Freebandz | |
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Parent company | Sony Music Entertainment (SME) |
Founded | 2011 |
Founder | Future |
Distributor(s) | Epic |
Genre | |
Country of origin | United States |
Location | Atlanta, Georgia |
Official website | freebandz |
Freebandz (or Freebandz Entertainment, doing business as Wilburn Holding Co.) is an American record label founded by American rapper Future in 2011. The label's releases are distributed through Epic Records. Freebandz has signed artists including Real Boston Richey, Lil Double O, Doe Boy, Young Scooter, and Future's personal mixtape compiler, DJ Esco. [1]
Freebandz was founded by Future. Future signed a major label deal with Epic Records in September 2011, days before the release of his mixtape, Streetz Calling. [2] The mixtape was described by XXL magazine as ranging from "simple and soundly executed boasts" to "futuristic drinking and drugging jams" to "tales of the grind." [3] A Pitchfork review remarked that on the mixtape Future comes "as close as anyone to perfecting this thread of ringtone pop, where singing and rapping are practically the same thing, and conversing 100% through Auto-Tune doesn't mean you still can't talk about how you used to sell drugs. It would almost feel antiquated if Future weren't amassing hits, or if he weren't bringing some subtle new dimensions to the micro-genre." [4]
Though Future had told MTV that Streetz Calling would be his final mixtape prior to the release of his debut studio album, another mixtape, Astronaut Status , was released in January 2012. In December 2011, Future was featured on the cover of Issue #77 of The FADER . [5] Before his album being released in April 2012. [6] [7] XXL's Troy Mathews wrote, "While Astronaut Status is up and down and never really hits the highs like 'Racks', 'Tony Montana', and 'Magic' that fans have come to expect from Future, it’s apparent that he’s poised to continue the buzz of 2011 humming right along into 2012." [8] Future was selected to the annual XXL Freshmen list in early 2012. [9]
His debut album Pluto , originally planned for January, was eventually released on April 17. [10] [11] It included remixes of "Tony Montana" featuring Drake and "Magic" featuring T.I. [12] According to Future, "'Magic' was the first record T.I. jumped on when he came outta jail. Like, he was out of jail a day and he jumped straight on the 'Magic' record without me even knowing about it." [12] The track became Future's first single to enter the Billboard Hot 100 chart. [13] Other collaborators on the album include Trae Tha Truth, R. Kelly and Snoop Dogg [14] On October 8, 2012, Pusha T released "Pain" featuring Future, the first single from his upcoming debut album.
It was announced that Future will be repackaging his debut album Pluto on November 27, 2012 under the name Pluto 3D featuring 3 new songs and 2 remix songs including the remix for "Same Damn Time" featuring Diddy and Ludacris, as well as his newest street single "Neva End (Remix)" featuring Kelly Rowland. [15] In 2012, Future wrote, produced and was featured on "Loveeeeeee Song" taken from Barbadian singer Rihanna's seventh studio album Unapologetic .
On January 15, 2013, Future released the compilation mixtape F.B.G.: The Movie which features the artists signed to his Freebandz label: Young Scooter, Casino, Maceo, Mexico Rann, and Slice 9. It was certified platinum for having over 250,000 downloads on popular mixtape site DatPiff. [16] Future said of his second studio album Future Hendrix it will be a more substantive musical affair than his debut album and will feature R&B music along with his usual "street bangers". The album was to be released in 2013. [17] The album would feature Kanye West, Rihanna, Ciara, Drake, Kelly Rowland, Jeremih, Diplo, and André 3000, among others. [18]
The album's lead single, "Karate Chop" featuring Casino, premiered on January 25, 2013 and was sent to urban radio on January 29, 2013. [19] The song is produced by Metro Boomin. The official remix, which features Lil Wayne, was sent radio and was released on iTunes on February 19, 2013. On August 7, 2013, Future changed the title of his second album from Future Hendrix to Honest and announced that it would be released on November 26, 2013. [20] It was later revealed that the album would be pushed back to April 22, 2014, as it was said that Future has tour dates with Drake on Would You Like A Tour?. [21] In December 2013, it was announced that Future would make a guest appearance on Kat Dahlia's upcoming debut, My Garden . [22] Future released DS2 on July 16, 2015.
On September 20, 2015, Future released a joint-mixtape with Canadian rapper Drake, What a Time to Be Alive . [23]
On January 17, 2016, Future released another mixtape, titled Purple Reign, with productions from Metro Boomin, Southside, Zaytoven, and more. [24]
On February 5, 2016, Future premiered his fourth studio album on DJ Khaled's debut of his We The Best Radio show on Beats 1. [25]
Future uses Auto-Tune in his songs. Rapper T-Pain, who also uses that audio processor, criticized Future, stating that the rapper doesn't know how to use it correctly. [26] After that announcement Future stated in an interview; "When I first used Auto-Tune, I never used it to sing. I wasn't using it the way T-Pain was. I used it to rap because it makes my voice sound grittier. Now everybody wants to rap in Auto-Tune. Future's not everybody." [27]
The BET Awards were established in 2001 by the Black Entertainment Television network to celebrate African Americans and other individuals in music, acting, sports, and other fields of entertainment over the past year.
Year | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
2012 | Best New Artist (Future) | — | Nominated | [31] |
2013 | Best Male Hip-Hop Artist (Future) | [32] | ||
2014 | Best Male Hip-Hop Artist (Future) | [33] | ||
The BET Hip Hop Awards are an annual awards show, airing on BET, showcasing hip hop performers, producers and music video directors.
Year | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
2013 | Best Collabo, Duo or Group (Future) | "Bugatti" (with Ace Hood and Rick Ross) | Nominated | [34] |
Best Featured Verse (Future) | ||||
2014 | MVP of the Year (Future) | — | [35] | |
Album of the Year (Future) | Honest | |||
Best Collabo, Duo or Group (Future) | "Move That Dope" (with Pharrell, Pusha T and Casino) | |||
Best Club Banger (Future) | Won | |||
Best Hip Hop Video (Future) | Nominated | |||
People's Champ Award (Future) | ||||
The Much Music Video Awards are annual awards presented by the Canadian TV channel Much to honour the year's best music videos.
Year | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|
2015 | Best Hip Hop Video (Future) | "DnF" (Future with P Reign and Drake) | Won | [36] |
Johnny Reed McKinzie Jr., better known by his stage name Jay Rock, is an American rapper. Born and raised in Los Angeles, he signed with local independent label Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE) in 2005. He secured a major label joint venture deal with Warner Bros. Records and Asylum Records to release his 2008 debut single, "All My Life ". Failing to chart, the mergers fell through and Rock departed from both of the latter labels shortly after. He then signed with Missouri rapper Tech N9ne's label Strange Music in a joint venture deal with TDE in 2011.
Nayvadius DeMun Cash, known professionally as Future, is an American rapper and singer. Known for his mumble-styled vocals and prolific output, Future is considered a pioneer of the use of Auto-Tuned melodies in trap music. Due to the sustained popularity of this musical style, he is commonly regarded as one of the most influential rappers of his generation.
The discography of American rapper Future consists of nine studio albums, three collaborative albums, one soundtrack album, 20 mixtapes, two extended plays, and 117 singles. He first began his career as part of the Georgia-based collective Dungeon Family, although he released no major projects with the group. In the late 2000s, he met fellow Georgia-based rapper Rocko and signed to his label, A1 Recordings as a solo act. He then released a number of independent mixtapes and guest appeared on YC's 2011 hit single "Racks", while earning local recognition as his music was frequented at Atlanta's Magic City nightclub venue. He signed with Epic Records to issue his then-most popular song as a lead artist, "Tony Montana" as his debut single for the label in 2011. He remained signed in a joint venture with A1 until his departure in favor of Epic in 2017.
Pluto is the debut studio album by American rapper Future. It was released on April 17, 2012, through A1 Recordings and Freebandz, and distributed by Epic Records. The album features guest appearances from Drake, R. Kelly, T.I., Trae tha Truth and Snoop Dogg, with the production, which was handled by Will-A-Fool, Sonny Digital and K.E. on the Track, among others.
Astronaut Status is the ninth mixtape by American rapper Future. It was released on January 12, 2012. The album features guest appearances from rappers Gucci Mane, Young Jeezy, Ludacris and Rocko. Future previously stated Streetz Calling would be his last mixtape, before his debut full-length album Pluto, but instead released Astronaut Status in 2012, making it his last official mixtape. "Itchin'" peaked at #2 on the Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. Since the release of Astronaut Status, it has been downloaded over 250k times on DatPiff, certifying it platinum. Astronaut Status also charted at #50 on the Billboard Heatseekers Chart.
Michael Len Williams II, known professionally as Mike Will Made It or simply Mike Will, is an American record producer. He is best known for producing trap beats for several Southern hip hop and pop artists on commercially successful singles. His credits include "Black Beatles" and "Powerglide" by Rae Sremmurd, "Mercy" by Kanye West, "No Lie" by 2 Chainz, "Bandz a Make Her Dance" by Juicy J, "Pour It Up" by Rihanna, "Love Me" by Lil Wayne, "Body Party" by Ciara, "We Can't Stop" by Miley Cyrus, "Formation" by Beyoncé, and "Humble" by Kendrick Lamar. He embarked on a career as a non-performing lead artist in 2013 with his debut single "23", which peaked at number 11 on the Billboard Hot 100. His 2017 follow-up single, "Rake It Up" peaked at number eight on the chart. He has released six mixtapes and one solo studio album, Ransom 2 (2017).
"Same Damn Time" is a song by American rapper Future. Written alongside producer and frequent collaborator Sonny Digital, it was released on March 24, 2012 as the third single from his debut studio album Pluto. Following its release, the song peaked at number 92 on the US Billboard Hot 100 and number 12 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. The song was well received by music critics, and its title became a common phrase in music journalism, used to describe Future's work, as well as a number of other music-related topics.
Sonny Corey Uwaezuoke, better known by his stage name Sonny Digital, is an American record producer, rapper, and DJ. He first saw recognition for his production work on YC's 2011 single "Racks", which peaked within the top 50 of the Billboard Hot 100. Throughout the following decade, he was credited on a string of commercially successful hip hop and trap singles including ILoveMakonnen's "Tuesday", Future's "Same Damn Time", 50 Cent's "I'm the Man", 2 Chainz's "Birthday Song", and Travis Scott's "Stargazing". Uwaezuoke has also produced for XXL Magazine's Freshman Hip Hop Cyphers in 2017 and 2018, and pursued a lukewarmly-received career as a recording artist.
Kenneth Edward Bailey, better known by his stage name Young Scooter, is an American rapper from Atlanta, Georgia. He was among the first artists to sign with fellow Atlanta rapper Future's record label, Freebandz in 2012, having known its founder since childhood. The following year, he jointly signed with Waka Flocka Flame's Brick Squad Monopoly, an imprint of Gucci Mane's 1017 Records. He first gained regional recognition for his collaborations with the rappers, as well as his mixtape Street Lottery (2012) and its lead single, "Colombia". His guest appearance on Future and Juice Wrld's 2018 song, "Jet Lag" marked his first entry on the Billboard Hot 100.
Honest is the second studio album by American rapper Future. It was released on April 22, 2014, through A1 Recordings and Freebandz, and distributed by Epic Records. The album features guest appearances from Pharrell, Pusha T, Casino, Wiz Khalifa, Kanye West, Drake, Young Scooter, André 3000, and Lil Wayne. It was supported by five singles: "Karate Chop", "Honest", "Shit", "Move That Dope", and "I Won", along with the promotional single, "Real and True".
Migos were an American hip hop group founded in Lawrenceville, Georgia, in 2008. The group was composed of rapper Quavo, his late nephew Takeoff, and their mutual friend Offset. Quavo is from Athens, Georgia, while Offset and Takeoff were born and raised in nearby Lawrenceville. As a group, they were managed by Coach K, the former manager of Gucci Mane and Jeezy, and frequently collaborated with producers DJ Durel, Murda Beatz, Zaytoven, and Buddah Bless. Recognized for their contribution to trap music in the 2010s, Billboard stated that the group "influenced pop culture and the entire English language by bringing their North Atlanta roots to the mainstream".
Christian Walcott Webster, better known by his stage name Chris Webby, is an American rapper from Norwalk, Connecticut. Chris Webby has released many mixtapes such as the DJ Drama-hosted Bars On Me (2012) and his EP There Goes the Neighborhood (2011), which peaked at number 101 on the Billboard 200. He has worked with various artists such as Freeway, Mac Miller, Joell Ortiz, Big K.R.I.T., Method Man, Apathy, Prodigy, Bun B, Tech N9ne, Jarren Benton, and Kid Ink. In 2013 he and his label, Homegrown Music, signed a deal with E1 Music. He then released Homegrown, another EP, in November 2012. Webster released his debut studio album Chemically Imbalanced on October 27, 2014.
Jeffery Lamar Williams, known professionally as Young Thug, is an American rapper. Known for his eccentric vocal style and fashion, he is considered an influential figure in modern hip hop and trap music, and a pioneer of the mumble rap microgenre. Williams embarked on a musical career in 2011, releasing a series of mixtapes beginning with I Came from Nothing. In 2013, he signed with fellow Atlanta rapper Gucci Mane's 1017 Records and gained further attention and praise for his debut mixtape with the label, 1017 Thug, released in February of that year.
Brandon George Dickinson, better known by his stage name Lil Bibby, is an American rapper and record executive from Chicago, Illinois. Beginning his career in 2011, Bibby released his debut mixtape, Free Crack in 2013. The project was followed by Free Crack 2 (2014) and Free Crack 3 (2015) before he signed with Dr. Luke's Kemosabe Records, an imprint of RCA Records. However, he released no studio albums under the label. He then shifted focus onto expanding his record label—Grade A Productions—in 2017, through which he has signed commercially successful acts including fellow Chicago native, rapper and singer Juice Wrld, as well as Australian rapper and singer the Kid Laroi.
Leland Tyler Wayne, known professionally as Metro Boomin, is an American record producer. Critically acclaimed for his dark production style, he is regarded as one of the most influential producers in modern hip hop and trap music. His frequent collaborators include Future, Young Thug, the Weeknd, Travis Scott, Don Toliver, 21 Savage, Gucci Mane, Gunna and Nav.
Durk Derrick Banks, known professionally as Lil Durk, is an American rapper from Chicago, Illinois. He first garnered a regional following with the release of his Signed to the Streets mixtape series (2013–2014), which led to his signing of a recording contract from Def Jam Recordings. The label released his debut studio album, Remember My Name (2015) and its follow up, Lil Durk 2X (2016) to moderate commercial reception before parting ways with the artist in 2018.
Purple Reign is the sixteenth mixtape by American rapper Future, hosted and executive-produced by DJ Esco and Metro Boomin. It was released on January 17, 2016 with an 11-hour notice via LiveMixtapes and DatPiff. It is Future's first non-commercial mixtape since the mixtape trilogy Monster (2014), Beast Mode and 56 Nights (2015). Purple Reign follows the commercial collaborative mixtape What a Time to Be Alive with Canadian rapper Drake. The mixtape features production from frequent collaborators Metro Boomin, Southside, Zaytoven, DJ Spinz, and Nard & B, among others. The title and cover font is a tribute to Prince's landmark 1984 album Purple Rain, which is stylized in the same fashion.
"Used to This" is a song by American rapper Future. It was released on November 4, 2016, by Freebandz and Epic Records, as the intended lead single from his then-unreleased mixtape Beast Mode 2 (2018), however, it was later included on the streaming version of Future (2017). The hip hop song, produced by Zaytoven, features a guest appearance from frequent collaborator Drake.
Beast Mode 2 is a commercial mixtape by American rapper Future and American record producer Zaytoven. It was released on July 6, 2018, by Freebandz and Epic Records for streaming and digital download, produced in its entirety by Zaytoven. It is the sequel to Future and Zaytoven's 2015 mixtape Beast Mode, and succeeds the release of the 2017 studio albums Future and Hndrxx, as well as collaborative mixtape Super Slimey with Young Thug and the soundtrack to 2018 film Superfly. The mixtape consists of nine tracks and includes a guest appearance by Young Scooter.
William Seay Moore known professionally as DJ Esco, is an American DJ, record producer, record executive, and songwriter. He is best known for his 2016 single "Too Much Sauce", which peaked at number 50 on the Billboard Hot 100. He is the personal live DJ and A&R for Future, whom he met in 2008.