Mask Off

"Mask Off" is a song by American rapper Future for his eponymous fifth studio album Future (2017). The track was later released as the second single after initially charting as an album track.^[2] "Mask Off" was produced by Metro Boomin, and written by Future and Tommy Butler.

"Mask Off"
Single by Future
from the album Future
Released	April 18, 2017[1]
Genre	Hip hop trap
Length	3:23 (original) 4:21 (remix featuring Kendrick Lamar) 2:59 (Marshmello remix)
Label	A1 Freebandz Epic
Songwriter(s)	Nayvadius Wilburn Leland Wayne Tommy Butler
Producer(s)	Metro Boomin
Future singles chronology
"No Pressure" (2017) "Mask Off" (2017) "Rollin" (2017)
Music video
"Mask Off" on YouTube
Audio sample
Future - Mask Off file help

It was Future's highest-charting single, peaking at number five on the US Billboard Hot 100, until the releases of "Life Is Good" (2020), "Way 2 Sexy" (2021), "Wait for U" (2022), and "Like That" (2024) with the former peaking at number two, and the latter three peaking at number one. The song was also his highest charting solo song until "Puffin on Zootiez" (2022) peaked at number four. A remix featuring Kendrick Lamar was released on June 16, 2017.

Future and the FreeWishes Foundation announced the "Mask On" campaign in 2020. Together, they provided more than 100,000 masks during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Composition

The song samples "Prison Song" by Carlton Williams, released in 1978 as part of his musical Selma. In this track, Future opens up about drug use and addiction problems (Percocets, Molly Percocets). It also tells a story that explores the surface of Future's past, from trapping to living a life of luxury.^[3]

Chart performance

"Mask Off" peaked at number five on the US Billboard Hot 100 for the week of May 6, 2017, becoming his first top-five charting single on that chart.^[4] It also peaked in the top 10 in New Zealand, Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland, Canada, and France, where it charted the highest at number two. It has since been certified nine times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for combined sales and streaming equivalent units of over nine million units in the United States.

Music video

The music video for "Mask Off" was released on May 5, 2017. It was directed by Colin Tilley, and features appearances from Amber Rose and DJ Esco.

Live performances and remixes

The official remix features a guest appearance from fellow American rapper Kendrick Lamar and was mixed by engineer Alex Tumay, released on May 23, 2017.^[5] Its release follows the performance of "Mask Off" by Future alongside Kendrick Lamar at the 2017 Coachella Festival.^[6] Lamar performed live covers of "Mask Off" at every show on the Damn Tour since the release of the remix.^[7]

On May 28, 2017, Joyner Lucas has released his own remix onto SoundCloud and YouTube entitled "Mask On" On the remix, he sent shots at Logic and Lil Yachty.

On June 16, 2017, a remix produced by Marshmello was released, which was deemed ironic by some as the DJ is known for masking his identity behind his namesake marshmallow-inspired helmet.^[8][9]

Track listing

Digital download

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Mask Off"	3:23

Digital download – Remix^[10]

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Mask Off" (Remix) (featuring Kendrick Lamar)	4:17

Digital download – Marshmello Remix^[11]

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Mask Off" (Marshmello Remix)	3:00

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (2017) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[12] 13 Australia Urban (ARIA)[13] 1 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[14] 20 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[15] 33 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[16] 47 Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[17] 5 Czech Republic (Singles Digitál Top 100)[18] 27 Denmark (Tracklisten)[19] 11 Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[20] 7 France (SNEP)[21] 2 Germany (GfK)[22] 12 Hungary (Single Top 40)[23] 37 Hungary (Stream Top 40)[24] 15 Ireland (IRMA)[25] 22 Italy (FIMI)[26] 52 Latvia (Latvijas Top 40)[27] 21 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[28] 19 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[29] 16 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[30] 6 Norway (VG-lista)[31] 10 Philippines (Philippine Hot 100)[32] 44 Portugal (AFP)[33] 10 Scotland (OCC)[34] 52 Slovakia (Singles Digitál Top 100)[35] 27 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[36] 8 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[37] 9 UK Singles (OCC)[38] 22 UK Hip Hop/R&B (OCC)[39] 2 US Billboard Hot 100[40] 5 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[41] 3 US Rhythmic (Billboard)[42] 1

Year-end charts Chart (2017) Position Australia (ARIA)[43] 64 Belgium (Ultratop Flanders)[44] 78 Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[45] 15 Denmark (Tracklisten)[46] 40 France (SNEP)[47] 8 Germany (Official German Charts)[48] 53 Hungary (Stream Top 40)[49] 58 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[50] 49 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[51] 38 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[52] 34 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[53] 34 UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[54] 43 US Billboard Hot 100[55] 14 US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[56] 7 US Rhythmic (Billboard)[57] 19

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[58]	3× Platinum	210,000‡
Austria (IFPI Austria)[59]	Gold	15,000‡
Belgium (BEA)[60]	Platinum	20,000‡
Canada (Music Canada)[61]	Diamond	800,000‡
Denmark (IFPI Danmark)[62]	2× Platinum	180,000‡
France (SNEP)[63]	Diamond	233,333‡
Germany (BVMI)[64]	2× Platinum	800,000‡
Italy (FIMI)[65]	2× Platinum	200,000‡
Mexico (AMPROFON)[66]	Platinum+Gold	90,000‡
Netherlands (NVPI)[67]	2× Platinum	80,000‡
New Zealand (RMNZ)[68]	Platinum	30,000‡
Poland (ZPAV)[69]	4× Platinum	200,000‡
Portugal (AFP)[70]	Platinum	10,000‡
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[71]	Platinum	60,000‡
Sweden (GLF)[72]	3× Platinum	120,000‡
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[73]	Platinum	20,000‡
United Kingdom (BPI)[74]	2× Platinum	1,200,000‡
United States (RIAA)[75]	9× Platinum	9,000,000‡
‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region	Date	Format	Version	Label	Ref.
United States	April 18, 2017	Contemporary hit radio	Original	A1 Freebandz Epic	[1]
	May 23, 2017	Digital download	Remix		[10]
	June 16, 2017		Marshmello Remix		[11]

Legacy

• The song was used in the Brooklyn Nine-Nine episode Return to Skyfire.
• The song was used in the Rick and Morty episode Claw and Hoarder: Special Ricktim's Morty.
• During the COVID-19 pandemic, the song experienced a resurgence, especially due to the lyrics in the chorus, "Mask on, fuck it, mask off."^[76] Future and the FreeWishes Foundation announced the "Mask On" campaign and provided more than 100,000 masks during the pandemic.^[77][78]
• The city of Inglewood created a COVID-19 "Mask On" PSA in 2020 to encourage people to wear protective masks during the coronavirus pandemic.^[79]

See also

• List of number-one urban singles of 2017 (Australia)
• List of Billboard Hot 100 top 10 singles in 2017

References

1. "Top 40/Future Releases". All Access. Archived from the original on April 17, 2017. Retrieved April 17, 2017.
2. Chandler, D.L. (April 8, 2017). "Future's "Mask Off" Single Goes Gold Amid #MaskOffChallenge Spree". HipHopDX. Retrieved April 10, 2017.
3. "Mask Off Lyrics". Genius. Archived from the original on 22 June 2019.
4. "Future Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved 2020-01-22.
5. "Preview Kendrick Lamar's Verse on Future's "Mask Off" Remix". XXL. May 23, 2017. Retrieved May 23, 2017.
6. "Coachella 2017: Watch Kendrick Lamar Bring Out Future, Travis Scott, Schoolboy Q". Pitchfork. April 17, 2017. Retrieved May 23, 2017.
7. Masley, Ed (July 13, 2017). "Kendrick Lamar launches DAMN. Tour in Glendale with triumphant one-man show of force". AZ Central. Retrieved October 30, 2017.
8. "Mask Off (Marshmello Remix)". Retrieved 2017-06-17.
9. Lucas (2017-06-16). "Marshmello Ironically Remixes "Mask Off" By Future". Your EDM. Retrieved 2017-06-17.
10. Remix version of Mask Off, featuring Kendrick Lamar, both non-explicit and explicit versions was released on May 23, 2017, on Apple Music.

    • "Mask Off (Remix) [feat. Kendrick Lamar] - Single by Future on Apple Music". iTunes Store (US). 23 May 2017.
    • "Mask Off (Remix) [feat. Kendrick Lamar] - Single (Explicit) by Future on Apple Music". iTunes Store (US). 23 May 2017.
11. Marshmello's remix version of Mask Off, both non-explicit and explicit versions was released on June 16, 2017, on Apple Music.

    • "Mask Off (Marshmello Remix) - Single by Future on Apple Music". iTunes Store (US). 16 June 2017.
    • "Mask Off (Marshmello Remix) - Single (Explicit) by Future on Apple Music". iTunes Store (US). 16 June 2017.
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42. "Future Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved June 13, 2017.
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44. "Jaaroverzichten 2017". Ultratop. Retrieved December 21, 2017.
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62. "Danish single certifications – Future – Mask Off". IFPI Danmark. Retrieved March 24, 2023.
63. "French single certifications – Future – Mask Off" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved August 3, 2017.
64. "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Future; 'Mask Off')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved February 4, 2023.
65. "Italian single certifications – Future – Mask Off" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved August 24, 2024.
66. "Certificaciones" (in Spanish). Asociación Mexicana de Productores de Fonogramas y Videogramas. Retrieved May 23, 2020. Type Future in the box under the ARTISTA column heading and Mask Off in the box under the TÍTULO column heading.
67. "Dutch single certifications – Future – Mask Off" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers. Retrieved October 14, 2021. Enter Mask Off in the "Artiest of titel" box. Select 2017 in the drop-down menu saying "Alle jaargangen".
68. "New Zealand single certifications – Future – Mask Off". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved June 30, 2017.
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78. Alston, Trey. "Future's 'Mask Off' Has 'Easily' Provided More Than 100,000 Masks During The Coronavirus Pandemic". MTV News. Archived from the original on April 21, 2020. Retrieved 2021-08-08.
79. Johnson, Cherise (2020-09-20). "City of Inglewood creates COVID-19 "Mask On" PSA inspired by Future". REVOLT. Retrieved 2021-08-08.