Celebrating the anniversary of a hit album is a major moment, right? Not just for the artist, but for us, the fans who helped make it iconic. So when it comes to Atlanta’s own Future, and the 10th anniversary of his game-changing 2015 album DS2, you already know it had to be epic.
And Pluto didn’t disappoint! He teamed up with Grand Marnier this past Friday (September 19) at the Brooklyn Academy of Music for a one-night-only performance titled DS2 Remixed: The Ballet. Talk about a celebration!
DS2: Remixed flipped the script, blending art forms and giving rap fans a taste of high culture. I mean, who ever thought they’d see a plié with “The Percocet & Stripper Joint,” or fouetté and fondu with “Freak Hoe” and “Fuck Up Some Commas?” But what really stood out was the presence of Black ballerinas taking center stage. Icon Misty Copeland, who was in the building, called the performance a “bold idea,” adding, “It reflects exactly what makes New York’s creative scene so powerful. Like Grand Marnier itself, it’s about honoring tradition while daring to remix it into something new.” We couldn’t agree more.
At the helm of the choreography was Emmy-winning creative director Ebony Williams—you might recognize her moves from Doja Cat’s Scarlet Tour, the 2021 film adaptation of In The Heights, and Beyoncé’s RENAISSANCE TOUR! Ebony worked her magic all night, and the ballerinas looked stunning in custom designs by LaQuan Smith.
Ebony gave us the inside scoop on the night:
“I’m very proud of this. To be working with two icons — an individual and a company — makes it all feel like a dream come true to be honest. To bring this kind of sophistication to people that don’t get to see it all the time is wonderful. I feel like we get to elevate ourselves as a community. It’s been quite incredible to see trap music done with the dancers who don’t get to typically use that [Laughs]. The classical style of music is so traditional [for ballerinas], so to fuse that with some of the hip-hop that I like to listen to is nothing short of incredible.
First of all, there’s not many of us ever in a room; usually there’s only just one. For Grand Marnier and Future to want to bring all of these beautiful brown women together to feel powerful, seen, grace and grit is really wonderful. The fact they want to bridge the gap in the same way Marnier mixed cognac and orange liqueur to reinvent something, it allows these girls to have that same opportunity just by being on the stage. That feels like something honorable forever.”
— Ebony Williams, Emmy-winning choreographer
With the 10-year anniversary of Evol next year, in addition to his self-titled and Hndrxx in 2027, we can’t wait to see what Future comes up with next. Make sure we’re on the invite list, Pluto!
Take a look at more images from ‘DS2 REMIXED: THE BALLET‘ by Future and Grand Marnier at BAM in Brooklyn below:
