Real & True

Album: Honest (2013)
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Songfacts®:

  • This song finds Future collaborating with the English singer-songwriter Mr. Hudson, who is best known for his contribution to Jay-Z's "Young Forever." Also on the track is Miley Cyrus, with whom The Astronaut Kid also worked on the Bangerz track "My Darlin'."
  • Miley Cyrus and Mr. Hudson sing to each other on the chorus over Mike WiLL Made It's production. Future explained during an appearance on MTV's RapFix Live that the English singer-songwriter sent him the hook ready for his raps. "I worked with Miley Cyrus when we were working on her project, for her album," he said. "I was doing some records in Vegas and Mr. Hudson sent a hook back he did on a Mike Will track. He played it for Miley and she wanted to be a part of it, so I'm putting the record on my album also."
  • The song was inspired by Future's relationship with his fiancée Ciara.
  • The futuristic video shows Future and Mr. Hudson on an interstellar mission who discover a seemingly lifeless Cyrus on a barren planet. The Astronaut Kid and Mi-Cy fall in love despite the Wrecking Ball singer revealing her true alien nature. "It's about somebody sacrificing their life for love," Future told MTV News of the clip. "It connected with me and my whole theme that I've been going with, as far as Pluto and my astronaut status, so I feel like I can close that chapter after this video and move on to something else."

    The clip was directed by the English portrait and fashion photographer Rankin, who has also helmed music promos for Nelly Furtado ("Say It Right"), Kelis ("Acapella") and Rita Ora ("Facemelt.")
  • Future told Spin magazine that he's always been infatuated with space through music. "I guess that was the [way I got into it]," he explained "I use it for wordplay. I've been an astronaut kid — that was one of my alter egos. I felt like I made timeless music. It was something new — nobody really ever touched on space. It was something to keep the people interested, give the fans something new. [To] have the same wordplay, but be in space."
  • Spin magazine asked Future what it was about Mr. Hudson's hook that he connected with? The Atlanta rapper replied: "Just to remain true. Everybody can relate to being real or true. Somehow, someway, you want to be real and true. Even being in a relationship, or being out of a relationship, going through tough times with someone you're in a relationship with — all those things. Basically just capturing the moment where I'm at in my life right now. To express myself in a different way that I never have. To make it great for the fans and show growth."

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