By Anastasia Cottone
Staff Writer
The recent release of the album Luv Is Rage 2 was long awaited and highly anticipated by Lil Uzi Vert fans everywhere. The song that sparked a fire in the rap community was “XO TOUR Llif3,” which was released on March 24th, 2017 – long before the rest of the album was released, which was on August 25th, 2017.
Debate about whether or not the rest of Luv Is Rage 2 measures up to “XO TOUR Llif3” has been sparked among his fan base. According to Paul Thompson, a contributing writer at Pitchfork – The Most Trusted Voice in Music, “XO TOUR Llif3” is “the sort of song artists spend years trying to write: pained and poised, tapping into a vein that had previously been found but never fully pierced.”
Lil Uzi Vert has proved himself to be a serious contender in the world of rap music, with “Luv Is Rage 2″ pushing him even further into the sky of stardom. He, as many rappers do, came from humble beginnings. His career started slowly, and eventually he found himself gaining popularity on Sound Cloud.
As his music became more well-known, he advanced from Sound Cloud to Apple Music and “rap’s A-list and beyond.” Lil Uzi Vert has also been featured on recent hits such as Migos’ “Bad and Boujee” and Playboy Carti’s “Woke Up Like This,” giving his fans a taste of what was to come with his new album.
It’s his signature and authentic sound that keeps fans listening and anticipating what’s next. He has been cited as a “major creative influence” and currently holds the number one album spot on the Billboard 200 albums chart. According to xxlmag.com, Uzi’s project’s sales are also reportedly the highest debut numbers for an album since Kendrick Lamar’s album DAMN.
Throughout Uzi’s album, listeners are exposed to the current state of his mental psyche. Many of the lyrics expose his overwhelming desire to find a moment where enough drugs partying or alcohol have the ability to wash his sorrows and regrets away. As we know all too well, life rarely works to this advantage. However, sometimes we wish it would – it’s the relatability that Lil Uzi Vert offers that makes his fans feel like they are not alone.
In the song “The Way Life Goes”, Lil Uzi Vert bares his soul to his fans and opens up about his failed relationship, explaining the pain that he feels when thinking of her. He instills a message of hope in his listeners who are perhaps going through a similar situation in the song “Landslide” with lyrics such as: “I know it hurts sometimes, but you’ll get over it/You’ll find another life to live.”
The messages of Lil Uzi Vert’s songs range from painfully hopeful to dark and sinister, much like the emotions we experience after going through a heartbreak. It is because of this broad spectrum that all Uzi fans are satisfied.
Across the board, “Luv Is Rage 2” has been a wild success. Lil Uzi Vert has proven himself to be a highly respected and successful rap artist. His popularity will only continue to grow with every album and single he releases. He pushes his songs to their edge, and Luv Is Rage 2 is an excellent example of some of his best work.
cottona16@bonaventure.edu
