New Music – Close Encounters Of The Vert Kind

After what felt like a hopeless record release time span and millions of hours of speculation on social media, Lil Uzi Vert has finally answered the prayers of his fans and dropped what was to be the most anticipated project in rap currently. Eternal Atake whether made you smile from the rapid-fire production and powerhouse aesthetic, or made you disappointed, still reflected one of the most fun releases of the year.

Lil Uzi Vert has always carried this energy throughout his projects and Eternal Atake is no different here. From the opening track “Baby Pluto” which introduces a new persona for Uzi to release under, or the onslaught of the first six tracks on Eternal Atake that made a standout for a comeback. While the record is not incredibly complex, it is deserving of some praise for having one single feature through 18-total tracks and creating a frequent crash of performance.

On “You Better Move,” Uzi uses a Space Cadet Pinball sample to establish this commanding beat that accompanies his higher-level end rhymes. He describes, “Louie my shoes, pull out my whip on 22’s, I saw your girl, I had to scoop. Just like a bird, she gonna swoop. Neck is a-choo, might catch the flu, banana clip straight from the zoo.” With this 808 that claps behind, Eternal Atake sets this stadium-sized punch from “You Better Move” with a singular Uzi calmly moonwalking with the mic. Later in the track, the beat stops and he explains, “Step on competition changing my shoes… I’m an iPod man, you more like a Zune, made her eat on my dick with a spoon. Versace drawers, bitch you fruit of the loom.” It may not be the highest brow of sophisticated lyrical rap, but it sure as hell is exciting.

Especially when the transition to “Homecoming” blitzes in with a flow switch up and multiple sound effects to craft this almost child-cartoon sense to the release. If Space Jam could be a rap track, “Homecoming” would be fairly close with the blown-out 808 and the unbelievably animated delivery of Uzi. Describing “Ever since Clifford, Uzi been the big dog. Drippin’ in this Ragu, you know I got the big sauce. Every outfit, I gotta get the pic off… which transfers from a hook where Uzi is belligerent and able to switch his flow more often than he changes clothes.

Eternal Atake then takes a more backed off and subtle approach with other tracks like “I’m Sorry” and “Chrome Heart Tags” which focus less on the high-powered performance that includes more flow switches, and to instead opt for catchy hooks and production that makes Eternal Atake have this dynamic but cohesive theme.

When the record finally ends and the alien ship seems to fly off into the distance, there is not much left that Uzi does not cover. He hits the rising and exciting entrance, then transitions into the almost saddened and nostalgic style, then to finally end with a positive look toward the future. Lil Uzi Vert may not be the Mozart of hip-hop, but he is certainly the Andy Warhol with pop art that will transpire generations and inspire more than just sound.

Listen To Eternal Atake Here!!! – Spotify/Amazon/iTunes