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Symere Bysil Woods ( ; born July 31, 1995), better known as Lil Uzi Vert, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. Born and raised in
Philadelphia
Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the List of municipalities in Pennsylvania#Municipalities, largest city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the List of United States cities by population, sixth-largest city i ...
, they gained initial recognition following the release of the commercial mixtape ''Luv Is Rage
''Luv Is Rage'' is the debut commercial mixtape by American rapper Lil Uzi Vert. It was released on October 30, 2015, by Generation Now and Atlantic Records. The mixtape includes features from Young Thug and Wiz Khalifa. A sequel was released on ...
'' (2015), which led to a recording contract with Atlantic Records, to whom they signed under DJ Drama
Tyree Cinque Simmons (born April 22, 1978), professionally known as DJ Drama, is an American DJ, record executive and music promoter. He is the co-founder (with Don Cannon) of Generation Now, an Atlantic Records imprint with artists including ...
's Generation Now imprint.
Lil Uzi Vert attracted mainstream attention following the release of their debut single "Money Longer
"Money Longer" is the debut single by American rapper Lil Uzi Vert. It was released for digital download on February 6, 2016 as the first single from their fourth mixtape '' Lil Uzi Vert vs. the World'', and as a bonus track from Japanese versio ...
" in 2016. The song would act as the lead single for the subsequent mixtape '' Lil Uzi Vert vs. the World'' (2016), which also contained the song "You Was Right
"You Was Right" is a song recorded by American rapper Lil Uzi Vert. It was released as a single for their third mixtape ''Lil Uzi Vert vs. the World'' on May 27, 2016, by Generation Now and Atlantic Records.
Background
"You Was Right" receive ...
". After releasing two additional mixtapes in 2016 and 2017, including one in collaboration with Gucci Mane
Radric Delantic Davis (born February 12, 1980), known professionally as Gucci Mane, is an American rapper and record executive. He helped pioneer the hip hop subgenre of trap music alongside fellow Atlanta-based rappers T.I. and Young Jeezy, ...
, Lil Uzi Vert was featured on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart-topping Migos' single " Bad and Boujee". They later secured their first top ten single with "XO Tour Llif3
"XO Tour Llif3" (stylized as "XO TOUR Llif3" and pronounced "XO Tour Life") is a single by American rapper Lil Uzi Vert from the extended play '' Luv Is Rage 1.5'' (2017) and debut album ''Luv Is Rage 2'' (2017). It was released on SoundCloud on ...
", which won the MTV Video Music Award for Song of Summer
The MTV Video Music Award for Song of Summer was first given out in . It is a social media voted award to crown the song of the summer Song of the summer is the unofficial designation of the song that is dominant both culturally and commercially ...
.
"XO Tour Llif3" acted as the lead single to Lil Uzi Vert's debut studio album ''Luv Is Rage 2
''Luv Is Rage 2'' is the debut studio album by American rapper Lil Uzi Vert. It was released on August 25, 2017, through Generation Now and Atlantic Records. The album serves as a sequel to Uzi's commercial debut mixtape ''Luv Is Rage'' (2015). It ...
'' (2017), which debuted at number one on the ''Billboard'' 200, and was certified double platinum
Music recording certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped, sold, or streamed a certain number of units. The threshold quantity varies by type (such as album, single, music video) and by nation or territory (see ...
by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). At the 2018 Grammy Awards
The 60th Annual Grammy Awards ceremony was held on January 28, 2018. The CBS network broadcast the show live from Madison Square Garden in New York City. The show was moved to January to avoid coinciding with the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongc ...
, they were nominated for Best New Artist
The Grammy Award for Best New Artist has been awarded since 1959. Years reflect the year in which the Grammy Awards were handed out, for records released in the previous year. The award was not presented in 1967. The official guidelines are as ...
. Their second studio album, ''Eternal Atake
''Eternal Atake'' is the second studio album by American rapper Lil Uzi Vert. It is their first project since their 2017 studio album '' Luv Is Rage 2''. After being initially announced in 2018, the album was released on March 6, 2020, through G ...
'' (2020), was among the most anticipated albums in contemporary trap and hip hop when it was finally released following years' worth of delays. ''Eternal Atake'', like ''Luv Is Rage 2'', debuted at number one on the ''Billboard'' 200. Lil Uzi Vert spent the next three years teasing the release of their third studio album ''Pink Tape
''Pink Tape'' is the second studio album by South Korean girl group f(x). The album was released on July 29, 2013, by S.M. Entertainment. ''Pink Tape'' is the first studio album by f(x) in over two years, the last being the repackage of their fi ...
'' (2023), which debuted at number one on the ''Billboard'' 200 upon its release and included the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 top-ten single "Just Wanna Rock
"Just Wanna Rock" is a song by American rapper Lil Uzi Vert from their upcoming mixtape ''The Pink Tape''. It was released as a single through Atlantic Records and Generation Now on October 17, 2022. Uzi wrote the song with producers MCVertt and ...
".
Early life
Symere Woods was born July 31, 1995, inNorth Philadelphia
North Philadelphia, nicknamed North Philly, is a section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is immediately north of Center City. Though the full extent of the region is somewhat vague, "North Philadelphia" is regarded as everything north of either ...
's Francisville neighborhood. They grew up listening to Mike Jones and Ying Yang Twins
The Ying Yang Twins are an American hip hop duo consisting of Kaine (born Eric Jackson on December 16, 1978) and D-Roc (born Deongelo/D'Angelo Holmes on February 13, 1979). They are not twin brothers. They did the windows to the walls song. The ...
; Jones' 2005 debut album was the first album they purchased. Woods later began listening to Wiz Khalifa
Cameron Jibril Thomaz (born September 8, 1987), better known by his stage name Wiz Khalifa, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and actor. He released his debut album, ''Show and Prove'', in 2006 and signed to Warner Bros. Records in 20 ...
and Meek Mill
Robert Rihmeek Williams (born May 6, 1987), known professionally as Meek Mill, is an American rapper. Born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, he embarked on his music career as a battle rapper, and later formed a short-lived rap group, ...
, who influenced their future style. They also began listening to Marilyn Manson, Paramore, Smash Mouth
Smash Mouth is an American rock band from San Jose, California. The band was formed in 1994, and was originally composed of Steve Harwell (lead vocals), Kevin Coleman (drums), Greg Camp (guitar), and Paul De Lisle (bass). With Harwell's depa ...
, The Rocket Summer
The Rocket Summer is the solo-project of Bryce Avary, a multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter, and record producer based in Dallas–Fort Worth, Texas. He writes and produces every song on his records, and plays every instrument on them.
H ...
, Simian, My Chemical Romance
My Chemical Romance (commonly abbreviated to MCR or My Chem) is an American rock band from Newark, New Jersey. The band's current lineup consists of lead vocalist Gerard Way, lead guitarist Ray Toro, rhythm guitarist Frank Iero, and bassist ...
, and The All-American Rejects
The All-American Rejects is an American rock band from Stillwater, Oklahoma, formed in 1999.
Woods dropped out of school and soon started working at a Bottom Dollar store, but quit after four days and were kicked out of their home by their mother. The situation led to Woods getting their first face tattoo, the word "Faith" under their hairline, which provoked them to take their rap career seriously.
In July 2021, Woods revealed in a tweet that their
In January 2016, Woods appeared at an ASAP Mob show in New York City to honor the deceased ASAP Yams, and in February, released the single "
In late 2020, Woods began promoting new singles on Instagram live videos that were sonically similar to popular releases early in their career. On July 16, 2021, they also announced the title of their upcoming album as ''The Pink Tape''. Woods subsequently announced an upcoming project titled ''Forever Young'', as well as a follow-up to ''
birth certificate
A birth certificate is a vital record that documents the birth of a person. The term "birth certificate" can refer to either the original document certifying the circumstances of the birth or to a certified copy of or representation of the ensui ...
shows they were born in 1995, after erroneously believing they were born one year earlier.
Career
2010–2015: Career beginnings
Woods began to rap in 2010 after hearing classmate William Aston freestyle over a remade Chris Brown instrumental. Woods referred to themself at that point in their life as a "regular kid, I didn't really wanna rap." Woods, Aston, and another friend created the musical group Steaktown and in what they say was "just for money" under the name "Sealab Vertical". They later changed this name to Lil Uzi Vert inspired by the way someone described their rap "flow" as "Fast, like a machine gun." Woods' first project, an EP titled ''Purple Thoughtz Vol. 1'' was released on January 19, 2014. The project, which was described as "phonk
Phonk () is a subgenre of hip hop and trap music directly inspired by 1990s Memphis rap. Mostly present on the SoundCloud platform, the music is characterized by vocals from old Memphis rap tapes and samples from early- 1990s hip hop, often c ...
" and having cloud rap
Cloud rap is a subgenre of Southern rap and trap music that has several sonic characteristics of lo-fi in its hazy, dreamlike and relaxed sound. Many music experts credit rapper Lil B and producer Clams Casino as the early pioneers of this styl ...
beats from ''The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
'' due to its psychedelic and "trippy" production and was released with the single "White Shit" which included a video. The track, which was produced by Spaceghostpurrp
Markese Money Rolle (born April 1, 1991), known professionally as SpaceGhostPurrp, is an American rapper and record producer from Miami, Florida. He was the founder of the American hip hop group Raider Klan and Black Money Boys.
Famous Raider ...
, went viral in 2017 within hip-hop circles following Wood's entry into the mainstream. Shortly after the release of ''Purple Thoughtz Vol. 1'', Woods caught the attention of then industry-mainstays like the ASAP Mob
ASAP Mob (stylized as A$AP Mob, ASAP being an acronym for "Always Strive And Prosper") is an American hip hop collective formed in 2006 in Harlem, New York City, that consists of rappers (most of whom carry the "ASAP" moniker), record producers, ...
.
The project and following features caught the attention of producer and Def Jam A&R Don Cannon
Donald Cannon (born August 2, 1979) is an American DJ, record producer, songwriter, and record executive. Cannon is a co-founder of the Atlantic Records imprint, Generation Now. He was also a member of the prominent Atlanta mixtape collective, ...
after DJ Diamond Kuts played one of Woods' songs on a local radio station, who signed Woods to their The Academy imprint and produced their first mixtape, ''The Real Uzi'' which was released on August 5, 2014. After the release of ''The Real Uzi,'' Woods signed a record deal with Atlantic Records through DJ Drama
Tyree Cinque Simmons (born April 22, 1978), professionally known as DJ Drama, is an American DJ, record executive and music promoter. He is the co-founder (with Don Cannon) of Generation Now, an Atlantic Records imprint with artists including ...
, Don Cannon's and Leighton Morrison's imprint, Generation Now.
Following their signing to Atlantic Records, Woods was featured alongside Rich the Kid and ASAP Ferg on Carnage's single "WDYW". They also released several songs on SoundCloud including the Metro Boomin
Leland Tyler Wayne (born September 16, 1993), professionally known as Metro Boomin, is an American record producer, record executive, beatmaker, and DJ. He is known for his dark production style and its influence on modern hip hop and trap.
...
produced "No Wait", "Pressure" which is a collaboration with Lil Durk and "Dej Loaf
Deja Monét Trimble (born April 8, 1991), better known by her stage name Dej Loaf (stylized as DeJ Loaf), is an American rapper, singer and songwriter from Detroit, Michigan. She began her music career in 2011, and released her debut single "Jus ...
". They were featured on Fall Out Boy
Fall Out Boy is an American rock band formed in Wilmette, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, in 2001. The band consists of lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist Patrick Stump, bassist Pete Wentz, lead guitarist Joe Trohman, and drummer Andy Hurle ...
and Wiz Khalifa's "Boys of Zummer" tour in August 2015. Woods released their second mixtape, ''Luv Is Rage
''Luv Is Rage'' is the debut commercial mixtape by American rapper Lil Uzi Vert. It was released on October 30, 2015, by Generation Now and Atlantic Records. The mixtape includes features from Young Thug and Wiz Khalifa. A sequel was released on ...
'' on October 30, 2015. The project, which features production from then-bubbling producers Sonny Digital
Sonny Corey Uwaezuoke (born March 5, 1991), better known by his stage name Sonny Digital, is an American record producer, rapper, and DJ.
, TM88
Bryan Lamar Simmons (born April 4, 1987), professionally known as TM88 (also known as TrackMan 88), is an American record producer and DJ from Atlanta, Georgia. He is a member of the Atlanta-based record production and songwriting team 808 Mafi ...
and Maaly Raw
Jamaal Talib Henry (born September 26, 1994), known professionally as Maaly Raw, is an American record producer and songwriter. He gained prominence in 2016 as the architect behind some of fellow Philadelphia native Lil Uzi Vert's most popular s ...
with features from ''Billboard'' charting rappers Wiz Khalifa and Young Thug
Jeffery Lamar Williams (born August 16, 1991), known professionally as Young Thug, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. He is considered to be an influential figure of his generation, with his music impacting the modern sound of hip ...
, was received positively and was featured on numerous music blogs such as ''The Fader
''The Fader'' (stylized as ''FADER'') is a magazine based in New York City that was launched in 1999 by Rob Stone and Jon Cohen. The magazine covers music, style and culture. It was the first print publication to be released on iTunes.
It is o ...
'', '' XXL'', and ''Vibe''. They were further called a "breakout artist of 2015" by '' HotNewHipHop''.
2016: Breakthrough
In January 2016, Woods appeared at an ASAP Mob show in New York City to honor the deceased ASAP Yams, and in February, released the single "Money Longer
"Money Longer" is the debut single by American rapper Lil Uzi Vert. It was released for digital download on February 6, 2016 as the first single from their fourth mixtape '' Lil Uzi Vert vs. the World'', and as a bonus track from Japanese versio ...
" on their SoundCloud following a radio debut on Shade 45
Shade 45 is American rapper Eminem's hip-hop station on Sirius XM Radio channel 45 and Dish Network channel 6045.
History
Eminem established his own channel, Shade 45, that plays uncut hip hop. Eminem also established a new morning show, ''Sway ...
. Controversy arose in March 2016 after a riot broke out at South by Southwest's final day during Woods caused by fight in the crowd. On April 15, 2016, Woods released their third mixtape and first commercial mixtape '' Lil Uzi Vert vs. the World''. The mixtape debuted at number 37 on the ''Billboard'' 200 chart, making it Woods' first entry on the chart. The project spent 55 weeks on the ''Billboard'' 200 album chart, eventually being certified gold. Woods and Kodak Black
Bill Kahan Kapri (born Dieuson Octave; June 11, 1997), better known by his stage name Kodak Black, is an American rapper. He gained initial recognition with his single "No Flockin", released in 2014. His debut album, ''Painting Pictures'' (20 ...
embarked on a joint tour in May 2016, titled the "Parental Advisory" tour.
In June 2016, Lil Uzi Vert appeared in ''XXL'' magazine as part of their 2016 Freshman Class. As part of this appearance, Woods performed in a 'freshman cypher', a group of underground rappers, alongside Denzel Curry
Denzel Rae Don Curry (born February 16, 1995) is an American rapper and singer. Born and raised in Carol City, Florida, Curry started rapping while in the sixth grade and began working on his first mixtape in 2011. Influenced by underground Flo ...
, Lil Yachty
Miles Parks McCollum (born August 23, 1997), known professionally as Lil Boat, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and producer. He first gained recognition on the internet in 2015 for his singles "One Night" and "Minnesota" (featuring ...
, 21 Savage
Shéyaa Bin Abraham-Joseph (born October 22, 1992), known professionally as 21 Savage, is a rapper based in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Born in London, he moved to Atlanta with his mother at age seven. He became known after releasing two m ...
, and Kodak Black
Bill Kahan Kapri (born Dieuson Octave; June 11, 1997), better known by his stage name Kodak Black, is an American rapper. He gained initial recognition with his single "No Flockin", released in 2014. His debut album, ''Painting Pictures'' (20 ...
. Riding the wave of recognition the ''XXL'' Freshman list gave them, Woods released the video for "Money Longer". The single debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 the following week at number 92, their first entry on the chart. The song later peaked at number 54 and is currently certified double platinum in the United States. Another single from ''Lil Uzi Vert vs. the World'', Metro Boomin produced "You Was Right
"You Was Right" is a song recorded by American rapper Lil Uzi Vert. It was released as a single for their third mixtape ''Lil Uzi Vert vs. the World'' on May 27, 2016, by Generation Now and Atlantic Records.
Background
"You Was Right" receive ...
", became Woods second entry on the chart, debuting at number 89 and peaking at number 40.
On July 12, 2016, Woods announced their fourth mixtape, '' The Perfect LUV Tape'', which was released on July 31, their 22nd birthday. The mixtape featured the singles "Seven Million", featuring Future, and "Erase Your Social", both of which failed to chart on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. The mixtape debuted at number 55 on the ''Billboard'' 200 album chart and is certified gold by the RIAA. In October 2016, Woods was announced to be an additional artist on Canadian singer the Weeknd
Abel Makkonen Tesfaye (born February 16, 1990), known professionally as the Weeknd, is a Canadian singer, songwriter, record producer, and actor. Known for his sonic versatility and dark lyricism, his music explores escapism, romance, and ...
's tour.
Woods announced a collaboration mixtape with Gucci Mane, '' 1017 vs. the World'', which was released on November 23, 2016. Four days later, Woods announced ''Luv Is Rage 2
''Luv Is Rage 2'' is the debut studio album by American rapper Lil Uzi Vert. It was released on August 25, 2017, through Generation Now and Atlantic Records. The album serves as a sequel to Uzi's commercial debut mixtape ''Luv Is Rage'' (2015). It ...
'' which eventually went through a series of delays.
2017: ''Luv Is Rage 2''
Uzi featured on the hip-hop trio Migos' single " Bad and Boujee". The single was released on October 28, 2016, and is from the trio's second studio album, ''Culture
Culture () is an umbrella term which encompasses the social behavior, institutions, and norms found in human societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, customs, capabilities, and habits of the individuals in these groups ...
'' (2017). In January 2017, around the time the album released, the single peaked atop the U.S. ''Billboard'' Hot 100, becoming Uzi's first number 1 single as a lead or featured artist, and their highest-charting single overall. On February 27, 2017, Woods released the EP ''Luv Is Rage 1.5
''Luv Is Rage 1.5'' is the second extended play by American rapper Lil Uzi Vert. It was independently released on February 26, 2017 via Uzi's SoundCloud as throwaway tracks from their debut album ''Luv Is Rage 2'' (2017). The project includes four ...
'' while on tour with the Weeknd
Abel Makkonen Tesfaye (born February 16, 1990), known professionally as the Weeknd, is a Canadian singer, songwriter, record producer, and actor. Known for his sonic versatility and dark lyricism, his music explores escapism, romance, and ...
. The EP was positively received for its "nerdy" nature, with '' Kingdom Hearts'' themed instrumentals and lyrics referring to anime
is hand-drawn and computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside of Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, in Japan and in Japanese, (a term derived from a shortening of ...
, ''Steven Universe
''Steven Universe'' is an American animated television series created by Rebecca Sugar for Cartoon Network. It tells the coming-of-age story of a young boy, Steven Universe ( Zach Callison), who lives with the Crystal Gems—magical, mineral ...
'' and hentai. The EP was also credited as the start of Woods' affiliation with the "emo rap
Emo rap is a fusion genre of hip hop and emo music. Originating in the SoundCloud rap scene in the mid-2010s, the genre fuses characteristics of hip hop music, such as beats and rapping, with the lyrical themes, instrumentals, and vocals comm ...
per" label due to the heartbreak-associated lyrics on the song "Luv Scars K.o 1600" and references to threats of suicide and depression on the stand-out track "XO Tour Llif3
"XO Tour Llif3" (stylized as "XO TOUR Llif3" and pronounced "XO Tour Life") is a single by American rapper Lil Uzi Vert from the extended play '' Luv Is Rage 1.5'' (2017) and debut album ''Luv Is Rage 2'' (2017). It was released on SoundCloud on ...
".
"XO Tour Llif3"'s significant popularity on SoundCloud resulted in Woods playing it live on the European leg of the Weeknd's tour and was subsequently released as an official single. On April 4, 2017, "XO Tour Llif3" debuted on ''Billboard'' Hot 100 at number 49 and peaked at number seven, becoming the rapper's highest-charting song, being certified six-times platinum as of August 2018.
''Luv Is Rage 2'' was delayed from an unspecified due date on April 2, 2017, with Woods blaming it on DJ Drama. On April 9, Don Cannon confirmed the project would not be released "any time soon" but confirmed that "XO Tour Llif3" would appear on the album. Woods was featured on fellow rapper Playboi Carti
Jordan Terrell Carter (born September 13, 1996), known professionally as Playboi Carti, is an American rapper. Carter was initially signed to local underground label Awful Records prior to signing with ASAP Mob's AWGE Label under Interscope ...
's single "Wokeuplikethis
"Wokeuplikethis" (stylized as "wokeuplikethis*") is a song by American rapper Playboi Carti featuring vocals from fellow American rapper Lil Uzi Vert and production from Pi'erre Bourne. It was released on April 7, 2017, as the second Single (mus ...
". It was released on April 7, 2017, and is from Carti's debut commercial mixtape, ''Playboi Carti
Jordan Terrell Carter (born September 13, 1996), known professionally as Playboi Carti, is an American rapper. Carter was initially signed to local underground label Awful Records prior to signing with ASAP Mob's AWGE Label under Interscope ...
'' (2017). The single was performed by the pair at Coachella 2017.
Woods was featured alongside ASAP Rocky
Rakim Athelaston Mayers (born October 3, 1988), known professionally as ASAP Rocky ( ; stylized as A$AP Rocky), is an American rapper, music producer and record executive. Born and raised in Harlem, he embarked on his musical career as a membe ...
, Playboi Carti, Quavo
Quavious Keyate Marshall (born April 2, 1991), known professionally as Quavo (), is an American rapper, singer, and actor. He is best known as the co-founder and former frontman of hip hop group Migos. Quavo is the uncle of late fellow Migos m ...
and Frank Ocean
Christopher Francis "Frank" Ocean (born Christopher Edwin Breaux; October 28, 1987), is an American singer, songwriter, and rapper. His works are noted by music critics for featuring avant-garde styles and introspective, elliptical lyrics. Ocean ...
on ASAP Mob's single "Raf
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...
". The single was released by surprise on May 15, 2017, and is from the collective's second studio album, '' Cozy Tapes Vol. 2: Too Cozy''.
In early August, hip hop media personality DJ Akademiks
Livingston Allen (born May 17, 1991), more commonly known as DJ Akademiks or simply Akademiks, is a Jamaican-American podcaster, media personality and YouTuber. DJ Akademiks rose to fame for his YouTube channel which covers the latest news in ...
claimed that ''Luv Is Rage 2
''Luv Is Rage 2'' is the debut studio album by American rapper Lil Uzi Vert. It was released on August 25, 2017, through Generation Now and Atlantic Records. The album serves as a sequel to Uzi's commercial debut mixtape ''Luv Is Rage'' (2015). It ...
'' would release within 30 days. On August 24, 2017, ''Luv Is Rage 2'' was announced for a surprise release at midnight and on August 25, Lil Uzi Vert released the album which included top ten single, "XO Tour Llif3" as the lead single. "Wokeuplikethis" was eventually certified platinum and peaked at number 76 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. The album debuted at number one on the ''Billboard'' 200 albums chart, with 135,000 album-equivalent unit
The album-equivalent unit, or album equivalent, is a measurement unit in music industry to define the consumption of music that equals the purchase of one album copy. This consumption includes streaming and song downloads in addition to traditio ...
s and has since been certified platinum. The album also created ten ''Billboard'' Hot 100 charting tracks, with two, " The Way Life Goes", featuring Oh Wonder, and "Sauce It Up
"Sauce It Up" is a song by American rapper Lil Uzi Vert
Symere Bysil Woods ( ; born July 31, 1995), known professionally as Lil Uzi Vert, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. They are characterized by their facial tattoos, facial pie ...
" becoming singles. During British singer Ed Sheeran
Edward Christopher Sheeran (; born 17 February 1991) is an English singer-songwriter. Born in Halifax, West Yorkshire and raised in Framlingham, Suffolk, he began writing songs around the age of eleven. In early 2011, Sheeran independently re ...
's set at the Video Music Awards
The MTV Video Music Awards (commonly abbreviated as the VMAs) is an award show presented by the cable channel MTV to honour the best in the music video medium. Originally conceived as an alternative to the Grammy Awards (in the video category) ...
, Woods and Sheeran performed a medley of "XO Tour Llif3" and Sheeran's chart-topping single, "Shape Of You
"Shape of You" is a song by English singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran. It was released on 6 January 2017 as one of the double lead singles from his third studio album '' ÷'' (2017), along with "Castle on the Hill". The dancehall and R&B-infused ...
".
In September 2017, Woods teased a possible sequel project to ''Lil Uzi Vert vs The World'' possibly titled ''Lil Uzi Vert vs. The World 2'' and a collaboration project with Playboi Carti titled ''16*29.'' In October, a joint-tour with Playboi Carti called the "16*29 tour" was announced further promoting the possibility of a collaboration project. The tour was cancelled shortly thereafter due to Woods claiming they needed to "focus". In October 2017, Woods headlined Power 105.1
WWPR-FM (105.1 FM) is an urban contemporary music radio station licensed to New York City. WWPR-FM is owned by iHeartMedia and broadcasts from studios in the former AT&T Building in the Tribeca neighborhood of Manhattan; its transmitter is l ...
's annual Powerhouse music celebration, alongside the Weeknd
Abel Makkonen Tesfaye (born February 16, 1990), known professionally as the Weeknd, is a Canadian singer, songwriter, record producer, and actor. Known for his sonic versatility and dark lyricism, his music explores escapism, romance, and ...
, Migos, and Cardi B, at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. Woods was also featured on Canadian rapper Nav's platinum-certified single "Wanted You
"Wanted You" is a song by Canadian rapper Nav featuring American rapper Lil Uzi Vert. It was released on November 3, 2017, as the lead single from Nav's debut studio album '' Reckless'' (2018). The song was written alongside Cash, DJ Khaled, and ...
". The song was released on November 9, 2017, and is from Nav's debut studio album, '' Reckless'' (2018).
On December 4, 2017, "The Way Life Goes" music video was released with a remix, featuring rapper Nicki Minaj
Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty (; born December 8, 1982), known professionally as Nicki Minaj ( ), is a Trinidadian-born rapper based in the United States. She is known for her musical versatility, animated Flow (rapping), flow in her rapping, alter e ...
. The song subsequently peaked at number 24 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Woods performed on Stephen Colbert's The Late Show The Late Show may refer to:
Books
* ''The Late Show'' (book), a 2017 book by Michael Connelly
Film
* ''The Late Show'' (film), a 1977 film
* ''Late Show'', a 1999 German film by director Helmut Dietl
Music
* ''The Late Show'' (Eddie "Loc ...
performing "The Way Life Goes" on February 6, 2018, and was later featured alongside Kanye West
Ye ( ; born Kanye Omari West ; June 8, 1977) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, record producer, and fashion designer.
Born in Atlanta and raised in Chicago, West gained recognition as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records in the ea ...
on Travis Scott's song, "Watch
A watch is a portable timepiece intended to be carried or worn by a person. It is designed to keep a consistent movement despite the motions caused by the person's activities. A wristwatch is designed to be worn around the wrist, attached b ...
", which was released on May 3, 2018. "Watch" debuted at number 16 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart. They were also featured on a remix for fellow rapper Lil Tracy
Jazz Ishmael Butler (born October 3, 1995), professionally known as Lil Tracy, is an American rapper and singer. He was also known under the name Yung Bruh during the beginning of his career. Tracy is best known for his collaborations with the l ...
's single "Like a Farmer". Two months after "Watch", Woods' collaboration with Juice Wrld on the track "Wasted" was released July 10, 2018.
2018–2020: ''Eternal Atake'', ''Lil Uzi Vert vs. The World 2'', and ''Pluto x Baby Pluto''
In January 2018, Woods announced that they had completed a mixtape with record producerWheezy
Wesley Tyler Glass (born October 26, 1992), known professionally as Wheezy, is an American record producer and songwriter. He has worked with artists such as Lil Uzi Vert, Young Thug, Lil Baby, Future, King Von, 21 Savage, Gunna (rapper), Gunna ...
. In May 2018, Don Cannon confirmed that their new project would be released in 2018 and speculation arose in July 2018 when Woods tweeted the words "Eternal Atake
''Eternal Atake'' is the second studio album by American rapper Lil Uzi Vert. It is their first project since their 2017 studio album '' Luv Is Rage 2''. After being initially announced in 2018, the album was released on March 6, 2020, through G ...
", their second studio album (2020), pinning the tweet and announcing it was "coming soon" and then at the end of the month sharing the then-chosen cover art for the project. The then-chosen cover art for ''Eternal Atake'' references the logo of the cult Heaven's Gate. The two members who survived the cult suggested that legal actions could be taken against Uzi for copying the logo style. The then-thought lead single from ''Eternal Atake'', "New Patek
"New Patek" is a song written and performed by American rapper Lil Uzi Vert. It was released on September 18, 2018, and produced by Dolan Beats. As the only solo song from Uzi in 2018, it was initially expected to be included as the lead single o ...
" was released on September 18, 2018. Woods was then featured on Lil Pump
Gazzy Garcia (born August 17, 2000), better known professionally as Lil Pump, is an American rapper. He is one of the most prominent artists of the SoundCloud rap scene and is known for his minimalist music and hyperactive public persona.
Li ...
's single, " Multi Millionaire". The single was released on October 5, 2018, and is from Pump's second studio album, ''Harverd Dropout
''Harverd Dropout'' is the debut studio album by American rapper Lil Pump. It was released through Tha Lights Global and Warner Records on February 22, 2019. The album was met with mixed reviews from critics and debuted at number seven on the ''Bi ...
''.
In April 2019, following label trouble with Generation Now, it was announced that Woods was now signed to Roc Nation
Roc Nation is an entertainment agency founded by Jay-Z in 2008. The company is headquartered in Manhattan and has additional offices in Los Angeles and London. Roc Nation comprises a comprehensive talent agency, sports agency, record label, mana ...
. Two new promotional singles were released in April 2019, titled "Sanguine Paradise" and "That's a Rack", originally thought to be from their highly anticipated studio album, ''Eternal Atake''. On December 13, 2019, Woods released a new single titled, "Futsal Shuffle 2020
"Futsal Shuffle 2020", or simply titled "Futsal Shuffle" is a song by American rapper Lil Uzi Vert. It was released through Generation Now and Atlantic Records as the lead single from their second studio album, ''Eternal Atake'' on December 13, 20 ...
", which is the lead single of ''Eternal Atake''.☃☃ They then released the second single of the album, titled " That Way", on March 1, 2020. ''Eternal Atake'' was released on March 6, 2020, with a sole guest appearance from American singer Syd. The release date of the album was a week earlier than fans expected it to release. "New Patek", "That's a Rack" and "Sanguine Paradise" did not appear on the album. ''Eternal Atake'' debuted atop the ''Billboard'' 200.
On March 12, 2020, Woods teased that the deluxe version of ''Eternal Atake'' and the sequel to their July 2016 mixtape, '' Lil Uzi Vert vs. the World'', titled ''Lil Uzi Vert vs. the World 2
''Lil Uzi Vert vs. the World 2'' is a reissue studio album by American rapper Lil Uzi Vert that was released on March 13, 2020. The album was released as the deluxe edition of their second studio album ''Eternal Atake'', which was released a week b ...
'', would release the following day, the date fans expected the release date of the original album. The deluxe edition would have fourteen new tracks, featuring guest appearances from Chief Keef, 21 Savage
Shéyaa Bin Abraham-Joseph (born October 22, 1992), known professionally as 21 Savage, is a rapper based in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Born in London, he moved to Atlanta with his mother at age seven. He became known after releasing two m ...
, Future, Young Thug
Jeffery Lamar Williams (born August 16, 1991), known professionally as Young Thug, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. He is considered to be an influential figure of his generation, with his music impacting the modern sound of hip ...
, Gunna, Lil Durk, Young Nudy
Quantavious Tavario Thomas (born December 17, 1992), known professionally as Young Nudy, is an American rapper. Thomas is best known for his mixtapes ''Slimeball'' (2016), ''Slimeball 2'' (2017), and '' Slimeball 3'' (2018), and his collaborativ ...
and Nav. The first half of the album maintained a leading number one position (equal to 288,000 album sales in the United States) with 400 million streams in early 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...
. This marked the largest streaming count for any album since 2018 when Lil Wayne
Dwayne Michael Carter Jr. (born September 27, 1982), known professionally as Lil Wayne, is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record executive. His career began in 1995, at the age of 12, when he was signed by rapper Birdman, joining ...
's twelfth studio album, ''Tha Carter V
''Tha Carter V'' is the twelfth studio album by American rapper Lil Wayne. It was released on September 28, 2018, by Young Money Entertainment and Republic Records. The album's features include Swizz Beatz, Kendrick Lamar, Sosamann, Lil Wayne' ...
'', garnered 433 million streams.
On April 24, 2020, Woods released a new single titled "Sasuke", the first since the release of the deluxe version of ''Eternal Atake'', with a name referencing the eponymous character from ''Naruto
''Naruto'' is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Masashi Kishimoto. It tells the story of Naruto Uzumaki, a young ninja who seeks recognition from his peers and dreams of becoming the Hokage, the leader of his village. T ...
''. On July 21, 2020, Woods and Future hinted at an upcoming joint project titled ''Pluto x Baby Pluto
Pluto (minor-planet designation: 134340 Pluto) is a dwarf planet in the Kuiper belt, a ring of bodies beyond the orbit of Neptune. It is the ninth-largest and tenth-most-massive known object to directly orbit the Sun. It is the largest k ...
'' on their social media. The two later released two new singles, "Patek" and "Over Your Head", on July 31, which was Uzi's 26th birthday. ''Pluto x Baby Pluto'' was released on November 13, 2020, and peaked at number two on the ''Billboard 200''. A deluxe version containing the two previously released singles as well as 6 new tracks was released four days later on November 17.
2021–present: ''Pink Tape'' and ''Barter 16''
In late 2020, Woods began promoting new singles on Instagram live videos that were sonically similar to popular releases early in their career. On July 16, 2021, they also announced the title of their upcoming album as ''The Pink Tape''. Woods subsequently announced an upcoming project titled ''Forever Young'', as well as a follow-up to ''Luv Is Rage 2
''Luv Is Rage 2'' is the debut studio album by American rapper Lil Uzi Vert. It was released on August 25, 2017, through Generation Now and Atlantic Records. The album serves as a sequel to Uzi's commercial debut mixtape ''Luv Is Rage'' (2015). It ...
'' and a project to be released exclusively on SoundCloud
SoundCloud is an online audio distribution platform and music sharing website that enables its users to upload, promote, and share audio. Founded in 2007 by Alexander Ljung and Eric Wahlforss, SoundCloud is one of the largest music streaming s ...
. On October 29, 2021, Lil Uzi Vert released the single " Demon High".
On July 12, 2022, Woods announced an EP titled '' Red & White'', which was meant to be released prior to ''Pink Tape
''Pink Tape'' is the second studio album by South Korean girl group f(x). The album was released on July 29, 2013, by S.M. Entertainment. ''Pink Tape'' is the first studio album by f(x) in over two years, the last being the repackage of their fi ...
''. The EP was released ten days later, with them releasing a number of highly anticipated tracks exclusively on SoundCloud in the lead-up to its release. In October 2022, they released their single "Just Wanna Rock
"Just Wanna Rock" is a song by American rapper Lil Uzi Vert from their upcoming mixtape ''The Pink Tape''. It was released as a single through Atlantic Records and Generation Now on October 17, 2022. Uzi wrote the song with producers MCVertt and ...
", which had gone viral on the video-sharing app TikTok
TikTok, known in China as Douyin (), is a short-form video hosting service owned by the Chinese company ByteDance. It hosts user-submitted videos, which can range in duration from 15 seconds to 10 minutes.
TikTok is an international version o ...
. "Just Wanna Rock", a Jersey Club
Jersey club (originally called Brick City club) is a style of electronic club music that originated in Newark, New Jersey in the late 2000s. It was pioneered by DJ Tameil and other members of the Brick Bandits crew, who were inspired by Baltim ...
-inspired song with production from Synthetic and rising Jersey Club producer McVertt, peaked at number 10 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, their highest charting single since the release of ''Eternal Atake.''
On June 30, 2023, Woods released their third studio album ''Pink Tape'', containing 26 songs, including 3 bonus tracks. The album featured guest appearances
In show business, a guest appearance is the participation of an outsider performer (such as a musician or actor) in an event such as a music record or concert, show, etc., when the performer does not belong to the regular band, cast, or other ...
from Travis Scott, Nicki Minaj
Onika Tanya Maraj-Petty (; born December 8, 1982), known professionally as Nicki Minaj ( ), is a Trinidadian-born rapper based in the United States. She is known for her musical versatility, animated Flow (rapping), flow in her rapping, alter e ...
, Bring Me the Horizon
Bring Me the Horizon (often abbreviated as BMTH) are a British Rock music, rock band formed in Sheffield in 2004. The group consists of lead vocalist Oliver Sykes, guitarist Lee Malia, bassist Matt Kean, drummer Matt Nicholls and keyboardis ...
, Don Toliver
Caleb Zackery "Don" Toliver ( ; born June 12, 1994) is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. He released his first major label mixtape, ''Donny Womack'', in August 2018. He is known for his singles " No Idea" and " After Party", from his de ...
and Babymetal
(stylized in all caps) is a Japanese kawaii metal band consisting of Suzuka Nakamoto as "Su-metal" and Moa Kikuchi as "Moametal". The band is produced by Kobametal from the Amuse talent agency. Their vocals are backed by heavy metal instrume ...
. ''Pink Tape'' debuted at number one on the ''Billboard'' 200, making Woods just the third hip-hop artist of the 21st century, along with Drake
Drake may refer to:
Animals
* A male duck
People and fictional characters
* Drake (surname), a list of people and fictional characters with the family name
* Drake (given name), a list of people and fictional characters with the given name
* ...
and J. Cole, to have their first three studio albums reach the top spot on the chart.
Musical style
Woods has been consistently been considered to beavant-garde
The avant-garde (; In 'advance guard' or ' vanguard', literally 'fore-guard') is a person or work that is experimental, radical, or unorthodox with respect to art, culture, or society.John Picchione, The New Avant-garde in Italy: Theoretical ...
by critics and journalists. ''Complex
Complex commonly refers to:
* Complexity, the behaviour of a system whose components interact in multiple ways so possible interactions are difficult to describe
** Complex system, a system composed of many components which may interact with each ...
'' called Woods "one of those names to pay attention to in 2016", and '' Spin'' wrote "the 22-year-old has solidified heirspot as one to watch" with their "signature rapid delivery." '' Noisey'' called them "articularly charismatic", a "natural entertainer" who is "for better or for worse, yanking people into the future." ''Time'''s Andrew Chow and Cady Lang called them an "unlikely superstar", highlighting that Woods "has rejected convention at every step of heiryoung career."
Lil Uzi Vert's style of rap has been compared to rock music
Rock music is a broad genre of popular music that originated as " rock and roll" in the United States in the late 1940s and early 1950s, developing into a range of different styles in the mid-1960s and later, particularly in the United States an ...
, as well as being labeled with the terms emo rap and punk rap
Punk rap is hip hop music influenced by the rebellious ethos, and sometimes musical characteristics, of punk rock. The genre has been described as being influenced by styles such as trap music, punk rock, heavy metal and lo-fi music.
One ...
. They have also been described as a lo-fi
Lo-fi (also typeset as lofi or low-fi; short for low fidelity) is a music or production quality in which elements usually regarded as imperfections in the context of a recording or performance are present, sometimes as a deliberate choice. The ...
rapper and compared to rapper Lil Wayne. Wood has called themself a "big Marilyn Manson fan" and called the band's 1998 album ''Mechanical Animals
''Mechanical Animals'' is the third studio album by American rock band Marilyn Manson. It was released on September 15, 1998, by Interscope Records. The album marked a major shift from the industrial metal and alternative metal styles of t ...
'' their favorite.
Lil Uzi Vert has been repeatedly characterized by their facial tattoos, facial piercings, eccentric hairstyles and androgynous fashion, imagery built on a melodic approach to trap
A trap is a mechanical device used to capture or restrain an animal for purposes such as hunting, pest control, or ecological research.
Trap or TRAP may also refer to:
Art and entertainment Films and television
* ''Trap'' (2015 film), Fil ...
.
Influences
Lil Uzi Vert calls Marilyn Manson their "greatest inspiration". They are also a fan of the band Paramore, specifically citing frontwoman Hayley Williams as an influence. In an interview with ''Complex'', Lil Uzi Vert citedASAP Rocky
Rakim Athelaston Mayers (born October 3, 1988), known professionally as ASAP Rocky ( ; stylized as A$AP Rocky), is an American rapper, music producer and record executive. Born and raised in Harlem, he embarked on his musical career as a membe ...
, Pharrell Williams (with whom they collaborated on "Neon Guts
''Luv Is Rage 2'' is the debut studio album by American rapper Lil Uzi Vert. It was released on August 25, 2017, through Generation Now and Atlantic Records. The album serves as a sequel to Uzi's commercial debut mixtape ''Luv Is Rage'' (2015). It ...
"), Kanye West, Simple Plan, Young Thug
Jeffery Lamar Williams (born August 16, 1991), known professionally as Young Thug, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. He is considered to be an influential figure of his generation, with his music impacting the modern sound of hip ...
, Wiz Khalifa, Lil Wayne, and the Ying Yang Twins
The Ying Yang Twins are an American hip hop duo consisting of Kaine (born Eric Jackson on December 16, 1978) and D-Roc (born Deongelo/D'Angelo Holmes on February 13, 1979). They are not twin brothers. They did the windows to the walls song. The ...
as influences.
Personal life
Woods was in a relationship with fashion designer Brittany Byrd from 2014 to 2017. Byrd moved from California to attend the Parsons School of Design, where she was studying when she met Woods. Woods first referenced Byrd in their song "Nuyork Nights at 21" from ''Luv Is Rage'' and later made multiple other songs about her. A popular figure among Woods' fans, she also appeared in the music video for Woods' breakout single "Money Longer". On June 26, 2017, Woods and Byrd broke up, which Woods announced with a song titled "Stole Your Luv". Since 2019, Woods has been in a relationship with JT of the hip hop duo City Girls. Following the death of rapperLil Peep
Gustav Elijah Åhr (November 1, 1996 – November 15, 2017), known professionally as Lil Peep, was an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. He was a member of the emo rap collective GothBoiClique. Helping pioneer an emo revival-style of ...
from an accidental fentanyl
Fentanyl, also spelled fentanil, is a very potent synthetic opioid used as a pain medication. Together with other drugs, fentanyl is used for anesthesia. It is also used illicitly as a recreational drug, sometimes mixed with heroin, cocain ...
overdose, Woods announced they were quitting drugs and attempting sobriety. Also, after the 2018 murder of fellow musician XXXTentacion
Jahseh Dwayne Ricardo Onfroy (January 23, 1998 – June 18, 2018), known professionally as XXXTentacion, was an American rapper and singer-songwriter. Though a controversial figure due to his widely publicized legal troubles, XXXTentacion ga ...
, Woods asked for help on social media from other rappers to build a foundation against gun violence and which would provided for XXXTentacion's family and his future child.
In July 2022, Woods announced on Instagram that they use they/them
Singular ''they'', along with its inflected or derivative forms, ''them'', ''their'', ''theirs'' and ''themselves'' (or ''themself''), is a gender-neutral third-person pronoun. It typically occurs with an unspecified antecedent, in sentence ...
pronouns, which was later confirmed by their spokesperson in a statement to ''Pitchfork
A pitchfork (also a hay fork) is an agricultural tool with a long handle and two to five tines used to lift and pitch or throw loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves.
The term is also applied colloquially, but inaccurately, to ...
''. In 2023, Woods confirmed that they identify as gender-nonconforming
Gender variance or gender nonconformity is behavior or gender expression by an individual that does not match masculine or feminine gender norms. A gender-nonconforming person may be variant in their gender identity, being transgender or non-bina ...
.
Forehead diamond
In February 2021, Woods revealed that they had a 10-caratpink diamond
Pink diamond is a type of diamond that has pink color. The source of their pink color is greatly debated in the gemological world but it is most commonly attributed to plastic deformation that these diamonds undergo during their formation.
Pink ...
implanted in their forehead, which they had planned to do since 2017. They acquired the diamond, whose value was reported as $24 million, from jeweler Elliot Eliantte. Woods stated that the decision was influenced by the animated series ''Steven Universe
''Steven Universe'' is an American animated television series created by Rebecca Sugar for Cartoon Network. It tells the coming-of-age story of a young boy, Steven Universe ( Zach Callison), who lives with the Crystal Gems—magical, mineral ...
'', of which they are openly a fan, and by fellow rapper Lil B
Brandon Christopher McCartney (born August 17, 1989), professionally known as Lil B and as his alter ego The BasedGod, is an American rapper. Lil B has recorded both solo and with Bay Area group The Pack. His solo work spans several genres, i ...
, who has a similar implant. Woods said that they "could die" if their diamond is not removed "the right way". In June of the same year, they had the diamond removed from their forehead. They had it reimplanted for their performance at Rolling Loud
Rolling Loud is an international hip hop music festival held in the United States, Europe, Australia and Canada. Established in 2015, it is "one of the biggest rap-only festivals in the world" according to ''Complex'', while '' Billboard'' called ...
the following month and revealed in September that fans ripped it out while Woods was crowd surfing
Crowd surfing is the process in which a person is passed overhead from person to person (often during a concert), transferring the person from one part of the venue to another. The "crowd surfer" is passed above everyone's heads, with everyone's ...
at that event. They did not suffer serious damage and said that they still have the diamond. They have since replaced it with a barbell piercing
Body piercing, which is a form of body modification, is the practice of puncturing or cutting a part of the human body, creating an opening in which jewelry
Jewellery ( UK) or jewelry ( U.S.) consists of decorative items worn for personal ...
.
The implant spawned several Internet memes comparing Woods' new appearance to that of Vision
Vision, Visions, or The Vision may refer to:
Perception Optical perception
* Visual perception, the sense of sight
* Visual system, the physical mechanism of eyesight
* Computer vision, a field dealing with how computers can be made to gain und ...
in the Marvel Cinematic Universe
The Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) is an American media franchise and shared universe centered on a series of superhero films produced by Marvel Studios. The films are based on characters that appear in American comic books published by ...
and often referring to the character's death in the film '' Avengers: Infinity War''.
Controversies
Satanic allegations
Woods has been accused of being a Satanist, originally by battle rapper Daylyt who claimed that Woods worshipped Satan. It has also been noted that quickly saying "Lil Uzi Vert" sounds similar to "Lucifer". In July 2018, Woods told a crowd of fans that they were "going to hell" with them. In August 2017, Woods created controversy by adding satanic imagery to their social media accounts and saying phrases often associated with Satanism such as "666
666 may refer to:
* 666 (number)
* 666 BC, a year
* AD 666, a year
* The number of the beast, a reference in the Book of Revelation in the New Testament
Places
* 666 Desdemona, a minor planet in the asteroid belt
* U.S. Route 666, an America ...
". Woods at one point had promoted Satanism on their social media, which resulted in their Instagram access being taken from them by their record label.
In March 2023, Woods stated that references to Satan they make are figurative and not literal, and that they do not believe Satan exists.
Feuds
Woods has had a long-standing stand-still with Generation Now imprint owners Don Cannon and DJ Drama over their music. Woods has insulted Don Cannon and DJ Drama over the delays to their ''Luv Is Rage 2'' album, advised people against signing with Generation Now and referred to DJ Drama as an "old person". On April 29, 2016, Atlanta rapperOG Maco
Benedict Chiajulam Ihesiba Jr. (born April 23, 1992), better known by his stage name OG Maco, is an American rapper from College Park, Georgia.
He is perhaps best known for his 2014 debut single " U Guessed It" which peaked at number 90 on the U ...
went on a rant on social media and claimed that he "paved the way" for Woods, whom he stated was "stealing issauce". Maco implied there was no issue between the two, though Woods took offense to Maco mentioning fellow Atlanta rapper Reese LaFlare, with whom Woods was feuding. In August, Woods attempted to assault LaFlare at Day N Night Fest after seeing him through a security barrier, though they were stopped by security. In September, Maco and Woods resolved their feud. In January 2018, Woods punched LaFlare in the face and bragged about it on Twitter
Twitter is an online social media and social networking service owned and operated by American company Twitter, Inc., on which users post and interact with 280-character-long messages known as "tweets". Registered users can post, like, and ...
, though they later deleted the tweet.
In early 2018, Woods tweeted that they were unhappy at DJ Drama
Tyree Cinque Simmons (born April 22, 1978), professionally known as DJ Drama, is an American DJ, record executive and music promoter. He is the co-founder (with Don Cannon) of Generation Now, an Atlantic Records imprint with artists including ...
's label, Generation Now. Fellow rapper Rich the Kid replied to say that if Woods had signed to their label, Rich Forever Music, they would have never had that problem. Woods responded by stating that he would not sign to Rich's label for $20,000, implying this was the amount offered and that it was not enough. Rich then replied that it would have been worth accepting the offer either way. Things escalated with disses on social media between the two. In March 2018, Rich the Kid released a diss track on Woods titled "Dead Friends", a play on words of Woods' catchphrase in their hit single "XO Tour Llif3". This was to be followed by Woods' track "Rich Forever", which would never see an official release. An incident occurred between the two at a Starbucks in June 2018, when Woods attempted to attack Rich but was stopped by security.
Legal issues
2016–2020 arrests
On December 8, 2016, Woods was arrested inAtlanta
Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...
for recklessly driving a dirtbike. Woods and a friend were driving a dirtbike without lights and helmets before being noticed by police. While being chased by the police, Woods fell off their dirtbike and attempted to run away on foot before being caught and held on $6,500 bond. In November 2017, the charge was resolved with Woods receiving a community service sentence. In October 2020, Woods and several others were arrested in the streets of Philadelphia after being involved in a paintball gun fight. They were caught after sharing a video of the dispute on Instagram.
2021 assault charges
On July 2, 2021, Woods andSaint Jhn
Carlos St. John Phillips (born August 26, 1986), known professionally as Saint Jhn (stylized as SAINt JHN; pronounced "Saint John"), is a Guyanese-American rapper, singer, songwriter, and record producer.
He is best known for the 2019 remix to ...
got into a confrontation after Saint Jhn was spotted by Woods with their ex-girlfriend Brittany Byrd. The confrontation led to a physical altercation between the two which resulted in Woods flashing a gun at the two, then holding the gun to their ex-girlfriend's stomach. It was reported that no one was harmed and everybody left the scene.
On July 6, 2021, XXL reported that Woods allegedly hospitalized Byrd by punching her in the face multiple times and put a gun to her stomach. Woods and their team did not respond to the claims made by Byrd.
On February 2, 2022, TMZ
TMZ is a tabloid news website owned by Fox Corporation. It made its debut on November 8, 2005, originally as a collaboration between AOL and Telepictures, a division of Warner Bros., until Time Warner divested AOL in 2009. On September 13, 202 ...
reported Woods pleaded no contest in court to one count each of felony assault with a firearm and misdemeanor injury. They later accepted a plea deal
A plea bargain (also plea agreement or plea deal) is an agreement in criminal law proceedings, whereby the prosecutor provides a concession to the defendant in exchange for a plea of guilt or ''nolo contendere.'' This may mean that the defendant ...
for a sentence of three years of formal probation
Probation in criminal law is a period of supervision over an offender, ordered by the court often in lieu of incarceration.
In some jurisdictions, the term ''probation'' applies only to community sentences (alternatives to incarceration), such ...
, one year of treatment for mental health and substance abuse, 52 weeks of domestic violence counseling, restitution and a 10-year criminal protective order.
Discography
Studio albums * ''Luv Is Rage 2
''Luv Is Rage 2'' is the debut studio album by American rapper Lil Uzi Vert. It was released on August 25, 2017, through Generation Now and Atlantic Records. The album serves as a sequel to Uzi's commercial debut mixtape ''Luv Is Rage'' (2015). It ...
'' (2017)
* ''Eternal Atake
''Eternal Atake'' is the second studio album by American rapper Lil Uzi Vert. It is their first project since their 2017 studio album '' Luv Is Rage 2''. After being initially announced in 2018, the album was released on March 6, 2020, through G ...
'' (2020)
* ''Pink Tape
''Pink Tape'' is the second studio album by South Korean girl group f(x). The album was released on July 29, 2013, by S.M. Entertainment. ''Pink Tape'' is the first studio album by f(x) in over two years, the last being the repackage of their fi ...
'' (2023)
Mixtapes
* ''The Real Uzi'' (2014)
* ''Luv Is Rage
''Luv Is Rage'' is the debut commercial mixtape by American rapper Lil Uzi Vert. It was released on October 30, 2015, by Generation Now and Atlantic Records. The mixtape includes features from Young Thug and Wiz Khalifa. A sequel was released on ...
'' (2015)
* '' Lil Uzi Vert vs. the World'' (2016)
* '' The Perfect LUV Tape'' (2016)
* ''Barter 16
American rapper Lil Uzi Vert has released two studio albums, four extended plays (EPs), five mixtapes and fifty-four singles (including thirty two as a featured artist).
In 2014, Uzi released two self-released projects titled ''Purple Thoughts EP ...
'' (2023)
Extended plays
* ''Purple Thoughtz EP Vol. 1'' (2014)
* '' 1017 vs. the World'' (2016)
* ''Luv Is Rage 1.5
''Luv Is Rage 1.5'' is the second extended play by American rapper Lil Uzi Vert. It was independently released on February 26, 2017 via Uzi's SoundCloud as throwaway tracks from their debut album ''Luv Is Rage 2'' (2017). The project includes four ...
'' (2017)
* '' Red & White'' (2022)
* ''Pink Tape: Level 1'' (2023)
Awards and nominations
See also
*List of highest-certified music artists in the United States
This is the list of the highest-certified music artists in the United States based on certifications of albums and digital singles (but not physical singles) by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). RIAA certifications are base ...
* List of hip hop musicians
This is a list of notable hip hop musicians.
0–9
* 03 Greedo
* 070 Shake
* 1.Cuz
* 100 Kila
* 12 Gauge
* 12 O'Clock
* 2 Black 2 Strong
* 2 Chainz
* 2 Pistols
* 20syl
* 21 Savage
* 22Gz
* 24hrs
* 24kGoldn
* 2Baba
* 2Mex
* 2Ra ...
* Music of Philadelphia
The city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is home to a vibrant and well-documented musical heritage, stretching back to colonial times. Innovations in classical music, opera, R&B, jazz, soul, and rock have earned the music of Philadelphia natio ...
Notes
References
External links
* * * * * * {{Authority control 1995 births 21st-century African-American singers 21st-century American rappers African-American rappers African-American singer-songwriters Age controversies Alternative hip hop musicians American hip hop singers American LGBT singers American LGBT songwriters American non-binary musicians Atlantic Records artists Emo rap musicians LGBT rappers Living people MTV Video Music Award winners Non-binary singers Non-binary songwriters Rappers from Philadelphia Roc Nation artists Singer-songwriters from Pennsylvania Trap musicians