Future Pays Homage To Cousin—Late Atlanta Rap Hero Rico Wade—Amid “Mixtape Pluto” Rollout
Future continues to honor the legacy of Atlanta’s Dungeon Family collective along with the life of his late cousin and Dungeon Family co-founder Rico Wade amid the release of his latest project, Mixtape Pluto.
Taking to Twitter on Thursday (September 19), Future confirmed the project doubled as a tribute to Wade and expressed his deep admiration and eternal bond with his cousin in the process.
“My cousin never died in my eyes,” Future wrote in the tweet. “Rico Wade u already know what u mean to me! I Thank the most high for blessin me with the greatest human being that it could Ever b! Billionaire status buz over us.”
Earlier this month, Future suggested he’d be returning to his roots upon the release of Mixtape Pluto. The album artwork featured a photo of the Dungeon, where the collective created some of their most notable and celebrated works.
Rico Wade, who was instrumental in the rise of artists like Outkast and Goodie Mob, played a pivotal role in shaping the Atlanta music scene. As the driving force behind Organized Noize, the production trio responsible for some of the most iconic Hip-Hop tracks of the ’90s, Wade’s contributions to music will forever be remembered.As a producer and visionary. For Future, Wade was more than just family—he was a mentor and guiding force throughout his career.
It was Wade who introduced Future, then known as “Meathead,” to the Dungeon Family, allowing him to observe and learn from legends like Big Boi and André 3000. The exposure laid the foundation for Future’s success as a rapper and songwriter, influencing his sound and approach to music. Wade also broadened Future’s horizons to the possibilities and opportunities rap music can provide as a profession, something Future remarked about when speaking on how the producer was responsible for some of his first experiences in the lap of luxury.
“I never even ate a good restaurant until I went with Rico,” Future said when speaking about Wade. “He took me to my first five-star restaurant. Like, to ride in a foreign car, a Range Rover, BMW, Porsche, that was my first time ever doing it around Rico. I never knew nobody who was legal could make money until my cousin Rico. So being in the Dungeon I knew it could happen.”
The Dungeon Family’s unique blend of Southern culture, funk, and forward-thinking Hip-Hop not only left a lasting imprint on the genre but also set Future on a path toward becoming one of the biggest names in the industry.
Wade’s death in April marked a significant loss for the Hip-Hop community. The cause of his death was revealed by a family spokesperson to be heart failure. Wade, who was 52 when he passed, was deeply mourned by artists and fans alike who were impacted by the vast scope of his work.
During his illustrious career, Wade’s mentorship contributed to the success of numerous Outkast albums, including Speakerboxxx/The Love Below, which won a Grammy Award for Album of the Year in 2004. Wade also produced TLC’s “Waterfalls” along with Goodie Mob’s classic debut album Soul Food in 1995.
Check out Future’s tribute post above.