Released: 2024 • Features: Metro Boomin
“Ice Attack” by Future, featuring Metro Boomin, explores the rapper’s life of luxury, his rise to the top, and the challenges he faces in an extravagant and sometimes hostile environment pulsing with wealth and danger. Metro Boomin’s powerful beats set the tone for Future’s honest and raw stories about his hustler lifestyle, making for a riveting auditory journey.
The refrain “Can’t put too much on, might catch a ice attack” speaks to Future’s extravagant lifestyle, with “ice” representing diamonds or expensive jewelry. The danger of an ‘ice attack’ indicates the risk of accumulating too much wealth, which can attract jealousy and potential violence. “40th anniversary, flooded VVS” is a reference to high-quality diamond jewelry, reinforcing the theme of opulence.
The verses intersperse Future’s current affluence with his roots in the trap, creating a stark contrast. The line “Trappin’ it out the foreign, I might crash and wreck” indicates his past in drug dealing — ‘trapping’ — paired with the risks of his present wealth — represented by a ‘foreign,’ or expensive import car. The lyrics “I been hustlin’ since a kid, I was just a adolescent” underscore his journey from a young hustler to a successful rapper living an extravagant lifestyle.
“Metro Boomin, he a millionaire, fuck it, take it back” and “Metro Boomin havin’ cheese now, these niggas nothin’ but rats” shows the recognition of Metro Boomin’s wealth and success, too. ‘Cheese’ is a familiar term for money in the hip-hop world, showing how far Metro has come. The ‘rats’ could refer to people from his past who may be envious of the wealth he and Future have amassed.
The lyrics “I been drankin’ codeine, steady rockin’ these baguettes” indicate his use of codeine, a popular theme in trap culture, serving as a testimony to his resilience and determination to maintain his luxurious lifestyle, represented by ‘baguettes’, a type of diamond cut.
The repeated phrase “I can’t worry about the flawed shit, these flawless on my neck” embodies Future’s desire to distance himself from imperfections and focus on his success, with ‘flawless’ again referring to high-quality diamonds. The lyrics continually play off the contrast between Future’s tough upbringing and his current success, emphasizing his journey and the grit it took to get where he is today.
“Money, murder, money, sex, that’s a murder zone. Young nigga, goin’ crazy, gettin’ they murder on” reminds listeners of the dangerous environment that his wealth and lifestyle can attract, signifying that despite his success, he is always on his guard.
Future’s repeated refrain of “Went banoodles on the dog-ass ho, that’s all” reflects his disdain for disloyal individuals, using ‘banoodles’ to express his outrage. The repetition of “Go paradin’ whenever, I just spazz out, uh” reveals his readiness for confrontation, a remnant from his years in the trap, reminding listeners of his resilience despite his new-found wealth.
The closing lines “I’m tired, know what I mean? The time to just let it out” step back from the bravado, indicating a more vulnerable side and the exhaustion that comes from constantly having to protect what he’s earned. His final words “Lot of, lot of corny-ass niggas, man. Lot of corny rappers, man, I’m just like, “Yo, man”” show dissatisfaction with the state of the industry and the artists who do not live the lyrics that they speak. This song is indeed a rich chronicle of the rise, the struggle, and the defense of a trap star turned rap icon.
