Lil Uzi Vert - Eternal Atake ALBUM REVIEW
Lil Uzi Vert has been a pioneering artist in this wave of emo-rappers and is one of the best in this area of rap. Uzi first caught my eye with his single “You Was Right,” from his 2016 mixtape Lil Uzi Vert vs. The World. Then, his oft-delayed 2017 debut LP Luv is Rage 2 was a decent collection of tracks which boosted Uzi’s radar and included the biggest hit of his career by far, “XO TOUR Llif3.” This album that I’ll be looking over, Eternal Atake, had a very rocky start. Label issues, delayed release dates, it had it ALL. Then, it saw a surprise release on March 6, 2020. Eternal Atake exists. It wasn’t a myth anymore. It had otherworldly expectations, but the big question: Did it live up to the hype? In a word, no.
Uzi had divided Eternal Atake into three sections: Baby Pluto, Renji, and Lil Uzi Vert. Out of these sections, I think Renji is the strongest out of the bunch. It’s fun, it’s lighthearted, and it’s a playful Uzi that we don’t hear too often. “Bigger Than Life” has a very cinematic feel, and is one of the best tracks out of the bunch. The Ariana Grande-sampling “Celebration Station” feels like a dance track every now and then, and “Prices” is probably the best track off of the entire record just based off the unorthodox sample of Travis Scott’s “Way Back.” Baby Pluto and Lil Uzi Vert also have their strong spots. The opening track “Baby Pluto” shows off Uzi’s lyrical skills that also aren’t seen often, and “You Better Move” has a spine-chilling beat that is one of the best off the entire record. “Urgency” is the one track off Eternal Atake with a feature, and that’s from Syd. Their voices mesh together pretty well, although it isn’t the prettiest harmonies on the planet.
Now, this is where we get into my true problems with Eternal Atake. As I stated earlier, I don’t believe Eternal Atake lived up to the hype. Why, you ask? Let me tell you. Between Luv is Rage 2 and Eternal Atake, there have been many artists in the collective of Soundcloud rappers that are pushing the boundaries on rap and emo rap to large amounts of success. Uzi’s friend/enemy Playboi Carti’s minimalist approach to ‘Soundcloud rap’ on Die Lit has been a prime example to many fans of this subgenre (and myself) that they like change and experimentation and the envelope needs to be pushed every once in a while. Uzi hasn’t grown in his three-year absence. Yes, some people like to hear about how many cars you drive, how much money you have, how many bitches you’ve fucked, and so on. But there are also some people who are tired of more of the same generic trap beats and lyrics. On Eternal Atake, Uzi has made the same type of album but with a new, glossy cover. Also, he copied “XO TOUR Llif3” on “P2,” which is a sequel of sorts to the original track. “P2” proves my point that going back to your old ways can be VERY BAD for an album, especially if its damn near copying your most popular song word for word!
Let me just make myself clear, you can have a good time listening to Eternal Atake. The production is great across the board. If you listen to an album for its production and its aesthetic, you’re gonna love Eternal Atake. But if you look deeper into it, the lyrical content leaves a lot to be desired. In my mind, the potential I saw in Lil Uzi Vert in Luv is Rage 2 and his previous projects aren’t there anymore. It pains me to say this, but if he doesn’t push the envelope and get more creative with his sound like his peers, he’s going to fade away in the crowd.
5/10
Stream Eternal Atake here
Spotify
Apple Music
YouTube Music
Uzi had divided Eternal Atake into three sections: Baby Pluto, Renji, and Lil Uzi Vert. Out of these sections, I think Renji is the strongest out of the bunch. It’s fun, it’s lighthearted, and it’s a playful Uzi that we don’t hear too often. “Bigger Than Life” has a very cinematic feel, and is one of the best tracks out of the bunch. The Ariana Grande-sampling “Celebration Station” feels like a dance track every now and then, and “Prices” is probably the best track off of the entire record just based off the unorthodox sample of Travis Scott’s “Way Back.” Baby Pluto and Lil Uzi Vert also have their strong spots. The opening track “Baby Pluto” shows off Uzi’s lyrical skills that also aren’t seen often, and “You Better Move” has a spine-chilling beat that is one of the best off the entire record. “Urgency” is the one track off Eternal Atake with a feature, and that’s from Syd. Their voices mesh together pretty well, although it isn’t the prettiest harmonies on the planet.
Now, this is where we get into my true problems with Eternal Atake. As I stated earlier, I don’t believe Eternal Atake lived up to the hype. Why, you ask? Let me tell you. Between Luv is Rage 2 and Eternal Atake, there have been many artists in the collective of Soundcloud rappers that are pushing the boundaries on rap and emo rap to large amounts of success. Uzi’s friend/enemy Playboi Carti’s minimalist approach to ‘Soundcloud rap’ on Die Lit has been a prime example to many fans of this subgenre (and myself) that they like change and experimentation and the envelope needs to be pushed every once in a while. Uzi hasn’t grown in his three-year absence. Yes, some people like to hear about how many cars you drive, how much money you have, how many bitches you’ve fucked, and so on. But there are also some people who are tired of more of the same generic trap beats and lyrics. On Eternal Atake, Uzi has made the same type of album but with a new, glossy cover. Also, he copied “XO TOUR Llif3” on “P2,” which is a sequel of sorts to the original track. “P2” proves my point that going back to your old ways can be VERY BAD for an album, especially if its damn near copying your most popular song word for word!
Let me just make myself clear, you can have a good time listening to Eternal Atake. The production is great across the board. If you listen to an album for its production and its aesthetic, you’re gonna love Eternal Atake. But if you look deeper into it, the lyrical content leaves a lot to be desired. In my mind, the potential I saw in Lil Uzi Vert in Luv is Rage 2 and his previous projects aren’t there anymore. It pains me to say this, but if he doesn’t push the envelope and get more creative with his sound like his peers, he’s going to fade away in the crowd.
5/10
Stream Eternal Atake here
Spotify
Apple Music
YouTube Music
Also, can we just appreciate the BEAUTIFUL cover art here? I mean, God...
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