![]() ![]() Rage 2’s production is almost uniformly excellent, poppy and full of air, but with sinister undercurrents when Uzi summons something darker. “444+222,” never finds its footing or has much to say, but at least keeps the listener on his or her toes long enough for Ike Beatz and Maaly Raw’s beat to make its imprint. The perpetual churn of style and song structure can be a strength, or at the very least helps cover up songwriting that can tend toward formlessness. He’s chaotically animated, flitting between short staccato runs and heartfelt singing, punctuated by yelps and bug-eyed ad-libs. The plunges into Uzi’s psyche are mirrored by his delivery. “Pretty Mami” is a desperate missive from a tour bus the excellent song about his mother, “Dark Queen,” sounds less like an ode to a parent than a supernatural reckoning. Over and over again, Uzi careens past the edge of convention or good social form. Uzi opens with a brief introduction to the other half of his failed relationship, punctuated with, “I like that girl too much, I wish I never met her.” From there, he launches into a full interpolation of the first verse from Oh Wonder’s “Landslide”: “I know it hurts sometimes, but you’ll get over it/You’ll find another life to live.” Uzi’s less interested in the granular drama of the breakup than in the fallout, the moment three or four days later when reality starts to set in. Take “The Way Life Goes,” which is produced by Don Cannon and Ike Beatz. It’s the Philadelphia native’s most musically developed work and features a bulk of his most interesting songs to date. At its best, the album mines the psyches of exhausted and exhausting people, searching for the moment where enough drugs or heartbreak or iMessages or sleep deprivation can unlock a new part of the brain. Lofty as that is, Luv Is Rage 2 comes very close to delivering. The goal isn’t a streaming figure or a chart position, but a feeling. And yet in some small way, Uzi’s long-awaited Luv Is Rage 2 is a referendum on whether he can live up to the standard “XO Tour Llif3” set. He’s proven himself a popular force with solo cuts like “Money Longer” and guest turns on Migos’ “Bad and Boujee” and Playboi Carti’s “ Woke Up Like This” dozens, hundreds of imitators across digital mixtape platforms cite him as a major creative influence, or at least a welcome distillation of whatever’s happening in and around the Atlanta scene. But Uzi has been an ascendant star for at least a year and a half: from promising rookie to SoundCloud darling to rap’s A-list and beyond. Which is fine, because artists have been plagued by hits with just a fraction of the pathos “XO Tour Llif3” has. It will probably define Lil Uzi Vert for the rest of his career. 7 on Billboard, Platinum three times over-don’t come close to capturing the depth with which people feel the song. The “I don’t really care if you cry” taunt that shouldn’t be believed melting into “All my friends are dead/Push me to the edge” is a stretch of masterful songwriting, but withering in a way that few artists could mimic without tipping into self-parody. ![]() We thank you all for your love and support, and we ask for privacy as we grieve and celebrate Virgil’s life.“ 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. He often said, “Everything I do is for the 17-year-old version of myself,” believing deeply in the power of art to inspire future generations. Virgil was driven by his dedication to his craft and to his mission to open doors for others and create pathways for greater equality in art and design. Through it all, his work ethic, infinite curiosity, and optimism never wavered. He chose to endure his battle privately since his diagnosis in 2019, undergoing numerous challenging treatments, all while helming several significant institutions that span fashion, art, and culture. For over two years, Virgil valiantly battled a rare, aggressive form of cancer, cardiac angiosarcoma. He is survived by his loving wife Shannon Abloh, his children Lowe Abloh and Grey Abloh, his sister Edwina Abloh, his parents Nee and Eunice Abloh, and numerous dear friends and colleagues. "We are devastated to announce the passing of our beloved Virgil Abloh, a fiercely devoted father, husband, son, brother, and friend.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |