting how he weaves in these little details
that connect back to his past.
Yeah.
Like, he's not ashamed of where he came from,
but he's also not defined by it.
Yeah.
Exactly, he's acknowledging his roots
while simultaneously demonstrating how far he's come.
It's a reminder that success is often a journey,
not a destination, and that the past can be a source
of strength and inspiration.
So we've talked about Wakanda Chanel bandanas
and some seriously bold statements.
There's one more line I wanna touch on before we move on.
Put yellow diamonds on a black bitch and call her mulatto.
Now the source material mentions that mulatto,
who now goes by lotto, is a rapper of mixed race.
What's the significance of this shout out
and is there a deeper meaning to it?
That's a great question,
and it's one that requires some careful consideration.
The line certainly pushes boundaries
and could be interpreted in various ways on the surface.
It might seem like a simple shout out to a fellow artist,
but there are potentially deeper layers at play here.
Definitely, it's important to acknowledge
that the term mulatto is considered outdated
and offensive by many,
and its use can perpetuate harmful stereotypes.
Absolutely, and it's worth considering
whether future's use of the term was intentional
or simply a reflection of the language used
within certain circles at the time the song was written,
regardless of intent.
The line has sparked conversations about race,
representation, and the complexities of identity
within the hip hop community.
It's a reminder that even when analyzing music,
we can't shy away from these difficult conversations.
Exactly, art can be a reflection
of societal values and beliefs,
and it's important to engage with it critically
even when it makes us uncomfortable.
Okay, so we've unpacked some of the lyrical highlights,
but there's still so much to uncover about Brazier
before we dive deeper into future's impact on trap music
and his artistic evolution.
Let's pause here for a moment.
Sounds good to me.
I'm ready to keep exploring the depth
of this sonic masterpiece.
You know, one of the things that makes Brazier so significant
is how it showcases future's mastery of auto-tune.
He didn't just use it, he revolutionized it.
Okay, tell me more about that.
I remember reading in the source material
that even T-Pain, like the OG auto-tune king,
wasn't a fan of future style at first.
Yeah, T-Pain actually called out future
for using auto-tune incorrectly.
Oh wow.
But future's response was brilliant.
He basically said, look, I'm not using it to sing like you,
I'm using it to rap to create a different sound,
a different texture.
And that's what's so cool about future.
He took an existing tool,
something that people thought they already understood
and completely flipped the script.
It's like he turned auto-tune into this raw,
gritty instrument that perfectly matched
the energy of his music.
Exactly, and it wasn't just about the sound,
it was about the emotion too.
Future used auto-tune to create this sense of vulnerability,
this almost mournful quality that resonated with listeners
in a way that traditional rapping couldn't.
That's like he tapped into something deeper,
something more primal.
You can hear the pain, the struggle, the triumph,
all wrapped up in these auto-tune melodies.
It's almost like he's singing the blues,
but with a trap beat.
That's a great analogy,
and that's why his influence is so massive.
He didn't just change the sound of trap,
he expanded its emotional palette.
So how did this new evolved sound catch on?
Did other artists immediately jump on the bandwagon?
It wasn't an overnight revolution,
but Future's influence started to ripple
through the hip hop landscape.
You could hear it in the music of younger artists coming up,
like Travis Scott and Lil Uzi Vert.
They took Future's blueprint and ran with it,
experimenting with auto-tune in their own unique ways.
It's like he opened up a whole new world of possibilities.
Suddenly, auto-tune wasn't just for making pop hits.
It could be used to express the rawness
and vulnerability of street life.
Exactly, and it wasn't just the artists' producers
were also inspired by Future sound.
They started incorporating
those dark atmospheric soundscapes,
the heavy 808s, the distorted synths
into their own productions.
So Brazier wasn't just a hit song,
it was a turning point for the entire trap genre.
Absolutely, it solidified Future's status as a pioneer,
an innovator who wasn't afraid to push boundaries
and redefine what trap music could be.
You know, one thing that always blows my mind about Future
is his work ethic.
The guy is a machine.
He releases music constantly,
like he can't stop the flow of creativity.
That's part of his mystique, right?
Yeah.
He's constantly evolving, experimenting,
pushing himself and the genre forward.
He's not content to rest on his laurels.
He's always looking for new ways to innovate.
And that's what keeps his music so fresh and exciting.
Even when he's rapping about familiar themes,
he finds new ways to say it, new sounds to explore.
He's a master of reinvention
and Brazier is a perfect example of that.
It takes those core elements of the dark production,
the street narratives,
and elevates them to a whole new level.
Okay, so we've talked about Future's background,
his rise to fame, his groundbreaking use of auto-tune,
and the deeper meaning behind Brazier.
But there's one more layer to this deep dive
I want to explore, Future's persona.
He cultivates this image of a rock star, a trap king,
living a life of excess and indulgence.
How much of that is real
and how much of it is a carefully constructed image?
That's the million dollar question, isn't it?
And it's one that's been debated
by music critics and fans alike.
There's no doubt that Future's lyrics
often blur the lines between reality and fiction.
He's a master storyteller
and he knows how to create compelling narratives
that draw you into his world.
But there's also a rawness, a vulnerability to his music
that suggests he's not just putting on a front.
He's been very open about his personal life,
his relationships, his struggles.
Exactly, and that's what makes him so relatable.
Even when he's rapping about buying out a bar
or showering someone with diamonds,
you get the sense that he's lived through some things
that he's experienced both the highs and lows
of that lifestyle.
It's like he's inviting us into his world warts and all
and saying, this is who I am, take it or leave it.
And that's what makes him so compelling.
He's not afraid to be himself,
even when that self is messy, complicated,
and full of contradictions.
Speaking of contradictions,
one of the things that struck me about Brezier
is how it balances this over-the-top braggadocio
with moments of introspection,
like he's celebrating his success,
but also acknowledging the emptiness that can come with it.
That's a great observation.
There's a line in the song where he says,
I done bought out every bottle, but I'm still thirsty.
It's such a simple line,
but it speaks volumes about the complexities
of fame and fortune.
It's like he's saying, I have everything I ever wanted,
but I'm still not fulfilled.
There's a sense of longing,
of searching for something more
that I think a lot of people can relate to,
regardless of their background.
It's that human element that makes Future's music resonate,
even when it's brash and over-the-top.
He's not just a caricature.
He's a complex individual with flaws and insecurities,
just like the rest of us.
And Brezier captures all of that, doesn't it?
The braggadocio, the darkness, the vulnerability,
it's all there swirling together
in this sonic vortex of trap excellence.
It's a microcosm of Future's artistry,
a glimpse into the mind of a musical visionary
who's reshaped the landscape of hip hop.
All right, so we've gone deep on Future Brezier,
the whole trap scene before we wrap up.
I have to ask, looking back the lyrics,
what stands out to you the most?
The line that always gets me is,
I'm the realest nigga she fucked
so that make the pussy a virgin again.
It's so audacious, so Future.
Right, it's like he's rewriting the rules of the game,
asserting his dominance in this incredibly bold,
almost absurd way.
But it's also a window into his psyche.
There's a deep-seated insecurity there,
a need to prove himself that I think
fuels a lot of his music.
That's a great point.
It's like, even with all the wealth and success,
there's still this underlying sense
of striving for validation.
It's the human element that makes Future's music resonate,
even when it's brash and over the top.
He's not just a caricature,
he's a complex individual with flaws and insecurities,
just like the rest of us.
And Brazier is a perfect example of that complexity.
It's a song that celebrates excess,
but also hints at the emptiness that can come with it.
It's a song that's both empowering and unsettling,
a reflection of the contradictions
that make Future such a fascinating artist.
I think that's what makes him so relevant,
even all these years after Brazier was released.
He's tapping into something universal,
something about the human condition
that transcends genre and time.
Well said. Yeah.
I think we've officially reached the bottom
of this deep dive.
Any final thoughts for our listener before we surface?
I'd encourage our listener to consider how Brazier fits
into the larger evolution of trap music.
How has the genre changed
since Future first burst onto the scene?
And how does Future's music continue
to influence the artists of today?
That's a great question to ponder.
Thanks for joining us on this sonic adventure
through the world of Future and Brazier.
Until next time, keep diving deep
and keep those ears open for the unexpected tourists.