‘ETERNAL ATAKE’: GOOD, BUT NOT GREAT

It’s been almost 3 years since the release of “Luv is Rage 2,” the debut album from Philadelphia-based rapper and artist Lil Uzi Vert. There’s almost a sense of mythology for his recently issued album, “Eternal Atake”: It was announced sometime in 2018 but never given an actual release date before it finally emerged last week.

In fact, Lil Uzi’s career has gone through some legal troubles and other ordeals since Luv is Rage 2. He had a music contract battle, in that his record label wouldn’t let him release music. At one point, he announced that he had retired from music and canceled Eternal Atake. In time, Jay-Z and his Roc Nation company stepped in and freed him from his contract, prompting the release of the track “Free Uzi,” where he broke away from his signature melodic music and went for a more drill-style rap song.  

Since Free Uzi, the artist has released the songs “That’s a Rack”, “Sanguine Paradise,” “Futsal Shuffle 2020,” and “That Way” – the latter two are on the final release for the new album.

Unfortunately, Eternal Atake doesn’t live up to my expectations. I can’t think of a situation where it actually lives up to or surpasses the hype surrounding it.

The new album is composed of 18 tracks separated into three acts, according to Uzi himself. The first six have a hardcore trap rap aesthetic, similar to Free Uzi. The next six are more in tune with Uzi’s melodic style and auto-tune singing but with an unorthodox production. The last six tracks are more traditional Lil Uzi Vert-sounding tracks, two of which are the aforementioned Futsal Shuffle and That Way.

For me, the first six tracks are more interesting than the rest. We rarely get Uzi rapping with a fast flow and fun production style – the song “Homecoming” and “Silly Watch” embody the aesthetic of this first act.

 My complaints for the second act are that the vocal lyrics and melodies feel very rushed, like Uzi didn’t put any effort into his performances. The production on this part is fantastic, in my opinion, especially the Chief Keef-produced “Chrome Tag Hearts” and the track “Urgency,” which features a vocal from Odd Future affiliate Syd. I was expecting a lot more from Uzi’s performances in this style, since he’s delivered in the past.

The final six tracks are interesting because they mix the singing-rapping formula that Uzi has made his bread and butter. The most notable of these is “P2,” a follow-up to his biggest hit, “XO Tour Llif3” – and while I like the track, I think it’s best if Uzi moved past that era of his career now.

That’s my biggest gripe with the album: While I can throw it on and have fun with the tracks or vibe to them just like any other Lil Uzi project, it doesn’t entirely feel like a new chapter in his career. I knew this album wasn’t going to live up to the hype that was building for 3 years, but it seemed like this, at least, was going to be his magnum opus – his best, most bold music yet.