"Wait for U" is a song by American rapper Future featuring Canadian rapper Drake and Nigerian singer Tems. It was sent to rhythmic contemporary radio as the second single from Future's ninth studio album, I Never Liked You, on May 3, 2022.
The song samples Tems' song, "Higher", from her debut extended play, For Broken Ears (2020).[1] Future and Drake wrote the song with producers FnZ (Finatik and Zac) and ATL Jacob, alongside Tejiri Akpoghene and Tems, who are credited songwriters for the sampling of "Higher", and Floyd E. Bentley III.[2] "Wait for U" is an R&B song that lyrically discusses the occasional toxicity of a romantic relationship.[3]
The song debuted at number one on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming Future's second (first as a lead artist), Drake's tenth, and Tems' first number-one hit on the Hot 100, and peaked within the top 10 of the charts in many other countries, including Canada, United Kingdom and New Zealand. "Wait for U" received two nominations at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards: Best Rap Song and Best Melodic Rap Performance, winning the latter.
Critical reception
Michael Di Gennaro of Exclaim! felt that "Wait for U" is one of "the most Drake-sounding Future songs from a production standpoint" with "tender moments that harken back to the popstar aspirations Future once had when writing songs for Rihanna and Ciara".[4] In a negative review, HipHopDX music critic Anthony Malone opined that both "Wait for U" and "I'm on One", another track from I Never Liked You that Drake is featured on, do not "match the toxic king chemistry of their previous collaborations", adding that "like an old rock star who can still play the hits off muscle memory, Drake and Future recite the same stories of one-night stands, DM debauchery and drug-filled nights at the club in their sleep" and "however, their charisma is notably absent from the music.[5] In a similar review, Alphonse Pierre of Pitchfork said that the sample of "Higher" by Tems "is a cheat code to a catchy song, but Future and Drake are on such autopilot that I'd rather listen to the original".[6]
Music video
The official music video for "Wait for U", directed by Director X, was released on May 5, 2022. It is a medieval-themed video that deals with love and betrayal. The video includes cameo appearances from Moxie Raia, Cece Rose, producer ATL Jacob, Strick, and Trey Richards. Drake plays a knight that delivers a note to a queen for Future, who plays a "toxic" king.[7] On the way to deliver the note, Drake engages in a sword fight and saves a woman.[8] At the end of the video, Future wins a duel against another man as the queen reads his note, rolls her eyes and throws it away. Future's note is a reference to a leaked text exchange of his from 2018 in which he told a woman he did not want to see her.[7] The music video was filmed at Casa Loma in Toronto, Canada.[9]
^Reeves, Mosi (April 29, 2022). "Future is a Platinum-Encrusted Antihero on 'I Never Liked You'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved May 3, 2022.
^"Floyd E Bentley III – Grammy Nominations". The Recording Academy. November 15, 2022. Retrieved January 24, 2023.
^Williams, Kyann-Sian (April 29, 2022). "Future – 'I Never Liked You' review: Atlanta's trap overlord proves he's still on top". NME. Retrieved May 3, 2022.
^Di Gennaro, Michael (May 3, 2022). "Future Is Determined to Stay on Top on 'I Never Liked You'". Exclaim!. Retrieved May 3, 2022.
^Malone, Anthony (May 5, 2022). "Review – Future 'I Never Liked You' Is Fan Service Held Back By Dull Beats & Marketed Toxicity". HipHopDX. Retrieved May 5, 2022.
^Pierre, Alphonse (May 3, 2022). "Future: I Never Liked You Album Review". Pitchfork. Retrieved May 3, 2022.
^ a bTomás, Tomas (May 5, 2022). "Future Is a Medieval Toxic King and Drake His Sexy Messenger in 'Wait for U' Video". Rolling Stone. Retrieved May 5, 2022.
^Price, Joe (May 5, 2022). "Drake Stars as a Knight in Shining Armor in Video for Future Collab "Wait for U" f/ Tems". Complex. Retrieved May 5, 2022.
^"Drake and Future's "Wait for U" Music Video Was Filmed at Toronto's Casa Loma, as well as Albion Hills Conservation Area in Caledon (a rural suburb northwest of Toronto)". Complex Networks.
^"Future feat. Drake & Tems – Wait for U". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved May 13, 2022.
^"Future feat. Drake & Tems – Wait for U" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved May 11, 2022.
^"Future Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved May 10, 2022.
^"Future feat. Drake & Tems – Wait for U" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved May 13, 2022.
^"Future feat. Drake & Tems – Wait for U" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved May 13, 2022.
^"Future Chart History (Global 200)". Billboard. Retrieved May 10, 2022.
^"Official IFPI Charts - Digital Singles Chart (International) - Week: 18/2022". IFPI Greece. Archived from the original on May 16, 2022. Retrieved May 16, 2022.
^"Tónlistinn – Lög" [The Music – Songs] (in Icelandic). Plötutíðindi. Archived from the original on May 12, 2022. Retrieved May 12, 2022.
^"Top 40 Rhythmic Future Releases". All Access. Archived from the original on April 29, 2022. Retrieved April 29, 2022.
^"Future". EarOne (in Italian). Retrieved May 6, 2022.
^"Full List of the 8th Annual AEAUSA 2022 Finalists" (PDF). African Entertainment Awards USA. December 28, 2022. Retrieved January 16, 2022.
^Atkinson, Katie (November 20, 2022). "Here Are All the 2022 AMAs Winners". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 21, 2022. Retrieved November 21, 2022.
^"Kanye West and Drake Lead BET Hip Hop Awards 2022 Nominations". Complex. Retrieved September 12, 2022.
^Grein, Paul (August 19, 2022). "Will BTS Make It Four in a Row as Group of the Year at 2022 MTV VMAs?". Billboard. Archived from the original on August 19, 2022. Retrieved August 19, 2022.
^ a bNordyke, Kimberly; Thomas, Carly (February 5, 2023). "Grammy Awards: Complete List of Winners". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on February 6, 2023. Retrieved February 6, 2023.
^"2023 iHeartRadio Music Awards: See The Full List Of Nominees". iHeart. Retrieved February 13, 2023.
^Jackson, Angelique (January 12, 2023). "'Abbott Elementary,' 'Black Panther: Wakanda Forever' and 'The Woman King' Dominate NAACP Image Award Nominations". Variety. Retrieved January 13, 2023.