Future and DJ Esco Drop 56 Nights Mixtape – Today in Hip-Hop

XXL celebrates 50 years of hip-hop with this moment:

March 21, 2015: Future finished his epic 2015 mixtape run by dropping 56 Nights with DJ Esco on this day in 2015.

Following a sophomore slump in the form of his 2014 album, Honest, Future went back to the drawing board, buckled down and came up with one traplord anthem after another. 2015 really proved to be the year HNDRXX was in his bag. Along with two previous tapes, Monster and Beast Mode, 56 Nights is considered a part of the trilogy of fire projects from the Atlanta rapper.

The title for the tape was inspired by an ordeal Future and his camp faced in 2014. While the group was in Dubai for a performance, Future‘s DJ/producer DJ Esco, spent 56 days in jail for carrying 15 grams of marijuana. Once Esco was finally released, Future and Esco got to work on the new music.

Future was firing on all cylinders with this one. Production on the 10-track tape was handled entirely by the 808 Mafia, primarily Southside, Esco and DY. Singles off the project included “March Madness” and “Trap Niggas” but other fan favorites include “Diamonds from Africa,” “56 Nights” and “Purple Coming In.” 56 Nights was the marker for this lean-drinking Super Trapper to take off into mainstream success.

Future recapped his 2014-2015 mixtape run as well as the momentous success of his third album DS2 during XXL‘s Fall 2015 issue.

“It’s good for when you’re making music and your life has a huge change from where you come from, and as you get more and more success, you find those ways to stay humble, grounded. But the recording process for making this album was totally different. I was way more honest with myself, with my fans,” he explained.

Future also credits DJ Esco for motivating him to keep creating music in the studio.

Watch Future’s “March Madness” Video Below

Listen to Future’s “Purple Comin In” Below