Mask off.

Future makes his GQ cover debut as the greatest rapper alive. On the cover, Hendrix is dripped in a Balenciaga coat, Saint Laurent shoes, and Gigi Burris mask.

In the cover story told by Elliott Wilson, the rap journalist gave Future and his lengthy body of work their flowers. “Future is the best rapper alive. Consistently excellent, or as influential, for as long as he has”, Wilson wrote. “He invented his own sound, which has since become the dominant style in rap. He has delivered hit after hit after hit. And he’s done it all on his own terms. His own innovative take on the concept of ‘bars’ — but his verses are uniquely versatile: He can traipse the full spectrum of human emotion, from lovingly tender to cruelly toxic to heart-wrenching to turned up to 11, all within the space of an eight count,” added Wilson.

During their discussion, Future spoke on his hiatus “I’m genuinely happy with life. And there was a time where I was only happy when I was on the stage, and in the studio. Like it was my escape.”

The 38-year-old rapper also spoke on his forthcoming album, which is due April 29. “Sharing my lifestyle with the world. Sharing my pain with the world. Sharing my ups, sharing my downs with the entire universe,” says Future. “Putting this project together is just people understanding that I love hard. Probably love the hardest. I wanted to showcase my skills as far as melodies and topics and being vulnerable.”

Future also spoke on the chemistry with his “Way 2 Sexy” collaborator Drake, ““Anytime we work in the studio, the level, the energy–we’re trying to perfect this shit but still stay raw, still stay gritty, and still be moving at the speed of the universe. It’s something that you have to work at, but it’s something that you have to find too.”

Elsewhere, he opened up on his relationship with Kanye West “Me and Kanye always had a relationship. But it’s hard for people to understand, because I don’t put everything on Instagram. Kanye flew me to Paris in 2011 or 2012 to work on music. [Discussing] his clothing line before it came, his shoe business before it came. People don’t know I’ve been able to go to his house, and pull up right into the crib. We just never talked about it.”

The full story can be read in its entirety here.