Future’s “Codeine Crazy” is my favorite R&B song… Right Now

Future

People complain about music all the time. “Hip-Hop ain’t the same no more.” “The radio plays the same songs over and over.” “R&B ain’t the same no more.” Shut The F#Ck Up! It’s not hard to find something you like with all these streaming apps. Everyone has the Internet and access to use it if you are not getting what you need from the usual providers/outlets. Honestly, I do make a small complaint, rarely. I am one of those people that think R&B has gone from “Rhythm and Blues” to “Ratchet And Bottles” as of late, but I still find music from Jared Evan, Kehlani, Mack Wilds, Jhene Aiko, and PartyNextDoor to soothe my soul. Surprisingly, there has been one song from a melodic rapper that has made the biggest connection with me emotionally.

Released last Halloween was the first in a trilogy of mixtapes to rebuild his buzz following his sophomore album, Honest and solidify fans’ membership to the #FutureHive, Monster featured standout tracks like the song for summer 2015, “F#ck Up Some Commas”, “My Savages”, the title track, and “2Pac”. It’s the final song on that 16 track mixtape, “Codeine Crazy” that makes appearances on my SoundCloud page, car speakers via aux cord, and in my headphones multiple times in a row for last couple weeks. Produced by TM88, formerly of 808 Mafia, Future ends his free album with a ballad that possess production different than the earlier tracks heard on the project produced by Southside and Metro Boomin’ with assistance from TM88.

The solo produced track lives on its own for the first minute of the song until Future’s medicine of choice spills and his feelings pour out over the instrumental. “Too many days gone by, sitting by the phone. Waiting until I reply, drying my eyes, believe it or not. I could never see a tear falling. Water dripping off of me like a faucet. I just took a b!tch to Chiptole, spent another $60,000 on a Rollie. All my diamonds got you brainwashed.” The first verse indicates that he goes from introspective to nonsense throughout the entire song. From being inspired by Jay Z’s “Song Cry” to saying something you would hear on a Young Dolph record, these lyrics cover a wide range. It’s kind of like he wants to share how he’s filling with anybody that will listen but changes the subject in the last second into something trivial because he realizes that someone is actually listening to him. There was something else I noticed midway through the second verse. “Diamonds colder than a glacier, balling harder than the Pacers” would be just more braggadocious lines from another anonymous rapper unless you notice the delivery. There is more melancholy than energy or less turn up and more open up.

I honestly didn’t know why at first, but my favorite line might be: “When I see her on a pole, reminding myself when I used to come over. Reminding myself when I used to get loaded. Reminding myself that I’m still getting loaded.” Watching a stripper perform and reminiscing about time with her would be corny if out of context for this song and described as another daily action of Aubrey Graham. Somehow he is able to deliver this line because he blames it on what is in his cup, the opening line of the third verse is “You thought I forgot about us”. You can’t tell me that is something you expect from Future and not from Drizzy. The codeine is the truth serum that makes him vulnerable or as he likes to call it “crazy.”

If you don’t believe this song has deeper meaning and symmetry of two lives, watch the video. You would think a successful musical artist would be able to enjoy his life and not be jaded. Unfortunately, there are too many scenes of the leader of the #FutureHive lying on his back crying in agony. The visual shows juxtaposition of him being more lively playing cards in a backyard with friends than he is in a Tom Ford tuxedo while in the V.I.P section or the penthouse overlooking his former home/life in Little Mexico (or the Kirkwood neighborhood of East Atlanta. Learned that from the Noisey Atlanta series), it’s the classic conundrum of living with fame while remaining the same before people learned your name from headlines and tabloids. Not a new topic that listeners haven’t heard before, but it’s a good Easter egg hunt to get to the deeper meaning.

You could interpret this as a song about his breakup with one of the mothers of his children, coexisting in his new/old life or as an unwillingness to give up his purple lady (or pink depending on what you mix) to cope. We should all focus on the final couplet (This is where my Bachelor of Liberal Art degree is going to shine): “I’m taking everything that comes with these millions; I’m taking everything that comes with my children.” The song ends on a sober note as Future stops drinking to accept all responsibility that comes from his main lifestyle of being a father and a millionaire. I’m neither and still use this song as my mantra as I deal with (lack of) money and relationship/friendship issues because this is the Blues I’m going through and I like the Rhythm.

Short-T AKA “Call Me Codeine Crazy” AKA Good Kid, Ratchet City