“Free Uzi” is an act of rebellion, rapped over DJ L’s blistering 2012 beat for G Herbo’s “Gangway” and released without permission. Uzi’s second album, Eternal Atake, was preceded by the most tumultuous period in his career, and he distilled all of his frustration with the industry into one of his most exhilarating songs. For a moment, the artist becomes the listener-and vice versa. Later in the track, when Oh Wonder singer Josephine Vander Gucht’s original vocals enter the mix, we step into Uzi’s shoes, and the solace she brought him. “The Way Life Goes” stands apart in Uzi’s discography because it’s a rare intimate ballad from an artist who can sometimes feel like he’s rapping at arm’s distance. Great songs often take on new lives as samples and covers, but rarely are they folded into a fan’s work so literally. “I was listening to this song,” Uzi says before the first chorus, which he lifts directly from the London duo Oh Wonder’s original, “Landslide.” He adds, “It go like: I know it hurts sometimes, but you’ll get over it.” But when you hear the actual song, another meta-narrative reveals itself: Uzi is still listening to the track as he records his version. On the surface, “The Way Life Goes” has a familiar story behind it: An avid music fan samples a little-known indie-pop track and flips it into a hit. Those dated criticisms of Uzi held no weight after “XO Tour Llif3.” It’s more than a song, more than a hit: It’s a pivotal moment in popular music. The combination was head-scratching at first then, suddenly, everyone was wailing along to “Push me to the edge/All my friends are dead.” Uzi yelped his pain away on the chorus and dug into his verses with the passion and intensity of the student of rap he is. But Uzi’s persona elevates everything around him: He raps about wanting to die, like so many rappers before, but does it with a shoulder-shimmying bounce. Produced by JW Lucas and TM88, a member of the influential Atlanta production crew 808 Mafia, it has a classic drum pattern and a sinister melody. “XO Tour Llif3” could have sounded like a typical ATL record. But a dive beyond the surface of Uzi’s catalog reveals that he’s always been more traditional than naysayers claimed he just added a new type of flair to the street-rapper molds of the past. Whether it was his bright sing-rap vocals or his colorful fashion choices, Uzi was viewed as a step away from tradition. –Alphonse Pierreīefore “XO Tour Llif3,” rap purists insisted Uzi and his SoundCloud peers were outsiders in hip-hop. Here, we trace his career so far with a chronological rundown of our 20 favorite Lil Uzi Vert songs and features. He has cemented himself as a uniquely personal artist with the power to capture the complexities of his young fans’ lives. Every release of a Lil Uzi mixtape or album-from Luv Is Rage to this year’s immense Eternal Atake-stops the always-spinning hip-hop world in its tracks. Not like they had a choice: His impact is undeniable. It’s taken some time, but by now, the hip-hop world has fully come around to Uzi. But Uzi always remained unbothered by the noise around him. Demeaning umbrella terms like “SoundCloud rap” and “mumble rap” were used by fans and press to knock him down a peg. But his increasing fame made him a target for criticism from rap fans who had a difficult time adjusting to Uzi’s nontraditional take on the genre they loved. Through it all, he put forth the whimsical persona of a guy who was interested only in fast cars and flashy clothes, unless he was completely heartbroken (which was often). From there, his profile continued to rise: He collaborated with Playboi Carti, Young Thug, and Future, and released impactful tapes, albums, loosies, and more.
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