Technically speaking, “WE DON’T TRUST YOU” is the first official collaboration project between Future and Metro Boomin. Somehow that feels like an incorrect statement, as these two ATLiens have spent the past decade establishing what most would call the gold standard of trap rap.
Future’s oozing auto-tuned vocals and catchy lyrics speak of the trials and tribulations of trap over Metro’s infectious drum patterns and rattling 808s, practically modern rap gospel at this point. That’s why calling this joint album “their first collaborative project” feels out of place. In the past decade, Metro has been responsible for the production of most of Future’s solo albums, collaborative albums and even multi-platinum albums.
That said, the tone of “WE DON’T TRUST YOU” is different from that of most other Metro and Future collaborations. This time around, it feels like those iconic producer tags have been personified or brought to life. These songs are more poignant, poignant and purposeful – or at least the first few songs were.
Once listeners press play, they’ll immediately notice how ferocious yet front-loaded this album is. The first six tracks are very strong and make for a near perfect EP. But, of course, there are another 11 tracks, and they get more and more places as you get further into the tracklist. That’s not to say that the last two-thirds of the album are necessarily bad, it’s just that compared to the first six tracks, it sounds like the background noise of a Foot Locker playlist. Therefore, “We Don’t Trust You” doesn’t quite reach its full potential.
Title track “We Don’t Trust You” is a slow-burn trap driven by a digital heater that clearly articulates the duo’s thesis statement: “You have fake written all over you… We don’t trust you.” It’s seamless into the Weeknd-assisted “Young Metro,” which may end up being the most played track on the album. Heartbreaking synths and fast cymbals give Future and Abel some space to break away from a few bars and the crooning that follows.
“Ice Attack” and “Claustrophobia” are two trademarks of “Future Products”. By Metro Boomin” songs sound perfect now, and both would fit perfectly into past projects and will probably sound just as good 10 years from now. “Type Shit” is a true gathering of modern rap’s Avengers, with Travis Scott and Playboi Carti bringing their own dystopian twists to Metro’s harrowing beats. The beat can best be described as medieval church bells filled with thunderous 808s.
Then there’s Kendrick Lamar’s verse on “Like That” — the kind of verse that can either help or hinder an album. While the album has some real highlights that highlight Metro and Future’s decade-defining chemistry, the streets and Twitter only talk about Kendrick’s Drake and J. Cole’s diss. It didn’t take a sleuth to figure out that Kendrick was very clearly taking a shot at both rappers when he spat: “Fucking secret disdain, first-person shooters / I wish they had three switches,” and of course, everyone’s line They keep losing their minds: “The fucking Big Three/It’s just me.”
The verse itself is solid and the song is difficult, but similar to his genre-stopping verse on Big Sean’s “Control,” it steals the show for the wrong reasons. Plus, rumors of an apparent feud between Metro and Drake have been circulating for a while, which only adds fuel to the fire. So, in a way, Kendrick actually kept up the album’s shocking energy with his battle bars — and honestly, fans are probably going to be happy for what’s to come in the hip-hop world’s competitive summer of 2024 .
From that point on, however, the album quickly ran out of steam. One reason for this concern is the lack of diversity in topics. Not that anyone’s looking for a future to talk about the political or economic state of the world, but a ballad or two wouldn’t hurt this album. It’s not necessarily a ballad-filled album, but WE DON’T TRUST YOU certainly doesn’t have many moments dedicated to the ladies. In the past, songs like “My Collection” or “I Won” would have at least shown Future’s softer side and broken up the rhythm of such a long album. Instead, the album is an hour’s warning to those Metro doesn’t trust.
On “Everyday Hustle,” which is assisted by Rick Ross, there’s a bit of a vocal switch. It’s a perfectly chopped, pitched, and chipmunk-style soul sample with bouncy drums and hi-hats that are reminiscent of the “old Kanye” everyone knows and loves. Also, Rozai’s verse is once again top-notch.
In short, “We don’t trust you” should be shorter. The first six tracks, along with a few other gems scattered almost throughout, showcase Metro and Future’s true connection musically, but fans will be able to tell when the meaty stuff ends and the boring filler begins. What should never be forgotten, however, is that Future and Metro consistently deliver high-quality tracks that push the envelope of both fashion and timelessness… at the same time.
Release date: March 22, 2024
Records: Epic/Wilburn Holding Co. and Boominati Worldwide
Listen to “We Don’t Believe You” below:
