Is Eternal Atake 2 a return to the essence of what we love about Lil Uzi Vert and “back to square one,” as the non-binary artist recently told RS’ Jeff Ihaza? Or is it a retrenchment from the wilder impulses of their admirably experimental yet unevenly executed Pink Tape? The Philadelphia alien wants to replicate the universal acclaim that greeted Eternal Atake back in 2020, a moment when Gen Z and old heads alike finally recognized them as a generational talent. But old bugbears keep popping up, adding frisson to the “PerkySex” party Uzi has arranged for us.
You can hear the tension in lines like “I know some niggas think I’m a clown” on “Light Year (Practice).” Or when Uzi raps on “Lyft Em Up,” “Most of these niggas, they think that I’m feminine ‘cause I just walk with a switch.” Gossips have speculated on Uzi’s sexuality for years, especially after the rapper adopted they/them pronouns in 2022, even though they’re in a committed relationship with Jatavia “JT” Johnson (formerly of City Girls). In public, Uzi simply moves differently, with an insistent sway that can feel both thrilling and unsettling. In a different world, Uzi would be the Black Mick Jagger, a rage-rock dynamo with a toothy grin who expands our notions of how hip-hop and its stubborn insistence on masculine bona fides can evolve. Pink Tape wasn’t good – the double album was too long, and it didn’t have enough great songs. Still, it was the path Uzi should have taken.
As on past projects, Eternal Atake 2 nods to Uzi’s adoration of emo pop-punk with “Conceited,” an anxiously sincere ballad co-produced by Cashmere Cat and Charlie Puth, the latter who sings backing vocals. Contrary to misconceptions that they’re some kind of mumble-rap naif, Uzi has always demonstrated a firm grasp of musical history. They kick off by “She Stank” by singing the chorus from Boogie Down Productions’ “9mm Goes Bang.” “Yeah, I been gettin’ guap for a long time/I’m from Philly, but it’s still free Slime,” Uzi raps on “Black Hole” as they pay homage to equally inscrutable melodic rapper Young Thug, who was finally released from prison last week.
Fans expecting crazy voices, mewling hooks, and a gazillion metaphors for sex, pills, and lean will find plenty to sift through in Eternal Atake 2. But they might question if the spark that animated past heights like Luv Is Rage 2 shines as brightly now. It has strong tracks like “Mr Chow,” where Uzi brags, “Bitch, I’m back outside and I’m gon’ flex the check.” “Chips and Dip” wobbles impressively from distorted bass. “I don’t give a fuck about a hit, suck my dick,” they growl in a strange low growl before adding “This is an aura.” These songs chart the dichotomy between an artist whose knack for bending and transmuting the human voice inspires the likes of Yeat; yet arguably confirmed their “rockstar” status because of songwriting. Stray bars like “They say that my lyrics ain’t lyricism, I say that you just hatin’ much” from “Space High” give us as much insight into Vert’s state of mind as their justly celebrated melodic flash. So does “Chill Bae,” a hooky sop for iHeart Radio listeners to evokes Future and Drake’s “Wait for U.”
Nearly a decade into their career and after numerous threats of retirement, where does Uzi stand? After spending seven months in rehab, they acknowledge being seduced by a drug-heavy diet, and admit on “Space High,” “Every time I see my PO, sober up, but I’ll be dead.” Or perhaps all the chatter about being “in love with the lean” doesn’t reflect where Uzi’s life is like now, but it’s what they think we want to hear? If anything is certain on Eternal Atake 2, it’s that life doesn’t move backwards.
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