Things are going well for Phoenix rapper Futuristic.
The video for the unsigned rapper's single, "I Guess I'll Smoke," from his released released album Traveling Local, has now surpassed one million views on YouTube. If you listen to him, it's clear he's bound for great things. And he's not the only one around.
See also: Futuristic's Chasing Down a Dream Expands the Phoenix Rapper's Broad Appeal
Over the years, there have been many doubters to the validity of the Arizona's hip-hop scene. While there have been a few blips here and there, Arizona has yet to see a true run of great talent - until recently.
Futuristic is one of the many rising stars that have been bubbling just under the surface during the past year. The fresh-faced emcee has already been on our radar for a while, but it seems that the country is starting to pay attention as well. At the time of this article, Futuristic's Facebook page stands at 133,000 likes and rising. He has made appearances on B-Real's Smoke Box, Sway In The Morning, and a RAW Cypher, where he performed alongside Curren$y and Berner. He also puts together his own shows with his "Prove It" series, which will be holding its 17th event on July 17. Many would say that budding artist is reminiscent of an earlier, hungrier Childish Gambino, especially when you hear Futuristic's youthful tone, but the young emcee manages to create a sound of his own with his intricate, often rapid-fire flow and his sometimes comical-yet-thought-provoking punch lines.
In 2013, he went on tour with Funk Volume member and rising star Dizzy Wright, which gained him a strong and rapidly growing fan base. The tour led to a strong relationship with Dizzy, which translated into collaborative effort that included Bone Thugs-N-Harmony member Layzie Bone. "I Guess I'll Smoke" features a cameo from Cypress Hill founding member B-Real and laid back production from Phoenix-based producer, AKT Aktion.
The track serves as a single from Futuristic's recent release "Traveling Local", a well-put-together project that features the likes of Jarren Benton, Chris Webby, and fellow Phoenician, Kyle Collins (another member of the "14 artists you need to hear list"). Recently, Futuristic celebrated the release of the project with shows in Tempe and Tucson and plans on hitting the road in July to further promote the project. There have been rumors that the currently unsigned emcee has been on the radar of a couple major labels; it should be interesting to see if the kid does end up on a major label in the next year or so. Either way, Futuristic is a rising star.
His next show will be on August 9 at Club Red in Mesa.
Find any show in Metro Phoenix via our extensive online concert calendar.
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