Album of The Year #1: Lil Uzi Vert - Eternal Atake / Lil Uzi Vert Vs. The World 2 - HipHop | HipHop Channel

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Album of The Year #1: Lil Uzi Vert - Eternal Atake / Lil Uzi Vert Vs. The World 2 - HipHop

Album of The Year #1: Lil Uzi Vert - Eternal Atake / Lil Uzi Vert Vs. The World 2 - HipHop

Album of The Year #1: Lil Uzi Vert - Eternal Atake / Lil Uzi Vert Vs. The World 2

Posted: 21 Dec 2020 07:05 AM PST

Artist: Lil Uzi Vert

Albums: Eternal Atake / Lil Uzi Vert vs. The World 2

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Background

Symere Bysil Woods was born on July 31, 1994. Symere had a rather normal childhood. Like many children, Symere's parents were split up, but he had a healthy relationship with both. Overall, he had a loving, yet somewhat strict, family, attended school and enjoyed cartoons and anime's. In high school, however, Symere became a bit of an oddball. He enjoyed unconventional music, such as his idol, Marilyn Manson and Paramore among other things, wore fox tails to school and often wanted to stand out in a crowd. Bullied and teased for his music taste and weird tendencies, Symere was as happy as could be, taking pride in being a bit different. Symere's love for music would even inspire him to play the trumpet in his marching band. Symere would eventually decide to try his hand in hip hop, after seeing the attention and popularity other people, including his friend, William Aston, got from it. Symere would find that he actually was pretty decent at spitting, so Aston invited him to join a rap group he had made with another friend. This group would be known as "Steaktown", believed to be called that due to Philadelphia's reputation for cheesesteaks. From here, Symere's life would forever change. Symere, now going by the name "Sealab Vertical", actually found that he enjoyed rapping and the type of attention he got with it. Though he loved rapping and had gotten very into the genre, Steaktown broke up, putting a bit of a damper on Symere's plans. However, don't let that fool you into thinking he had given up on a hip hop career. Symere knew he had it in him and would not give up on the dream. Symere doubled down on his efforts to become a star, including dropping out of school, quitting a job as a bag boy and even getting tattoos on his face. Symere moved into his grandmother's place within a nursing home. His grandmother was very supportive of his dream and Symere would constantly upload songs to Soundcloud. One day, a listener to his music on Soundcloud would tell him he sounded like a "Lil Uzi" since he rapped so fast, leading Symere to taking that and combining it with Vert, short for Vertical. However, that combo maybe a double entendre... From here, Lil Uzi Vert was born.

Uzi's work would finally pay off when DJ Diamond Kuts would hear one of his songs from his first project, Purple Thoughtz Vol. 1. This would lead to Uzi getting one of his songs played on Philly's Power 99 Station. At this time, Don Cannon was driving around Philly and he would eventually run into this song on the radio. Cannon reached out to Uzi and produced his first mixtape, The Real Uzi. After the release of The Real Uzi, Uzi signed to Atlantic Records through Generation Now. From here, he would go on tour with Fall Out Boy and Wiz Khalifa and feature on many artists' songs. He had done it. He had achieved the fame he wanted. However, Uzi still wanted that superstar status and would take his next big step towards it by releasing his first big project, Luv Is Rage.

Luv Is Rage was released to a wider audience then Uzi normally got and drew many new people to him. It got very positive reviews and earned Uzi the title of being a breakout star of 2015. The project did feature a much different character then Uzi previously portrayed however. Now, instead of focusing mostly on hip hop exclusively, he set to combine it with styles of other influences he had, such as My Chemical Romance or Nirvana. This new style was very melodic and had a rocker vibe, which many would gravitate towards. Life was great for Uzi. He was making it big, had a hit project, a loving girlfriend by the name of Brittney and a solid fanbase. But this wouldn't be all, as a few months later, he would release his biggest song yet, Money Longer. Immediately following that, he would release his second big project, Lil Uzi Vert vs. The World, strongly inspired by Scott Pilgram vs. The World.

Vs. The World was a hit. For many, it's the defining project of 2016 and, among many younger people, is hailed as one of the best mixtapes ever made. Hell, back in 2016, people I knew were only listening to this tape as far as music went and were constantly quoting it. Even my football coach was quoting his lyrics and using random Uzi lines to motivate our team, since he was so popular with people my age. Everyone at my high school was listening to Uzi nearly exclusively and always talking about what he'd do next, as well as constantly posting pictures of him with quotes he never said on Snapchat, before Youngboy had that honor. Yup, those were the days. Uzi, his many watches, Scott Pilgram inspired hair, eccentric fashion choices, melodies and, of course, his girlfriend, Brittney, were and still are absolutely iconic to the year 2016. However, this was only the beginning to an absolutely insane year. Next, Uzi would take part in what is possibly the most legendary XXL Freshman Cypher ever, alongside Denzel Curry, Lil Yachty, 21 Savage and Kodak Black. Many agreed that Uzi was a standout from the cypher and many new fans were drawn to Uzi from it. Also around this time, he was featured on Migos' smash hit, Bad and Boujee, and also on Future and DJ Esco's hit, Too Much Sauce. To capitalize on all this, he was dropping constant new songs on his SoundCloud throughout the year, such as fan favorite song Buy It. Things wouldn't be all good though, as around this time, Uzi would break up with his girlfriend and find that he had many fake friends around him. Regardless, he would then go on to release his second mixtape of 2016, The Perfect Luv Tape. This tape focused much less on vocals and melodies and was mostly a return to rapping. It was a fun and light hip hop tape, that featured many hit songs such as Do What I Want and Erase Your Social. This hype train was far from over, as three months later, Uzi would drop a collab tape with trap legend, Gucci Mane. This tape would be a bit of a spin off of Lil Uzi Vert vs. The World, called 1017 vs. The World. To cap off his legendary 2016, Uzi had a tour with The Weeknd to look forward to. Little did we all know just what that tour would bring and how what would happen next would propel Uzi to absolute superstar status.

Brittney and Uzi's break up hit him more then he let on. He went through some troubles afterwards, even worsening his drug use. During these hard times, he wrote much more somber songs. One of said songs would find its way to an EP called Luv Is Rage 1.5 (a prequel to his upcoming album, Luv Is Rage 2). The song, called XO Tour Lif3, as a reference to the tour he was on with The Weeknd, would be an absolute smash hit and possibly one of the most iconic songs ever made. This song would popularize what is now known as "Emo Rap". The style wasn't new, as it was being done by other artists, such as Yung Lean, Lil Peep and Bones, among others, but it had never been popular on this scale before. After this, Uzi would run with the emo aesthetic as a way to hype up Luv Is Rage 2. Taking massive inspiration from Marilyn Manson, he would put on a devil worshipping front and would go all in with the punk rockstar aesthetic. When released, Luv Is Rage 2 was everything this new aesthetic promised. We got deep cuts detailing his broken relationship, such as The Way Life Goes, songs that showed how much of rockstar he can be, such as Early 20 Rager, personal cuts about his family, such as Dark Queen and even new iconic bangers, such as 20 Min. This album was a hit with the numbers, received positive reviews and is well loved by many. It even would get him nominated for best new artist at the Grammy's. Uzi was on top of the world. However, some pretty rough times were coming up.

Uzi has a fairly mundane 2018 at first. There were some positive moments to come out of it, such as his hilarious verse on Lil Tracy's Like a Farmer remix, teasing many iconic snippets and him getting clean after the death of Lil Peep, an artist he greatly admired, but it was mostly a year of us riding the high that 2017 Uzi provided. Uzi would set the rap world on fire when he revealed the cover art for his next album, Eternal Atake. Immediately, everyone was hyped due to the very interesting concept the cover had, in that it was modeled after the Heavens Gate logo. Uzi then started going with a new alien/cult leader type aesthetic, abandoning the devil worshipping punk rockstar aesthetic. That October, Uzi released, what was at the time, the first single from the album. This song, called New Patek, was a six minute banger teased in an iconic snippet and was universally praised and hailed as one of his best songs. The world was watching. Everyone was expecting a legendary album to dropped.

Then we waited. We waited a long time. Well, turns out there was behind the scenes drama going on with the making of this album. Uzi, DJ Drama and Don Cannon all had a falling out, as they wouldn't let him release it. On top of that, the remainder of the Heavens Gate cult was threatening Uzi with a lawsuit. Uzi even briefly retired from rap. Hell, recently we learned there was an album he was making with Pharrell that was scrapped in all this chaos. Also, I'm pretty sure that his anticipated tape with Playboi Carti, 16*29, was scrapped in this time, unless I'm mistaken. On top of this, rumors say that he had some pretty bad drama going on with his step brother who allegedly murdered someone. It was a mess. This would all cumulate in Uzi dropping a track called "Free Uzi" which turned into a campaign supported by multiple people. Worst part is that a lot of tracks, many of which are hailed as Uzi's very best songs, from the Eternal Atake sessions leaked, pretty much destroying any chance of getting the OG album. Two of those leaks, Sanguine Paradise and That's a Rack, were eventually officially released, however. 2018 and early 2019 were hard on Uzi. Many wondered if he'd ever be able to get back on his feet. Fortunately, JAY-Z stepped in and "freed" Uzi, signing him to Roc Nation. After this, Uzi still withheld the album. He teased it many times, but it never would release. Fans then wondered if it'd ever drop. Most just gave up hope that it was even real anymore. Eternal Atake was looked at as the new Detox. Dead in the water, just another scrapped album.

Then something happened. Uzi dropped a new song, Futsal Shuffle 2020, claiming it was Eternal Atake's first single. Yeah, okay. He's probably capping. Then a couple months later he dropped That Way, a song with an amazing Backstreet Boys sample and said it was from Eternal Atake. Again, yeah sure. Then in February of 2020 he said Eternal Atake would drop in two weeks. Nobody really took it seriously. Then he dropped a high budget trailer, returning to the alien cult leader aesthetic in the process. Okay, it's getting interesting. He then let the fans pick out the new cover for Eternal Atake. Could this be real? Then three days later he dropped it early. Eternal Atake was not only real, but it was here. Then, the next week, Uzi promised a deluxe with all the grails people begged for. He then revealed that it was not only a deluxe, but a second half to Eternal Atake, this half being a sequel to his album Lil Uzi Vert vs. The World. Two Uzi albums in one year. One being one of the most hotly anticipated albums ever and the other a sequel to a beloved mixtape that some consider a classic.

Nowadays, Symere Woods is one of the most iconic artists there is. Known for his now many face tattoos, constantly changing hairstyles, crazy outfits and wide ranging music. He is an icon, he stands out in the crowd, he has a very interesting look, a unique sound and he has a devoted fan base. Uzi is now the king of the world. But in a new world where COVID-19 ran rampant, Uzi thrived as a major source of entertainment in these times. He is often said to have carried 2020 on his back even. But is this statement true? Were the releases that good? Did they live up to the hype? Are they even worth a listen?

Review Part 1: Eternal Atake

I would like to apologize for going so hard on that background. However, I feel it is completely necessary to detail Uzi's entire story for this project. This is what Uzi's entire career has lead up to. Every single move Symere Woods has made these last few years all cumulated in this project. This project can be viewed to Uzi what Tha Carter 3 was to Lil Wayne and what DS2 was to Future. It marks the climax of a rising star and will set expectations in both fans and the mainstream for where Uzi's career will go to next. Also forgive me if I got some events out of order.

I think I should clarify this. I was a pretty big hater of Uzi's this time last year. I thought his music was subpar and had not heard a whole lot of it. However, Eternal Atake changed that. When I went in not expecting something that had a massive concept and lyricism, I was greeted with a very versatile, yet consistent body of work that had a pretty slick concept and story. I would later find more music of Uzi's with some substance and more to say on other projects, but I think here he very smartly just sticks to having a blast and taking the audience on an upbeat trip through his world. This is not a darker project with some deeper cuts in there like Luv Is Rage 2 was, this is just Uzi in his most fun loving form yet. Some fans will not like that, as they wanted a more hard hitting Uzi like we got last time around, however, I think it was the way to go for this project, as it not only creates a nice parallel to Uzi's last major release, but it also helped to have some upbeat music amidst the Coronavirus, racial injustices, riots, etc. It was the album I felt we needed and to make life a little bit better in the trying times. On top of that, this album is a huge release for Uzi and would definitely serve as an introduction for thousands of new fans and I think him doing music he's completely confident in and that is easier to digest and jam to is the way to go. The more serious topics can wait for a future release, for now it's all about making a banger of an album and giving the audience a good time.

The album does have a story to it that is told through skits. The story is about Uzi being abducted by aliens, encountering a cult on the ship, while trying to escape. The cult may symbol how he has a "cult following", which is hinted at in a song in the second half of the album. It's a pretty unique concept and is fun, I also appreciate that he put the extra effort in. While Uzi is messing around in the ship, he travels to different world trying to make it home, each one he travels to introduces a different persona.

We start the album with the persona of "Baby Pluto". Baby Pluto is the persona Uzi has seemed to have stuck with for most of 2020 as well, especially on then upcoming his collabs with big Pluto himself, Future. Baby Pluto is the Uzi of 2012-2014. Focused on fast flows, this version of Uzi has very little melodies and is just focused on making fast paced and breakneck bangers. The standouts of this section of the album include the Baby Pluto title track, the very catchy Lo Mein and You Better Move, which, in classic Uzi fashion, samples Space Cadet Pinball. Baby Pluto is a much more traditional rapper then the upcoming personas. Another key to this persona is that it's production feels very over the top and very frantic. Uzi claims this is sound like a spaceship blasting off which I can definitely see. This persona ultimately concludes once we reach Homecoming, a banger of a track consisting of disco type production. Also, before I forget, we have to mention POP and it's infamous "Balenci" lyrics. I mean, hey, the album wouldn't be complete without a meme arising from it, so I think it can slide. And just like that, the album starts with a bang, or perhaps a pop (sorry I had to). All the songs are memorable and all of them are hits. After this, Uzi travels to a new planet, entering his new persona, Renji.

The Renji persona has a higher pitched voice, combines faced paced rapping and some melodies and goes over much more cartoonish production. In this section, we are greeted to some absolutely fantastic tracks such as Celebration Station, which seems to be a sound Uzi likes replicating on other songs post Eternal Atake, Prices, a Travis Scott sampling epic, which is by far the best song on here to me and also Bust Me. This Renji persona seems to exist as a way to satisfy all types of Uzi fans. The ones who want melodic and more emotional Uzi will enjoy Chrome Heart Tags and I'm Sorry, while fans of faster paced and more fun loving Uzi will enjoy Celebration Station, Bigger Than Life, Prices and Bust Me. Speaking of I'm Sorry, Uzi briefly returned to his emo roots for that song, which is sure to be enjoyable for fans of that style, however I appreciated how he kept it cheeky, as it seems he was apologizing to his fans for the long wait as well. The production on this section of the album is much more relaxed sounding ranges from light and bubbly, such as on Celebration Station, to downright epic, such as on Prices, but I never feel that it doesn't feel consistent, as none of them are beats that feel overly aggressive. With the end of Prices, Uzi crash lands back on Earth. This time we enter a new persona, the one and only, Lil Uzi Vert.

Lil Uzi Vert is the Uzi we all know and love. High pitched melodies, such as Venetia, mixed with more raspy melodies, such as Secure The Bag. This is classic and also new melodic Uzi presented together in a nice harmony. However, the standout to me is Urgency, an absolutely fantastic song with a feature from Syd), a very talented singer who was a member of legendary hip hop group Odd Future, along with the likes of Tyler The Creator, Earl Sweatshirt and Frank Ocean. Here we get every type of melodic Uzi presented in one song. We hear the raspy voiced one, the high pitched one and the more mellow sounding one. Uzi presents all his vocal ranges here, presenting an insanely catch hook and also a pretty solid rapping verse. Syd then stops by for a pretty nice verse as well as harmonizing with Uzi. To me, this song feels like a spiritual successor to The Way Life Goes, but I can't place my finger on why. The second stand out here is Venetia, with its fast paced raps and the infectiously delightful "yeah yeah" adlibs, along with an album best verse in its second verse. Secure The Bag also sticks out, with Uzi's yelling raspy voice, taking us back to the Luv Is Rage 1 days. Then we conclude with Uzi making it to shore and saying that he has to drop the album as he was missing for too long on that ship, a cheeky way of explaining why he hasn't released, and then we go to the next track, P2. P2 is the sequel to XO Tour Lif3, bringing us full circle back to Uzi's big breakout hit. This time, however, Uzi seems content with the breakup, he seems happier with it. I think this song shows us that Uzi has accepted that him and Brittney didn't work and that he's done with the hard feelings he held in the first part, while also presenting us with a full circle conclusion for the album. The album then ends with Uzi thanking his fans.

The next two bonus tracks are the singles released, That Way and Futsal Shuffle 2020. I like that they're here as bonuses. Both are very good, especially That Way. As for Futsal Shuffle, it's a very weird song that sounds like a trashy 2007 pop track, but Uzi makes it work as a throwback. The dance it inspired was alright too I guess, glad to see people had fun with it. I'm glad both songs still made the tracklist, as I feel they both are worthy enough to be on it, even if it'd be hard to place them in one of the album's sections.

A fantastic album. A great sampler or what Uzi has to offer that also feels consistent and like a coherent album. All going along with a pretty engaging story. The album actually reminds me a good bit of Uzi's XXL Freshman classmate, Denzel Curry, in that it is structured very similarly to his album, TA13OO. Uzi possibly could have took some inspiration from him there and it is very cool to see another artist succeed with a structure like that. Anyway, there isn't a single dull moment here. For some, 18 tracks can be very cluttered, but Uzi manages to make all the songs sound fun and even if some maybe a bit similar, they are oozing with character that makes them still stand out enough to work. With this album, Uzi proves that this is his world and we are all just tourist in it.

But we're not done yet. As I said, there is a second half we must talk about. We've only played two quarters of this ball game and it's a good game so far. How will the rest of it be?

Review Part 2: Lil Uzi Vert vs. The World 2

The second half of this album, a "deluxe", would end up starting a major trend. Now it seems every artist has hopped on the wave of having a second half as a deluxe album. The influence of this album is already present. This second half is already iconic. That really says something in my opinion. Anyway, influence aside, this half is pretty great as well. LUV vs. The World 2 is labeled as a sequel to Uzi's most beloved tape, because it has all of Uzi's most hyped up grails. The songs the fans have begged for on a sequel to their favorite tape only seems right. For many, THIS is the part they've been waiting for.

If Eternal Atake was a trip through space, Vs. The World 2 is a trip through time. It's quite interesting, as you can tell the age of songs by Uzi's vocal style, his flows and by which songs he says he no longer does drugs on. We begin our trip in 2018 through Myron, Lotus and Bean, all of which were among Uzi's most anticipated snippets, especially Lotus. Now, I wasn't the biggest Uzi fan before, as I stated, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't looking forward to Myron after the snippet he dropped of it right after New Patek released.

As I said before, I was hyped for Myron. Hell, Myron is the song I was even looking forward to Eternal Atake for, before my time as an Uzi fan. At first, I wasn't a fan of the actual song, as it's slowed down a good bit from the original snippet, however, I've grown to really enjoy it. The more slowed down voice fits as a strong opener to this sequel project, as Vs. The World 1 was done almost entirely with that voice, so it makes it easier to jump right into here once you finish that one. The song has Uzi spitting over some Christmasy production, all while testing his vocal range with some especially dry yells near the end and also some high pitched vocals sprinkled in. To sum it up, it slaps. Next up is Lotus, which was perhaps the most anticipated hip hop snippet in history. A lot of people were disappointed with it and said the mixing was off, but I personally fucking love Lotus. The song is catchy as fuck and the vocals are very loud on it, which I personally like, as that is the main draw to the song for me. The last verse especially is great, as it fits hand in hand with the hook before. All of this going over some pretty mild, yet spacey production makes for an amazing track. Next up is Bean, or Kobe, as it includes a reference to the now late basketball player and sports legend, Kobe Bryant. This was a song long anticipated and another snippet that fans had been begging for nearly two years for. This song contains the deep voiced and menacing Chief Keef going hand in hand vocally with Uzi's childlike screeches and high pitched voice. The energy Uzi carries on the song feels a lot like the energy he delivered on Lotus, making it a very consistent transition. This three track trip to 2018 delivered us with three straight knockouts, instantly drawing the audience back into Uzi's colorful world. However, right as we get comfortable, we're transported back further into the past. We're taken to the 2016 XXL Cypher, where we reunite with an old friend, 21 Savage.

Yessirskiii is possibly my favorite song from this project, it's between it and another track we will get to in a bit. This song reminds me of the 2016 XXL Cypher not just because of 21 Savage on it, but also because Uzi's elated flow and vocals mixed with 21 Savage's dry and unenthusiastic vocals make for a similar experience to that legendary cypher, while also being wildly entertaining. 21 Savage glides effortlessly on the production done by Pi'erre Bourne, in what is one of his best beats yet. Savage also delivers one of my favorite hooks of the year so far as well, one that is very simple, but very catchy. Uzi then comes in with his signature high pitched rapping style and if Savage glides over the beat, Uzi rides it, presenting us with a completely different style of rapping over it that also feels consistent with what Savage did. The track concludes with Savage's hook, leaving you wanting an instant encore. Immediately following this high, we're taken to the future with a song with none other then Future himself. Wassup is a song that acts as a teaser to Uzi's then future project with Future. Uzi presents his signature melodies and long stretching of words in an insanely catchy hook. He then delivers a very strong verse, humbly flexing that he can't win every time, but does most of the time at least. Among that are also some alien references, tying into the first half of the album nicely. Future then comes in and gives another solid verse, not his most memorable, but still solid nonetheless. The track concludes and what we're left with is a great little glimpse into the future that we didn't know was coming at the time, here Baby Pluto x Pluto was truly born. After this, we are taken back to the present, at least for two tracks.

Strawberry Peels is a short, yet very sweet, collaboration with Young Thug and Gunna. Thugger gives us a breakneck hook over some wild production, Gunna drops a solid enough verse then Uzi comes in perfectly matching Thugger's energy. Uzi rapping over the frantic production before going into Thugger's last hook is the perfect reminder of why these two work so well together. I Can Show You presents us with some classical(?) sounding production with Uzi delivering some Celebration Station types flows over it. It's an Eternal Atake track vocally, but a new sound production wise. I like it a lot. It feels familiar yet new at the same time.

After our time in the present, we are transported back to 2017, when Luv Is Rage 2 came out. Moon Relate, a banger with some lyrics dealing with "pain" and a vibe that is similar to 20 Min. Based off of another much anticipated snippet, the song more then lived up to the hype. The song has super high pitched vocals and feels like Uzi at his most unhinged, a stark contrast from the vibe of the first Vs. The World, but adding tons of character to this new project. Even if you never heard the much anticipated snippet, you can tell this track is from that Luv Is Rage 2 era with its sound and it is a great revisit to that era. Next up we have what is the best song on the tape and what is, in my opinion, one of Uzi's best songs period. Come This Way is absolutely fantastic. For it, we are taken back to 2016, when the snippet of it was first previewed. This song sounds exactly like something that'd be on the first tape and is definitely able to compete with the best songs from that tape, such as Grab The Wheel and Money Longer. The song has 2016 Uzi's classic raspy voice and has modern Uzi's more high pitched voice at different points throughout the song, making it a satisfaction for those who prefer one or the other. It is clearly a transition track from a transition era in Uzi's career, that being late 2016, and it sounds absolutely fantastic. The song shows Uzi's vocal range, all while providing what may be my favorite hook of the year. People have begged for 2016 Uzi to return and its only right that we get the perfect 2016 Uzi track in the sequel to his defining project of that year.

Next up we go back to late 2018 where we get Trap This Way, a song previewed in another wildly popular snippet from that time. First off, I appreciate this track coming after Come This Way since they have similar titles, but beyond that, this is a great track. The hook is catchy, the verses are good and the song is an all around banger. This song and the last represent my two favorite Uzi eras, 2016 and 2018, solidifying this as a great project even before we reach the end.

Next up is the Lil Wayne sampling banger, No Auto. which features Lil Durk. The song is mean, it's vicious and it's classic "murder" music. The sample is great and brings us back to 2004, the days of Tha Carter 1, but the sample does not go to waste, as it provides a very hard hitting beat for the harsh lyrics. The song just all around bangs, even if it's not quite as good as the best of this tape. For the next song, Money Spread, we go to the year 2019, to the day Sli'merre was released. The production by Pi'erre sounds ripped straight from Sli'merre and the feature by Young Nudy is great, yet very foul and nasty. Uzi is great and does very well on the strange production, but Mr. Nudy is who really shines here, with him telling us that he will put his white stuff on our girlfriend's butts and that she's promoting his nuts. It is absolutely absurd. Besides that, the song feels a bit like a spiritual successor to the Sli'merre track, Extendo, the last collaboration between Pi'erre, Nudy and Uzi. All of it is a nice throwback to one of 2019's best tapes. For Got The Guap, we are returned to the week before this tape came out, with another song that has a very similar vibe to Celebration Station. Uzi has a much more muted and calm voice then usual on here and I really like it, it's nice when he does new things with his voice. Uzi gives us a catchy hook and good verses, touching on how God has helped him and flexes all his accomplishments. I also enjoy the melodies he puts in his first verse. Thugger then stops by for another feature, effortlessly matching Uzi's energy. The song is a ton of fun.

And finally we conclude the album with the NAV featuring song, Leaders. NAV makes up most of the song, but gives a solid performance. The song is meant to lead right into Eternal Atake, as it focuses on cult followings and relating them to cult leaders, which is a theme in Eternal Atake as we know by the Heaven's Gate marketing. Nav relates his status to Jim Jones, while Uzi does to Marshall Applewhite, leader of Heaven's Gate. I think this song is a great Segway into Eternal Atake and concludes this album on a nice note. I think this whole album being before Eternal Atake on the track list makes sense, as it feels like it shows us what songs preceded the album and the road that lead us there.

A great album. Not only that, a fantastic double album. Uzi shows every bit of talent he has across these 32 tracks and on every one of them, he brings his eccentricity to the forefront and shows the world why the weirdos now run the music industry. Everything he set out to do since high school has now come to fruition and Uzi is now one of the kings of hip hop and music in general.

Favorite Lyrics

One eye open, 'Luminati like Fetty Wap.

  • Lil Uzi Vert on Silly Watch

Balenci Balenci Balenci Balenci Balenci

  • Lil Uzi Vert on POP

Get money like Anthony Hop. Silence the lamb and your ass'll get chopped

  • Lil Uzi Vert on Prices

They laugh at me because I'm emo, I killed my girlfriend that's why I'm single

  • Lil Uzi Vert on That Way

No, statistically I can't win everytime, but you know the score is probably like 10-3. And them three times I had to take an L, I remember them boys tried to finish me. Said we roll a Wood, I roll like 50 L's.

  • Lil Uzi Vert on Wassup

Strawberry Peels, Strawberry Peels, Strawberry Peels, Strawberry Peels

  • Young Thug on Strawberry Peels

Pain

  • Lil Uzi Vert on Moon Relate

I got your bitch over here promoting my nuts. Your hoe is a slut, hit it from the back, n*gga, put it it in her guts. Yeah, slap it on her butt, whole lotta white stuff on her butt

  • Young Nudy on Money Spread

We from the same hood , that's a nickel and dime. That's all we know. God gave me the opportunity to open doors

  • Lil Uzi Vert on Got The Guap

No, I'm not Marshall Applewhite, but I'm tryna phone home

  • Lil Uzi Vert on Leaders

Questions

• Did Eternal Atake live up to the hype for you? If not, did you still enjoy it?

• Do you think the version of Eternal Atake we got is better or worse then the one we could've gotten in 2018, based off what you heard from leaks? What songs do you feel should've been kept on?

• What do you think of this deluxe trend? Do you think that it will last? Do you think Uzi handled it well on this project?

• Did the full songs of snippets live up to the hype for you?

• Which half did you like more, Eternal Atake or Lil Uzi Vert vs. The World 2?

• Fans that consider Lil Uzi Vert vs. The World as a classic or even just as a great tape, did the sequel live up to the first one for you?

• Do you miss Uzi's old 2016 style like many others? Are you happy he seems to be bringing it back?

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Playboi Carti puts up preorders for 'Whole Lotta Red'

Posted: 21 Dec 2020 09:08 PM PST

cover art confirms December 25th release date, direct link

cover art says "Volume One, Number One" and "Mayday Issue 12 / 25" on the bottom, maybe implying multiple versions?

https://twitter.com/playboicarti/status/1341249071030267905?s=21

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Nyck Caution new album "Anywhere But Here" featuring Joey Bada$$, Denzel Curry, Erick the Architect, Kota the Friend, CJ Fly + more dropping 1/15, cover and tracklist are out

Posted: 21 Dec 2020 02:35 PM PST

Jai Paul - Str8 Outta Mumbai

Posted: 21 Dec 2020 05:46 AM PST

[FRESH] Zack Fox - Marinate

Posted: 21 Dec 2020 11:11 AM PST

ALLHIPHOP EXCLUSIVE: Famous Dex Is In Rehab After Disturbing Images Online

Posted: 21 Dec 2020 11:13 AM PST

[FRESH] Zack Fox - IHY2LN + Marinate

Posted: 21 Dec 2020 06:03 PM PST

[FRESH ALBUM] Flee Lord - In the Name of Prodigy

Posted: 21 Dec 2020 08:57 PM PST

Apple Music

Spotify

Fully produced by Havoc. Features Havoc, Conway, Raekwon, Eto, Busta Rhymes, and more.

submitted by /u/DaveHolden
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[FRESH VIDEO] RiFF RAFF x YELAWOLF x RONNY J - MiLLiON DOLLAR MULLET

Posted: 21 Dec 2020 02:20 PM PST

[FRESH VIDEO] Navy Blue - 1491

Posted: 21 Dec 2020 12:49 PM PST

[FRESH] Eminem - Favorite Bitch ft. Ty Dolla $ign

Posted: 21 Dec 2020 07:40 AM PST

[FRESH MIXTAPE] Tory Lanez - Loner

Posted: 21 Dec 2020 09:04 PM PST

Daily Discussion Thread 12/21/2020

Posted: 21 Dec 2020 04:29 PM PST

Welcome to the /r/hiphopheads daily discussion thread!

This thread is for:

  • objective questions with right/wrong answers (e.g. "Does anyone know what is happening with MIXTAPE?", "What is the sample in SONG?")
  • general hip-hop discussion
  • meta posts...e.g. ideas for the sub

Thread Guidelines

  • Do not create a separate self post for these types of discussions outside of this thread - if you do, your post will be removed, as stated in the guidelines.

  • Please be helpful and friendly.

  • If a question has been asked many times before, provide a link to a thread that contains the answer.

Weekly/Monthly Threads

Other ways to interact

There are a number of other ways to interact with other members of HHH:

New to /r/hiphopheads or hip-hop in general?

Check out these:

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[FRESH] Zack Fox - IHY2LN

Posted: 21 Dec 2020 11:09 AM PST

Lil Ugly Mane - Uneven Compromise

Posted: 21 Dec 2020 01:03 PM PST

Boldy James Stays Pure on Dope Real Bad Boldy: The prolific Detroit rapper takes his final bow of an MVP year | Jayson Buford in Consequence of Sound

Posted: 21 Dec 2020 10:21 AM PST

Boldy James x Meyhem Lauren - Light Bill

Posted: 21 Dec 2020 08:07 PM PST

Playboi Carti - Gypsy Woman

Posted: 21 Dec 2020 07:59 AM PST

Since99 - Immaculate

Posted: 21 Dec 2020 11:27 AM PST

Method Man Talks about smoking Weed with Eazy-E

Posted: 21 Dec 2020 10:03 PM PST

LARRY JUNE X CARDO - GREEN JUICE IN DALLAS

Posted: 21 Dec 2020 08:48 PM PST

Future - No Wallet

Posted: 21 Dec 2020 04:23 PM PST

[FRESH ALBUM] TOBi - ELEMENTS Vol. 1

Posted: 21 Dec 2020 04:50 PM PST

Best of 2020: The Year’s Essential Releases – featuring Armand Hammer, KeiyaA, (Liv).e, Pink Siifu, SAULT and Moses Sumney | BandCamp Daily

Posted: 21 Dec 2020 10:56 AM PST

Link

Pls click on the link so they get paid and shit, plus if you click on the link, not only do you get the see the other genre choices, but they also link to reviews and guides and interviews they've done on these artists.

It'd make the discussion a lot better if people actually read these blurbs, so I'm gonna put the hip hop and R&B ones here:

Armand Hammer - Shrines

The verse that best summarizes Shrines comes not from founders Billy Woods and ELUCID, but guest Nosaj: "I can't stop, y'all made me this way/ I'm too far gone to turn back now." Where 2018's Paraffin—which has just been released in a deluxe 2xLP edition—hung out in the pitch-black alleyways of late-stage capitalism, Shrines pushes through to find out what's left on the other side. The answer: not much. Throughout Shrines, Woods and Elucid explore the forces that push people like Nosaj to the brink. On "King Tubby," Woods describes a neighborhood where longtime residents live in apartments with clanging pipes while new money clogs the streets with their Acuras. In "Ramses II," he sees "Doormen's faces blend into one another/ Glass panels in the sky, with the sound off," concluding: "zero-sum, so somebody gots to win." By the end of the record, the message is clear: Utopias belong only to those who are rich and privileged enough to build them, to the people who ruin skylines with their multimillion-dollar shrines to nothing. In 2020's deeply misguided sprint to brand everything with songs on it a "pandemic record," Shrines interrogates the one pandemic that's been here for decades: the way unchecked capitalism is allowed to run roughshod over everything in its path. I doubt we will see a vaccine any time soon.

-J. Edward Keyes

KeiyaA - Forever, Ya Girl

"Who is supposed to ride or die for me if not I," asks KeiyaA on her debut Forever Ya, Girl. The Chicago-bred singer's debut is a deconstructed R&B musical correspondence between her and her artistic foremothers, like poet Ntozake Shange, whose for colored girls who have considered suicide/when the rainbow is enuf is recited on the forthright "I Want My Things!" KeiyaA's lo-fi tracks are often succinct, peppered with sampled outtakes from Black cultural moments. KeiyaA's debut is about education and Black liberation at its core. Forever Ya, Girl plays like one long letter between KeiyaA, those that came before us, and those that will come after us.

-Diamond Sharp

(Liv).e - Couldn't Wait to Tell You

Couldn't Wait to Tell You is the best possible example of musical collagework—an album where jazz and soul and pop not only bleed together, they overlap and interrupt each other, making for an album that remains defiantly unpredictable from its first note to its last. The heavenly "About Love at 21" feels like a locked groove at the end of a soul 45, the same string-and-horn chart surging over and over as (Liv).e—aka Olivia Williams—free-associates over top of it. In the very next track, she's on to gliding orchestral balladry with a string section worthy of Frank Sinatra and a fluttery vocal that recalls Curtis Mayfield in his finest falsetto. From there it's a hopscotch: tumbling jazz on "To Unplug;" spaced-out, synth-driven spoken word on "Cut To The Chase;" morphine-drip ambient on "Moving On Felt Great." (Liv).e conquers them all, but more importantly, she makes them feel like all of these odds and ends belong together. In the end, the album's biggest tell was right there in the title: (Liv).e has so much to say—every second of it compelling—that she lets it all tumble out at once.

-J. Edward Keyes

Pink Siifu - NEGRO

Released in April, NEGRO arrived just as COVID-19 began to spread and as police brutality spurred widespread protest in the United States and abroad. It was an album of the moment; by mixing hardcore punk, cosmic jazz and alternative rap, Pink Siifu funneled Black rage into an unfiltered purge. Where "SMD" and "FK" raises a finger to politicians and white men who "wanna take yo' shit," songs "DEADMEAT" and "Chris Dorner" take the fight back to the cops. "Fuck y'all fuckin' pigs!" he exclaims on the former. "Cop killer, cop killer, that's my n—a," he declares on the latter. And by using an old clip of Deborah Johnson discussing how the police killed her partner Fred Hampton, Siifu shows that we're still battling the same conflict, and that Black people have a right to be angry—no matter how uncomfortable it makes others feel.

-Marcus J. Moore

SAULT - UNTITLED (Black Is) & UNTITLED (Rise)

With a rolling midtempo groove that gives way to a chorus full of bright, sweeping strings, "Strong"—the first song from SAULT's Untitled (Rise)—doesn't feel like an album opener. That makes sense; sonically and thematically, Untitled (Rise) continues the statement made by the band's previous effort, Untitled (Black Is). Arriving in June, less than a month after the murder of George Floyd and at the height of the subsequent protests, Untitled (Black Is) operates in an aesthetic playing field where the spirit of soul music, the energy of punk, and the righteous indignation of the Black freedom struggle cohabitate. Considered in tandem, both albums use novel production and fiery, bombastic songs to deliver a message of resistance and self-determination. Songs like "The Beginning and the End" explore heavy, Afro-beat-inspired funk, while "Wildfires" wields its dreamy, echoed-out groove as the backdrop for a searing indictment of the police's campaign of terror against the Black community. Hot with rage and bursting with creative possibilities, Untitled (Black Is) and Untitled (Rise) make a strong case for SAULT as 2020's most relevant and ambitious band, and their work serves as a timely and crucial soundtrack of the moment.

-John Morrison

Moses Sumney - græ

After many years of living in Los Angeles, relocating to Asheville, North Carolina provided the isolation, inspiration, and clarity Moses Sumney needed to write græ. Released in two parts, the album departs from its more minimalist predecessor Aromanticism, with Sumney embracing a more expansive sonic palette as he delves deeper into his desires and fears, providing a musical snapshot of his most pressing concerns as he transitions to another decade of life. As the title suggests, Sumney explores the gray areas of growing up—unrequited love, following your own path, and the general uncertainty that shapes one's late 20's. "I wish I could dedicate my life to something bigger than me," he sings on "Gagarin." That pining for self-determination propels græ and makes it both deeply personal and relatable.

-Diamond Sharp

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A$ton Matthews - CHAPO (feat. Vince Staples)

Posted: 21 Dec 2020 07:14 PM PST
at