Eternal Atake is the second studio album by the American rapper and singer Lil Uzi Vert. It was released through Generation Now and Atlantic Records on March 6,2020. The album features a sole guest appearance from American singer Syd. The production was handled by Bobby Raps,Brandon Finessin,Bugz Ronin,Chief Keef,Oogie Mane,TM88,Wheezy,and others. It is their first project since their debut studio album,Luv Is Rage 2 (2017). The album was supported by the singles "Futsal Shuffle 2020" and "That Way",which later appeared as the album's bonus tracks.
In July 2018,Lil Uzi Vert published two messages to Twitter,"Eternal Atake" and "Eternal means forever. Atake means 2 overtake",that were described as cryptic.[2] On July 31,2018,which was also Lil Uzi's 23rd birthday,they removed all posts from their Instagram profile except for two—a snippet of "New Patek" and the old cover art of Eternal Atake. On December 9,Lil Uzi confirmed that Eternal Atake had been finished and was set for release.[3]
On January 11,2019,Lil Uzi announced via Instagram that they had "deleted everything" and were "done with music",[4] although many believed this could merely have been a publicity stunt and/or a promotional roll-out for the album.[5] On March 3,2020,Lil Uzi revealed a new album cover on Twitter,after allowing fans to vote on the new cover.[6]
Composition
Eternal Atake marks a significant evolution in Lil Uzi Vert's sound,building on the melodic trap and emo rap foundations of their earlier works,Luv Is Rage (2015) and Luv Is Rage 2 (2017),while venturing into a more ambitious,futuristic,and conceptually driven sonic landscape.[1] Spanning 18 tracks over an hour,the album fuses pop-trap sensibilities with sci-fi-inspired production,characterized by glitchy synths,booming 808s,and video game-esque sound effects.[7]AllMusic highlights its "meticulous production and amplified energy",crediting the Philly-based production collective Working on Dying,alongside producers like Brandon Finessin,Bugz Ronin,Oogie Mane,and Supah Mario,for crafting beats that evoke a space opera aesthetic.[7] Tracks like "Homecoming" feature distorted percussion and synthesized horns,while "You Better Move" incorporates laser sound effects and samples from "Space Cadet 3D Pinball",creating a vivid,intergalactic atmosphere.[7][8]
The album is loosely structured around a sci-fi narrative of alien abductions and space travel,reflected in skits and Uzi's alter egos—Baby Pluto,Renji,and Uzi themselves—though the concept is secondary to the music's vibe.[9]Rolling Stone describes the album as divided into three six-song sides,each tied to a persona:Baby Pluto's aggressive flexes,Renji's vulnerable introspection,and Uzi's cosmic reflections.[10] This structure allows for dynamic shifts in tone,from the frenetic braggadocio of "Pop" and "Lo Mein" to the melancholic "I'm Sorry" and "Chrome Heart Tags",the latter featuring a Chief Keef-produced beat with haunting vocal samples and Flockaveli-esque drums.[1][10]
Uzi's vocal versatility is central to the album's appeal,seamlessly blending rapid-fire rapping,melodic crooning,and high-pitched ad-libs.[1]Pitchfork praises Uzi's improved technical prowess,citing "Silly Watch" and "You Better Move" for their relentless pace and clever pop culture references,like Blue Eyes White Dragon and Microsoft Zune.[1] Tracks like "Bigger Than Life" and "Celebration Station" showcase Uzi's ability to craft infectious hooks,with the former balancing a smooth yet frenzied refrain and the latter featuring playful lyricism ("And I can't do my dance 'cause my pants,they from France").[11] The Backstreet Boys interpolation on "That Way" transforms a pop classic into a trap banger,highlighting Uzi's knack for reimagining familiar sounds.[11]
Lyrically,Uzi remains focused on familiar themes:wealth,designer brands,cars,women,and heartbreak,but with richer detail and sharper wit.[1]Consequence highlights Uzi's humor,such as the quip about a Honda Accord on "Baby Pluto".[9] Emotional depth surfaces in tracks like "I'm Sorry" and "Urgency" (featuring Syd),where Uzi grapples with fame and failed relationships,though Consequence highlights the deluxe edition Lil Uzi Vert vs. the World 2 for lacking similar candor.[9] The album's only guest appearance,Syd on "Urgency",adds a soulful contrast to Uzi's chaotic energy.[8][12]
While Eternal Atake maintains a high-energy pulse,its hour-long runtime and occasional repetitiveness draw minor criticism.[11] AllMusic suggests it can "drag on" despite having no filler,[11] and NME calls it a "rambling but enjoyable mess".[12] Tracks like "P2",a rehash of "XO Tour Llif3",and slower cuts like "Prices" are seen as less essential.[8] Still,the album's bold production,Uzi's dynamic performance,and its cohesive yet eclectic vision cement it as a landmark in their discography,with Pitchfork and Rolling Stone hailing it as their best work for meeting sky-high expectations after years of label delays.[1][10]
Theme and artwork
Logo of the Heaven's Gate cult, which inspired the album's aesthetics
Original cover of Eternal Atake
Eternal Atake embraces a sci-fi and alien abduction theme, woven loosely through its music, skits, and visual presentation, creating a futuristic and otherworldly aesthetic.[11] On March 7, 2020, a fan on Twitter observed that the album's 18 tracks are divided into three six-song segments, each tied to a distinct persona of Lil Uzi Vert—Baby Pluto (tracks 1–6), Renji (tracks 7–12), and Lil Uzi Vert (tracks 13–18)—a structure Uzi confirmed,[13] describing that the first half represents taking off in a spaceship, while the second half depicts a cosmic journey.[13][9] This narrative, though not rigidly enforced, is reflected in the album's spacey production, with tracks like "Homecoming" and "You Better Move" incorporating video game samples and synthesized effects that evoke a galactic soundscape.[7][8]Rolling Stone describes the personas as guiding the album's emotional arc, from Baby Pluto's aggressive flexes to Renji's introspective vulnerability and Uzi's reflective cosmic musings.[10]
The album's artwork stirred significant attention and controversy. On July 13, 2018, Uzi revealed an initial cover art,[14] a reimagined version of the Heaven's Gate cult logo—infamous for the 1997 mass suicide of its members—featuring the words "Eternal Atake" inside a keyhole.[15][16][17] The two surviving Heaven's Gate members criticized the use, with a representative stating in an email that Uzi's adaptation was a "direct and clear infringement" of their copyrights and trademarks, hinting at potential legal action, though no further developments were publicly reported.[18][19] On March 2 and 3, 2020, Uzi pivoted by sharing three new cover art options on Twitter, engaging fans through polls to select the official artwork; the second cover was chosen, while the third was repurposed as the tracklist background and back cover for physical copies.[20] The final artwork, combined with Uzi's promotion of UFO-themed Bugattis and sci-fi imagery, reinforced the album's intergalactic branding, aligning with its ambitious sonic and thematic vision.[8]
Release and promotion
Lil Uzi Vert began teasing Eternal Atake with the release of a promotional single, "New Patek", on September 18, 2018.[21] On April 9, 2019, two additional promotional singles, "That's a Rack" and "Sanguine Paradise", were released.[22] The album was initially slated for release on July 19, 2019, but Lil Uzi Vert later expressed uncertainty about the release date, which was ultimately missed.[23] On November 30, 2019, Lil Uzi Vert announced via Twitter that the album's lead single would be a "dance record" titled "Futsal".[24] The single, released as "Futsal Shuffle 2020" on December 13, 2019, became the album's first official single.[25] The second single, "That Way", which interpolates the hook of Backstreet Boys' "I Want It That Way", was spontaneously released on March 1, 2020.[26]
On March 3, 2020, Lil Uzi Vert released a 2-minute short film titled "Baby Pluto",[27] directed by Gibson Hazard and Lil Uzi Vert, to tease the album's release.[27] During an Instagram Live session on February 28, 2020, Lil Uzi Vert announced that Eternal Atake would drop within two weeks, hinting at a possible March 13, 2020, release.[28] However, the album was unexpectedly released earlier on March 6, 2020.[29] The following day, March 7, Lil Uzi Vert announced a deluxe edition on Twitter,[30] confirming two tracks, "Bean (Kobe)" featuring Chief Keef and "Myron", both previously previewed on social media.[31][32] They also teased completed collaborations with Young Thug, Future, A Boogie wit da Hoodie, and Lil Baby.[33] The deluxe edition, titled Lil Uzi Vert vs. the World 2, was released on March 13, 2020.[34]
Eternal Atake was met with widespread critical acclaim. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from professional publications, the album received an average score of 84, based on nine reviews.[35]
Writing for Consequence, M. T. Richards gave the album a favorable review, stating that "Eternal Atake splits the difference between P-Funk and electro. In an ironic twist of fate, the year's most futuristic rap album comes courtesy of someone who'd been dismissed as a relic". Richards further praises Uzi Vert's performance, saying that they sound "alert, refreshed, and sometimes thrilled" on the album.[9] In her review for NME, Kyann-Sian Williams praised the album, writing that Uzi had "made another record that will stay close to the hearts of a generation of rap fans. [They are] surely our generation's Lil Wayne".[12] Writing for Exclaim!, Kyle Mullin stated positive opinions regarding the album, praising the production as well as the transitions between songs. Mullin mentions that "Uzi nimbly switches from relatedly lovelorn speak-singing on 'Bust Me' to rugged, speedy punch line powerhouse on the very next track, 'Prices'. That transition is merely one of the energetic and unpredictable performative tricks Uzi pulls off on this stadium sized LP".[7] Scott Glaysher of HipHopDX said, "There is no denying Lil Uzi Vert's unconventional version of rap has been polarizing for the better part of the last five years yet Eternal Atake should be celebrated. [They maneuver] within the cockpit of [their] comfort zone, navigating a galaxy of different genres while keeping the essence of rap at the forefront".[8] Alphonse Pierre of Pitchfork gave the album a positive review, saying that "The expectations were otherworldly. And somehow, Uzi met those expectations. Eternal Atake is Uzi's greatest album to date, a scope-defying hour-long epic that couldn't be made by anyone else".[1]
Fred Thomas of AllMusic saying "Even though it's a lengthy journey and some of the songs start to feel similar, nothing here is filler".[11] Danny Schwartz of Rolling Stone was also positive towards the album, stating that "It is difficult to remember a rap album released to such fervid expectations, let alone one that lived up to those expectations. Eternal Atake is Lil Uzi Vert's best album yet, with a cohesiveness, slick concept, and performance that justifies every ounce of hype".[10] In a mixed review, RapReviews critic Steve "Flash" Juon wrote the following: "If you absolutely can not stand rappers who should be called singers then you need to take a hard pass on Vert, but if you occasionally (or more often than that) enjoy the crooning, Vert is at least someone who can put it together in a way that is surprisingly decent and occasionally quite good."[37]
Eternal Atake debuted atop the US Billboard 200 dated March 21, 2020, with 288,000 album-equivalent units (including 9,000 pure album sales). The album earned 400 million US streams in its first week, which was the fourth-largest streaming debut at the time of its release. It is Lil Uzi Vert's second US number-one album.[52] The album remained at number one on the Billboard 200 in its second week with 247,000 album-equivalent units. It was sustained in part due to a deluxe edition which was released the following week.[53]Eternal Atake was the seventh best selling album of 2020 with 1.860million album-equivalent units in the United States.[54]
Following its first week of availability, three songs from the album debuted in the top ten of the US Billboard Hot 100, led by "Baby Pluto" at number six, "Lo Mein" at number eight and "Silly Watch" at number nine, making Lil Uzi Vert the fourth act to debut at least three songs in the Hot 100's top 10 simultaneously. The same week, they charted 20 total songs, including all 18 from Eternal Atake (16 of which debuted).[55]
Following its first day of release, Eternal Atake occupied every position within the top 20 on Spotify's US Top 50 chart, except three positions. The track "Baby Pluto" also dethroned Roddy Ricch's "The Box" from the top spot on the chart with over 3.3million US streams, marking the first time the song descended from number one since late December 2019.[56]
↑ The deluxe edition of Eternal Atake, Lil Uzi Vert vs. the World 2, was reviewed separately by Pitchfork writer Mehan Jayasuriya. The deluxe edition was awarded a score of 6.9/10.[36]
↑ "Czech Albums – Top 100". ČNS IFPI. Note: On the chart page, select 11.Týden 2020 on the field besides the words "CZ – ALBUMS – TOP 100" to retrieve the correct chart. Retrieved March 17, 2020.
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