Future has cryptically replied to criticism he’s received in the wake of selling off his publishing catalog for an eight-figure payday.
Reports emerged on Tuesday (September 20) that King Pluto had sold a huge chunk of his publishing catalog from 2004 to 2020, comprised of over 612 songs that included hits like “Life Is Good” and “Jumpman” with Drake, “King’s Dead” with Kendrick Lamar, “Selfish” with Rihanna, “Low Life” with The Weeknd and “Mask Off.”
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The deal was made with Influence Media Partners, and Future said he was “proud” to be handing off some of his “most precious artwork” to Influence Media.
“I put everything into my music, and I wanted to make sure these were in good hands as I thought about the next chapter of these songs,” Future said in a statement. “I’m proud to partner up with Rene and the team at Influence Media and send a signal that this music has timeless value. My music is my art, and these songs represent some of the most precious artwork of my career.”
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However, the deal prompted some backlash from Future’s fanbase, who criticized the rapper for selling out.
“You should never sell a house you inherent unless you genuinely can’t keep up with the payments. You NEED to be a homeowner to retire or you gonna work forever,” one person wrote on Twitter. “Selling your publishing, is shooting yourself in the foot. They gonna make 300 percent returns on future.”
Another added, “Future selling his publishing might be an indicator of a financial catastrophe coming cause you don’t sell a catalogue like that this early…… No way.”
The Evol hitmaker seemingly responded by writing on Twitter: “Unsuccessful people have no clue how success works.”
Future’s first 16 years as an artist includes one of Hip Hop’s most iconic discographies, spanning 16 mixtapes, eight studio albums, and four collaborative projects. Six of the eight studio albums went No. 1 on the Billboard 200, including FUTURE,HNDRXX,High Off Life and The WIZRD.
Rene McLean, Influence Media partner and founding advisor, said in her own statement that they were “honored” to partner with Future.
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“Future is a cultural icon. He continues to be a blueprint for impact and success in the music industry and has reinvented music in ways that no one has ever expected,” she wrote.
McLean continued, “It is rare to find someone who moves music and culture at the same speed with his distinct vocal and melodic style. His prolific career and continued popularity more than 15 years into the game is a testament to his undeniable influence on the contemporary music and culture landscape. We’re honored to be partnered with him.”
Future is currently gearing up to take the stage at Rolling Loud New York this weekend as this year’s headliner alongside A$AP Rocky and Nicki Minaj. The three-day music festival will go down September 23 – 25 at Citi Field in Queens.
The rapper also just dropped off a new visual for his single “I’m Dat N-gga,” which is taken from Future’s latest album I NEVER LIKED YOU. The project debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 after moving 222,0000 album-equivalent units in its first week.
