“Percocets, Molly, Percocets/Rep the Set, Gotta Rep the Set” – Future, “Mask Off”
I know you just sang Future’s “Mask Off” in your head when you read that.
Like most of Future’s songs he brags about his life of luxury in this song that is his highest charting track yet; peaking at number five on the Billboard 100 and staying in the top ten for eight weeks straight. Kendrick Lamar even jumped on the remix.
Future has been under fire for this song with claims that he is glorifying drugs.
Outspoken rapper Mysonne called Future out for this his “Mask Off” remix. Mysonne calls Future a fiend and that he is creating a destructive path for hip hop fans.
There have been studies done by The Daily Mail, University of California, Berkeley, and others, who have tried to prove the correlation between rap music and drugs.
I don’t know if we can ever know for sure because I don’t know any kids who really admit they are trying drugs, specifically because of these lyrics, but I think we would be ignorant to believe that kids are seeing these rappers’ lifestyles and not trying to emulate it themselves.
Is this Future’s fault though?
When rappers talk about their money and flex all over Instagram, teenagers want to be just like them. Teenagers buy what their favorite rappers endorse and Future seems to be “endorsing” drugs throughout almost all of his songs.
It is important to note that Future is not a role model nor has he ever made any indication that he supports kids doing drugs.
But he does know who his audience is and is very aware of who is bumping his music on a regular.
Is Future talking about drugs glorifying it or just representative of his community?
Some rappers rap about police brutality because that is what they see around them and what affects them. Other rappers rap about their lifestyle because they love the money and fame and whatever else comes with it.
And then there are the rappers like Future that rap about drugs because they came from the trap and that is what they always saw.
Who are we to say what one rapper can rap about when Hollywood blows people a part every day and glorifies sexism, racism and almost every other “ism.”
So should rappers be held responsible?
