On July 6, Future rolled through Calgary for a stop along his Honest Tour. Following two monstrous shows in Vancouver and Edmonton, Future stopped at Flames Central during Stampede week to sets things off for the Calgary crowd.
We arrived at the venue during sound check in the mid-afternoon; only to find that our interview had been postponed. So six hours later, we found ourselves crammed into the near-packed Flames Central as openers including Ayoo Angie, Casino, Bando Jones, and Rico Love hit the stage. After Rico Love (who looks like a younger CeeLo Green – according to Sarosh) wrapped his set, we were whisked away to Future’s tour bus for our interview. Holy damn diggity. That tour bus is in immaculate condition. Most of the cats I’ve kicked with on tour buses live in filth. And by filth, I mean there’s usually excess clutter of roached joints, empty liquor bottles, used red beer cups, and sculptures of fast food takeout containers. That’s not a judgement – I would never let anyone see the mess that is my home office (I have enough empty coffee cups beside me right now to build a very complicated architectural structure).
But Future’s bus was spotless. We even had to take our shoes off at the entrance.Also, shout-out to the fancy pantsy coloured lights on the bus. It felt like a club. Except it wasn’t a club; it was Future’s tour bus. Dammnn. So Future emerges from the back wearing his signature sunglasses. Because he’s Future and we wears sunglasses indoors, and stuff. And we sat down – literally – 10 minutes before he hit the stage. We chatted about the Honest album art, Freebandz fashion, and living in the studio.
“You just try to be able to keep people out [of] your business. If you keep your glasses on, they don’t ask you what you’re doing.” – Future
Q&A: Future
Interview conducted by Sarah Jay and Sarosh Rizvi for HipHopCanada
HipHopCanada (Sarah Jay): Welcome to Calgary. So you’re here on your Honest Tour supporting your newest project, Honest. I wanted to start off by asking you about the cover art for it. Because that is quite an intimate photo you have on the cover of your album.
Future: When you’re talking to someone and you’re looking them in the eyes, and you’re being honest. People can [say] they can read you by looking in your eyes – and know if you’re telling the truth or not. So it was just a way of saying “Honest.” It’s just a different way to be artistic and to put it out there. Rather than just having a picture of me at a table, or in the confession booth…just trying to think outside of the box.
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HipHopCanada (SJ): So how did that photoshoot actually go down?
Future: I ended up shooting a major photoshoot. It was a huge – probably a two [or] three-day photoshoot with different outfits and different scenery. And we ended up picking the eyes. I could have picked any picture, and I picked my eyes. I shot two or three photoshoots. But at the end of the day, it was well worth it.
HipHopCanada (SJ): What do they say – the eyes are the window to the soul?
Future: Exactly.
HipHopCanada (Sarosh Rizvi): Is that part of the reason you usually keep the sunglasses on during interviews?
Future: The reason I keep [them] on is because usually I’m just in another zone, where I don’t want you to be looking at me in my eyes, like “Man what are you thinking? How are you looking? Are you tired? Are you here? Are you somewhere else?” You know what I’m sayin’? You just try to be able to keep people out [of] your business. If you keep your glasses on, they don’t ask you what you’re doing. Or if you’re high – or not. You don’t know if I’m sober or if I’ve been smoking.
HipHopCanada (SR): I wanted to ask you, too, about the latest album. It was going to be called Future Hendrix, at first – right?
Future: Yeah.
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HipHopCanada (SR): About that – what about Jimi Hendrix? I also wanted to ask if you’ve had a chance to look at the new Hendrix movie [All Is By My Side] with Andre 3000 in it?
Future: I haven’t had a chance to look at the movie. Future Hendrix? That’s what it is. It’s on the way. I’m still working on Future Hendrix. I feel like it was before its time. I had to take a step backwards just so I could move forward; being able to reconnect with my fans. It was so long; it was two years before I put out an album. With that being said, Future Hendrix is on the way.
HipHopCanada (SR): So this wasn’t just a name change? That was a separate project, and we can still expect it coming through?
Future: Of course. You can still expect the album: Future Hendrix is still an album in the making.
HipHopCanada (SJ): Right on. So another project that you’re working on… I’ve heard you’re starting up your own fashion line. Is that correct?
Future: Of course. Of course. Freebandz. The fashion line is on the way. So make sure you check out for that. I have merchandise… It’s going to be in stores, soon. Right now, we’s on tour. I have merchandise. I have a few t-shirts. I wanted to start off simple. And build from there.
HipHopCanada (SJ): So is the vision for this going to be more along the lines of Rocawear or Billionaire Boys Club?
Future: A mixture of both. I want [you] to be able to say, “That’s Future,” when you look at it. It represents me.
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