WE DON’T TRUST YOU by Future & Metro Boomin | Album Review

Future and Metro Boomin link up for their first collab album of 2024.

Listen to WE DON’T TRUST YOU: Apple Music | Spotify

Whenever Future and Metro Boomin link up, you’re bound to expect a plethora of quality-produced trap beats and toxic lyricism. The two are inseparable at this point in their careers, without one we wouldn't have the other. So the announcement of not one, but two collab albums from the duo who haven’t worked together since 2017’s “Mask Off”, feels very warranted.

WE DON’T TRUST YOU is the first collaboration from the rapper/producer duo, and will be followed up with another album set to release on April 12th. It also marks the first time the two are working together on a project, as opposed to a handful of tracks on each other's respective solo albums. (DS2, Heroes & Villains, etc.). As the first release from the duo, We Don’t Trust You sets the bar for what fans can expect from the two. Despite some derivative material that sours both artists’ performances, WE DON’T TRUST YOU is a solid effort from Future and Metro.

In the last couple of years, Metro has made himself known as a star producer, honing in his sound and utilizing samples to craft his unique style that brings life to a vast array of songs. So naturally, his production on WE DON’T TRUST YOU is nothing short of inventive. Metro knows how to set the mood on this album, as the tone is ominous throughout. Warbly bass and hi-hats create an eerie atmosphere on “Young Metro”. Meanwhile the church bells on “Type Shit” give the song a horror movie vibe that would’ve fit perfectly on Without Warning.

Metro also steps out of his comfort zone and surprises listeners with unorthodox sounds and beat switches. Sampling Eazy E’s “Eazy Duz It” and some crunk-style horns on “Like That” makes for one of Metro’s most outlandish-sounding beats in quite a while. The old-school sample that plays throughout “Everyday Hustlin” transitions nicely as the song progresses into its upbeat, second half.

The surprises and tone tend to wear off throughout the album as a handful of songs fall into derivative territory that we’ve heard from Metro before. Songs like “Slimed In” and “Fried (She a Vibe)” are your tried and true trap-type beats. Unfortunately, a majority of the album’s latter half continues this trend, forgoing the excitement and energy that the first half carried.

As far as Future’s performance, there isn’t much to say other than he continues doing what he does best. His low-pitched vocals act as another instrument throughout WE DON’T TRUST YOU. His lyrical musings of riches, hedonism, and heartbreak that make up his music show in full force on this new album. There are some stand-out moments on here though, such as “Claustrophobic” and “Runnin Outta Time”. The latter being a trap ballad seeing Future at his most vulnerable and paranoid, fitting with the album’s themes of distrust: (“But I can’t trust nobody, I was down, wasn’t nobody left. They done turned they back on me, never turned on myself.”). Other than that, there isn’t much else that's worth noting.

The guest features here make up for Future’s typical performance. We get two Travis Scott appearances on “Cinderella” and “Type Shit”, the latter also featuring Playboi Carti who lends his newly found deep voice on the track. The Weeknd croons on the chorus of “Young Metro” albeit his appearance is short. The same can be said for Young Thug on “Slimed In”, however, both artists use their short time wisely. The biggest surprise comes from Kendrick Lamar’s feature on “Like That”. He comes with ferocity and takes shots at Drake and J.Cole (“Motherfuck the big three, nigga, it’s just big me.”). His verse is a highlight of the album and a major talking point all morning since its release that will certainly reignite/start a feud between the three.

Overall WE DON’T TRUST YOU is a solid collab from Future and Metro Boomin. Hearing the two together for the first time since 2017 was worth the wait. Despite some samey feeling songs, and a typical performance from Future I can’t say I was disappointed but I was expecting a lot more. Luckily, Metro’s inventive production on the first half of the album, and the slew of star-studded features make up for WE DON’T TRUST YOU’s faults.

I’m giving WE DON’T TRUST YOU a fair 6/10. There are quite a few songs I see myself going back to but as full package there’s a lot on here that could’ve been thrown away. If anything, it makes me all the more excited to hear what Future and Metro have in store for their follow-up album in April. Will it have the same pros/cons as WE DON’T TRUST YOU? Or will it be even more expansive in terms of production and performances? We’ll have to wait and see.

Final Rating: 6/10

Favourite Tracks: Young Metro, Type Shit, Claustrophobic, Like That, Runnin Outta Time, Everyday Hustle.