Even in the midst of years of grief, A Futuristic Summa is a customized love letter to a city that has a variety of iconic sounds ready for creation. Atlanta rap can’t be broken for very long. That fact is highlighted by Metro Boomin’s latest effort.
Variety via Getty Images is credited.
Variety via Getty Images is credited.
The 24-track mixtape pays homage to Atlanta’s futuristic past in a broad, vibrant way. When mohawks, polos, and Aeropostale were the go-to styles for clubs in the late aughts and early 2010s, a subgenre of rap evolved that was bursting with pop sounds that sounded like an interstellar soundtrack. With their catchy hooks that beckoned you to party, hometown acts like Rich Kidz, Travis Porter, and Young Dro ruled the streets of Atlanta. Their music gave you the impression that you could be a rock star wherever.
All of that nostalgia can be found in A Futuristic Summa. Metro Boomin and host DJ Spinz take listeners on an exciting journey that will make you want to ride again for an hour. I Want It All, the first single, is a lively example of J Money’s futuristic flair.
The calming, lovely tunes of Birthday, which features Young Thug, Yung Booke, and Skooly (a founding member of Rich Kidz), are appropriate for any event. Breskii’s rendition of “Take Me Through Dere” has a tone-infused hook that is so infectious and vivacious that it may stand alone. However, the lines that YKNiece contributes increase the song’s impact. High-energy percussion supports the music, which has a straightforward mastery that elevates the song without uttering a single word.
Given that women spearheaded this year’s revival of the futuristic wave, the project longs for more songs like “Take Me Thru Dere.” Early 2020s Atlanta hip-hop was characterized in part by loss and sadness, but it also saw a historic ascent for female rappers. For the first time in the city’s largely male-dominated hip-hop history, a number of them—Clayton County sLatto being the most well-known—have attracted widespread attention.
Additionally, a new generation of female rappers from Atlanta surfaced last spring, mostly on TikTok, and they are all creating songs with a futuristic vibe. With its catchy melodies and It Girl attitude, Pluto and YKNiece’s Whim Whamiee dominates the internet with samples of OJ Da Juiceman and Zaytoven.The globe started rapping along to Bunna Summa because of BunnaB’s sbubbly bars. Funding From Beyonc to Ciarashowing, everyone just adores Atlanta.
[email protected] is credited.
[email protected] is credited.
Unfortunately, that present trend isn’t adequately captured in A Futuristic Summa (the only other credited female feature on the project is BunnaB). Without that background (and the fact that teenage TikTokers are enjoying Yung L.A.’s 2008 masterpiece Ain’t Ifor for the first time), Metro Boomin’s A Futuristic Summa probably wouldn’t exist.
The new project comes after the multiplatinum hitmaker’s successful 2024. He and Future released two albums together, one of which was nominated for a Grammy for best rap album. The 31-year-old was sued in October on charges of abusing a lady in 2016. Through a lawyer, the artist refuted the allegations.The case has not yet been resolved.
His first significant endeavor since the lawsuit is A Futuristic Summa.
The mixtape’s uncontested MVP is Young Dro. The 46-year-old veteran raps with a relentless, invigorating energy throughout six tracks.In the standout single WTF Goin, Young Dro sounds just as polished and incisive as when he made his debut twenty years ago.
A Futuristic Summa is a genuine family event in Atlanta that never feels overly packed. The mixtape also features Travis Porter, Roscoe Dash, Quavo, Waka Flocka Flame, Lil Baby, T.I., and Yung L.A. A summer BBQ is a futuristic summary. It’s the block party on Friday night. The skate session on Saturday afternoon. You shouldn’t miss Magic City Monday.
Above all, though, the project serves as a welcome reminder that rap in Atlanta is doing just well. Both new and old performers went back to the past to remix a timeless sound that appeals to all generations during a period when its future seemed unclear.
Editor’s note: The status of a lawsuit filed in October has been updated in this story.
AJC cultural reporter DeAsia Paige examines the temperature of Georgia’s vibrant, vast music scene through its people and locations in her monthly music piece, Heat Check. The column covers music news, trends, and whatever music DeAsia is enjoying that has to do with Georgia. Please send an email to [email protected] if you are a Georgia musician with music you would like to have considered for this column, or if you simply want to discuss music. Here is a playlist for August with a futuristic theme.
