Lil Uzi Vert

Lil Uzi Vert has consistently played with the boundaries of commercial rap, pushing the limits of the artform with experimental flows, production twists, and genre-bending albums. They grew up on the beats of Marilyn Manson and Kanye's 808s & Heartbreak, first emerging from North Philadelphia with a relaxed style that connected the dots between Young Thug, Chief Keef, and the A$AP Mob. After contributing a featured verse to Migos' number one hit "Bad & Boujee," they broke through on their own with three consecutive chart-topping LPs, 2017's Luv Is Rage 2 (capped off by the groundbreaking trap-pop anthem "XO Tour Llif3"), 2020's Eternal Atake, and 2023's multi-genre outing The Pink Tape.

Featured on some DJ Diamond Kuts tracks, Uzi kicked their career into high gear in 2014 when they dropped "Dej Loaf," a dedication to the Detroit vocalist. Don Cannon hosted their mixtape The Real Uzi that same year, and DJ Drama helped broker a deal with Atlantic Records, which released the Luv Is Rage mixtape late in 2015. Don Cannon was back for the early 2016 mixtape Lil Uzi vs. the World, which also featured beats from Metro Boomin and Maaly Raw. Two of its tracks -- "You Was Right" and "Money Longer" -- crossed over and reached the Billboard Hot 100, while the mixtape itself broke into the Billboard 200 Top 50. Months later, The Perfect Luv Tape was issued, peaking at number 55. By the end of the year, their collaboration with Migos -- the viral hit "Bad & Boujee" -- began its ascent to the top of the Billboard Hot 100, hitting number one at the start of 2017. Later that year, Uzi issued the single "XO Tour Llif3." The track climbed into the Top Ten of the Hot 100 and would be the first song from their chart-topping debut LP, Luv Is Rage 2. The LP featured guests like Oh Wonder, Pharrell Williams, and the Weeknd.

Uzi's success continued in 2018, as they landed another hit with the non-album single "New Patek," which was featured alongside Kanye West on Travis Scott's hit "Watch." "That's a Rack" and "Sanguine Paradise" appeared early the next year. In March 2020, their second studio album, Eternal Atake, arrived. It debuted at number one on the Billboard charts and was streamed more than 400 million times in its first week alone. One week after the release of Eternal Atake, a deluxe version featuring an album's worth of outtakes and extra tracks was released. The collection, Lil Uzi Vert vs. The World 2, featured many more outside contributions than the proper album. Special guest spots included cameos from NAV, 21 Savage, Future, Gunna, and several others. Uzi and Future also collaborated on the album Pluto X Baby Pluto, which arrived in November 2020. In October 2021, Uzi released the single "Demon High." Work on a third studio album stretched out as the years following Eternal Atake went on, and Uzi periodically leaked details about upcoming album The Pink Tape as fans waited for its arrival. In July of 2022, they released the nine-song EP Red & White as anticipation for The Pink Tape grew. Red & White was Lil Uzi Vert's first entirely solo project since Eternal Atake and debuted at the number 23 slot on the Billboard Top 200 chart. A standalone track, "I'm Not Human" with late rapper XXXTentacion, arrived in June of 2023 as Uzi began sharing material from third album The Pink Tape in advance of its June 2023 release date. The Pink Tape included guest features from Nicki Minaj, Bring Me the Horizon, Travis Scott, Don Toliver, and others, and found Lil Uzi Vert bringing elements of rock, metal, and hardcore in alongside an already experimental rap palette. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard charts, making it the rapper's third studio album in a row to do so. ~ David Jeffries & Neil Z. Yeung