Hndrxx Explained

Hndrxx
Type:studio
Artist:Future
Cover:HNDRXX cover.jpg
Genre:
Label:
Producer:
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Prev Year:2017
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Hndrxx (pronounced "Hendrix") is the sixth studio album by American rapper Future. It was released on February 24, 2017, through A1 Recordings, Freebandz, and Epic Records. It followed the release of Future's eponymously-titled fifth album by one week, and features guest appearances from Rihanna, The Weeknd, Chris Brown, and Nicki Minaj.

Hndrxx was supported by four singles: "Selfish", "Pie", "Incredible", and "You da Baddest". The album received positive critical reviews and charted at number one, making Future the first artist to release two Billboard 200 chart topping albums in consecutive weeks. It was included on lists of 2017's best albums by various publications, including Complex, Pitchfork, Fact, and Entertainment Weekly.

Background

Online music magazine Hits Daily Double announced on February 22, 2017, that Future was set to release another album a week after the eponymously titled album Future (2017), set to include more "rhythmic-leaning and radio-friendly" tracks.[1] The release was first announced by Future during a Q&A on social media on February 21, 2017, along with him tweeting the pre-order link for Hndrxx.[2] [3] The album is also eponymously named after Future's alter ego, Future Hendrix.[4]

Promotion

"Selfish", featuring Barbadian singer Rihanna, was released as the album's lead single on February 28, 2017,[5] the song was produced by Detail, Kuk Harrell, Major Seven, and Mantra. It peaked at number 37 on the US Billboard Hot 100.[6]

"Pie", featuring American singer Chris Brown, was released as the second single on June 25, 2017,[7] the song was produced by D. A. Doman and Detail. It peaked at number 48 on the US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.[8]

The album's third single, "Incredible", was released to rhythmic contemporary radio on July 25, 2017,[9] the song was produced by Dre Moon. It peaked at number 48 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs.[8]

"You da Baddest", featuring Trinidadian-American rapper Nicki Minaj, was released as the album's fourth single on July 28, 2017,[10] [11] the song was produced by Detail and Go Grizz. It peaked at number 38 on the Billboard Hot 100.[6]

Critical reception

Hndrxx was met with generally positive reviews. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from professional publications, the album received an average score of 78, based on eight reviews. Aggregator AnyDecentMusic? gave it 7.1 out of 10, based on their assessment of the critical consensus.

Neil Z. Yeung of AllMusic said, "Released just a week after his self-titled fifth effort, Future's HNDRXX provided an introspective and confessional complement to the more extroverted Future". Ural Garrett of HipHopDX said, "HNDRXX provides a view into a modern rock star indulging in a side of himself that's more thoughtful and dare one say, honest". Rebecca Haithcoat of Pitchfork said, "Over a well-played hand of wistful, bright-eyed and reflective beats, HNDRXX strikes a near-perfect balance between a man still licking his wounds and a man emerging from a long, dark night". Preezy of XXL said, "HNDRXX is a reminder that no matter how hard he tries to shun his reputation as a hitmaker, Future remains one of the most reliable acts in mainstream music, his reluctance aside".

Michael Madden of Consequence said, "While his most definitive project remains 2015's Dirty Sprite 2 for its balance of Future's innate melodic sense and especially effective trap records, HNDRXX comes in as a close second". Kristian Brito of The Quietus said, "It's the slickest, spaciest project he's released since Honest (which was always underrated), and sits far left of the trap rigor mortis of the self-titled record".[12] Mosi Reeves of Rolling Stone said, "Like its predecessor, it's an hour-plus data dump of quotidian creativity with a slight thematic focus, not a tightly sequenced tour de force. But Future wouldn't be Future if he wasn't unburdening himself, no matter how messy and polarizing the results might be. And for the most part, he's at his most appealing here".

Year-end lists

Publication! scope="col" class="unsortable"
ListRank
BillboardBillboards 50 Best Albums of 2017
ComplexThe Best Albums of 2017
ConsequenceTop 50 Albums of 2017
Entertainment WeeklyThe 25 Best Albums of 2017
FactThe 50 best albums of 2017
HipHopDXHipHopDXs Best Rap Albums of 2017
NoiseyThe 100 Best Albums of 2017
PitchforkThe 50 Best Albums of 2017
Rap-UpRap-Ups 20 Best Albums of 2017
Spin50 Best Albums of 2017

Commercial performance

Hndrxx debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 with 121,000 album-equivalent units, of which 48,000 were pure album sales.[13] It replaced Future's own self-titled album from the previous week at number one, making him the first artist in the history of the Billboard 200 to have two albums debut at number one in successive weeks.[13] As of July 5, 2017, the album has moved 435,000 album-equivalent units.[14]

Track listing

Notes

Sample credits

Personnel

Credits were adapted from the album's liner notes and Tidal.[15] [16]

Musicians

Technical

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2017)! scope="col"
Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[17] 53
Australian Urban Albums (ARIA)[18] 7
Slovak Albums (ČNS IFPI)[19] 31

Year-end charts

Chart (2017)! scope="col"
Position
Danish Albums (Hitlisten)[20] 73
US Billboard 200[21] 37
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[22] 19

Release history

Region! scope="col"
DateLabel(s)Format(s)Ref.
VariousFebruary 24, 2017[23]
January 12, 2018Vinyl[24]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Rumour Mill – More Future in the Near Future . . February 22, 2017 . February 22, 2017 . February 23, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170223043537/http://hitsdailydouble.com/news%26id%3D305045 . live .
  2. Web site: Alexis . Diamond . Future Announces 'HNDRXX' Album, Drops on Friday . . February 22, 2017 . March 3, 2017 . March 4, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170304115032/http://www.bet.com/music/2017/02/22/future-hndrxx-album.html . live .
  3. Web site: Josephs . Brian . Future Announces New Album HNDRXX, Perform "Draco" on Fallon . . February 22, 2017 . March 3, 2017 . March 4, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170304114211/http://www.spin.com/2017/02/future-hndrxx-draco-fallon/ . live .
  4. McGloster. Niki. 'FUTURE' vs. 'HNDRXX': Future Proves His Alter Egos Are No Gimmick. Billboard. March 2, 2017. July 26, 2017. July 16, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170716155621/http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/hip-hop/7709627/future-hndrxx-alter-egos-no-gimmick. live.
  5. Web site: Future Releases Rihanna Assisted 'Selfish' As First Single From 'HNDRXX'. HipHop-N-More. 28 February 2017 . March 3, 2017. February 28, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170228170019/http://hiphop-n-more.com/2017/02/future-selfish-feat-rihanna-first-single-hndrxx/. live.
  6. Future Chart History: Hot 100. Billboard. March 22, 2021.
  7. Web site: Pie (feat. Chris Brown) – Single by Future on iTunes. 25 June 2017 . iTunes Store. June 26, 2017. bot: unknown. https://archive.today/20170628232232/https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/pie-feat-chris-brown-single/id1252137891. June 28, 2017.
  8. Future Chart History: Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs. Billboard. March 22, 2021.
  9. Web site: Top 40 Rhythmic Future Releases. All Access. 18 July 2017. bot: unknown. https://web.archive.org/web/20170718035033/https://www.allaccess.com/top40-rhythmic/future-releases. 18 July 2017.
  10. Web site: "You da Baddest (feat. Nicki Minaj) – Single" by Future on iTunes. 28 July 2017 . iTunes Store. August 1, 2017. bot: unknown. https://archive.today/20170802020015/https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/you-da-baddest-feat-nicki-minaj-single/id1253235309. August 2, 2017.
  11. Web site: Goddard. Kevin. Future – You Da Baddest Feat. Nicki Minaj [New Song]]. HNHH . July 27, 2017. July 28, 2017. July 28, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170728064703/http://www.hotnewhiphop.com/future-you-da-baddest-feat-nicki-minaj-new-song.1975169.html. live.
  12. Web site: Brito. Kristian. The Quietus. March 7, 2017. March 7, 2017. September 17, 2020. https://archive.today/20200917093515/https://thequietus.com/articles/21942-future-hndrxx-album-review. live.
  13. Future Makes History With Back-to-Back No. 1 Debuts on Billboard 200 Albums Chart. Billboard. Caulfield. Keith. March 5, 2017. March 6, 2017. March 10, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170310235706/http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/chart-beat/7710203/future-makes-history-back-to-back-no-1-debuts-billboard-200-album-chart-hndrxx. live.
  14. Web site: BuzzAngle Music 2017 Mid-Year Report. BuzzAngle. July 6, 2017. July 13, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170713015734/http://www.buzzanglemusic.com/wp-content/uploads/BuzzAngle-Music-2017-Mid-Year-U.S.-Report.pdf. live.
  15. Hndrxx. Future. 2017. Epic Records.
  16. Web site: Credits / HNDRXX / Future. Tidal. June 16, 2021.
  17. Web site: ARIA CHART WATCH #410. auspOp. March 4, 2017. March 4, 2017. April 21, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170421082202/https://www.auspop.com.au/2017/03/aria-chart-watch-410/. live.
  18. Web site: ARIA Australian Top 40 Urban Albums. Australian Recording Industry Association. March 5, 2017. March 4, 2017. May 16, 2016. https://web.archive.org/web/20160516170421/http://www.ariacharts.com.au/charts/urban-albums-chart. live.
  19. Web site: Top 100 Slovak Albums. International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. August 11, 2024.
  20. Web site: Album Top-100 2017. Hitlisten. January 11, 2018. November 16, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20181116112722/http://hitlisten.nu/top2017.asp?list=Album%20100. live.
  21. Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 2017. Billboard. December 12, 2017. December 24, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171224115207/https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2017/top-billboard-200-albums. live.
  22. Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – Year-End 2017. Billboard. June 30, 2020. December 24, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171224115212/https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2017/top-r-and-b-hip-hop-albums. live.
  23. Web site: HNDRXX by Future. iTunes. February 22, 2017. https://archive.today/20200525222823/https://music.apple.com/us/album/hndrxx/1208302551. May 25, 2020.
  24. Web site: HNDRXX [LP] VINYL]. Best Buy. September 20, 2020. September 20, 2020. https://web.archive.org/web/20200920045832/https://www.bestbuy.com/site/hndrxx-lp-vinyl/6174543.p?skuId=6174543. live.