That Way (Lil Uzi Vert song)

Last updated
"That Way"
Lil Uzi Vert - That Way.png
Single by Lil Uzi Vert
from the album Eternal Atake
ReleasedMarch 1, 2020 (2020-03-01)
Genre
Length3:32
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Supah Mario
  • Felipe S
  • Yung Lan
Lil Uzi Vert singles chronology
"Futsal Shuffle 2020"
(2019)
"That Way"
(2020)
"Sasuke"
(2020)

"That Way" is a song by American rapper Lil Uzi Vert. It was released on March 1, 2020, by Generation Now and Atlantic Records as the second single from their second studio album Eternal Atake . [2] The song prominently interpolates the hook of the Backstreet Boys' "I Want It That Way" (1999). [3]

Contents

Cover artwork

The cover art has been subject to allegations of plagiarism. On March 14, 2020, an online artist under the alias of 'hugeriver8' on Instagram claimed that the cover art plagiarizes a nearly identical piece they posted on their blog in 2014. [4] The human figure on the cover art has also been claimed to be copied from a different artist under the alias of 'la_la_la_fries', for a piece of fanart of the guitarist Pete Townshend of The Who, which was first posted on Instagram in late November 2015. [5]

When prompted, the artist of the That Way album cover responded that he simply designed what Lil Uzi Vert had asked him to design, and that the picture he is alleged to have plagiarized was sent as reference work. Following this, Lil Uzi Vert left a comment saying, "Hey I'm not a mean person or a thief I get inspired a lot. If you want Money I will have my team contact and give you Money. Signed… Baby Pluto. P.S. You are a great artist." [6]

Critical reception

Alphonse Pierre of Pitchfork viewed the song as the rapper's "return to the shoulder shimmying, eye-rolling, singing Hayley Williams in the backseat of a car Uzi, whose animated personality made [their] meteoric fall possible". [7] In context of the album, Charles Homes and Elias Leight at Rolling Stone described the composition of the song as "a jarringly saccharine plagiarism of the Backstreet Boys' 1999 hit "I Want It That Way"" in connection "with a jittery, steamrolling track ripped off from the music from Microsoft Windows' videogame Space Cadet 3D Pinball". [8] As for Uzi's performance on the song, Carl Lamarre concluded that they are in their "element, spraying lighthearted bars over the breezy track" and called the song an "abomination". [3]

Backstreet Boys response

Backstreet Boys member Nick Carter praised the song on his Twitter and told Uzi that he wants them to be "featured on our next album". [9]

Charts

Certifications

RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA) [28] Gold500,000

Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">I Want It That Way</span> 1999 single by Backstreet Boys

"I Want It That Way" is a song by American vocal group Backstreet Boys. It was released on April 12, 1999, as the lead single from their third studio album, Millennium. It was written by Max Martin and Andreas Carlsson, while Martin and Kristian Lundin produced it. The pop ballad tells of a romantic relationship strained by emotional or physical distance matters.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lil Uzi Vert</span> American rapper (born 1995)

Symere Bysil Woods, known professionally as Lil Uzi Vert, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. Born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, they gained initial recognition following the release of the commercial mixtape Luv Is Rage (2015), which led to a recording contract with Atlantic Records, to whom they signed under DJ Drama's Generation Now imprint.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lil Uzi Vert discography</span>

The discography of American rapper and singer Lil Uzi Vert includes three studio albums, nine extended plays (EPs), four mixtapes, and 54 singles. Lil Uzi Vert first gained recognition with their commercial mixtape Luv Is Rage (2015), which led to a recording contract with Atlantic Records under DJ Drama's imprint, Generation Now. A standout track from the mixtape, "7AM," spent ten weeks on the Bubbling Under R&B/Hip-Hop Singles chart, peaking at number five as of August 6, 2016. Their breakthrough came with the release of the mixtape Lil Uzi Vert vs. the World (2016), which peaked at number 37 on the US Billboard 200 and spent a total of 55 weeks on the chart. The mixtape also reached number 18 on the US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and was eventually certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for combined sales and album-equivalent units of over 1,000,000 in the United States. The mixtape produced three singles: "Money Longer," "Ps and Qs," and "You Was Right," with the first two entering the US Billboard Hot 100. Both "Money Longer" and "You Was Right" have been certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Their fourth mixtape, The Perfect LUV Tape (2016), debuted at number 55 on the US Billboard 200. In February 2018, the mixtape was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), signifying combined sales and album-equivalent units of 500,000. The mixtape was supported by singles "Seven Million" and "Erase Your Social." Lil Uzi Vert also released a collaborative EP with Gucci Mane titled 1017 vs. the World (2016).

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"Bad and Boujee" is a song by American hip-hop group Migos featuring American rapper Lil Uzi Vert. Written alongside producer Metro Boomin and co-producer G Koop, it was released on October 28, 2016 as the lead single from the group's second studio album Culture (2017). It was released by Quality Control Music, 300 Entertainment, and Atlantic Records.

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"XO Tour Llif3" is a song by American rapper Lil Uzi Vert from the EP Luv Is Rage 1.5 (2017) and debut album Luv Is Rage 2 (2017). It was released on SoundCloud on February 26, 2017, and later on all music streaming platforms on March 24, 2017. The track was produced by TM88, with co-production by JW Lucas. It peaked at number seven on the US Billboard Hot 100, becoming Lil Uzi Vert's highest-charting single as a solo artist until the release of "Futsal Shuffle 2020", which peaked at number five. It was also their second top 10 entry overall after their feature on "Bad and Boujee" by Migos. It is Lil Uzi Vert's most popular song, and has amassed over two billion streams on Spotify. On December 7, 2022, the song was certified RIAA Diamond selling over 11 million copies, giving them their first Diamond certification and making it the best-selling emo rap song of all time. A sequel to the song, titled "P2" was included on Lil Uzi Vert's second album Eternal Atake (2020). The song has since come to be regarded as Lil Uzi Vert's signature song.

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<i>Lil Uzi Vert vs. the World 2</i> 2020 studio album (reissue) by Lil Uzi Vert

Lil Uzi Vert vs. the World 2 is a reissue studio album by American rapper and singer Lil Uzi Vert. It was released through Generation Now and Atlantic Records on March 13, 2020. The album was released as the deluxe edition of their second studio album Eternal Atake, which was released a week before, on March 6, 2020. The album features guest appearances from American rappers Chief Keef, 21 Savage, Future, Young Thug, Gunna, Lil Durk, Young Nudy and Nav. The production was handled by Cash, Don Cannon, Nav, Pi'erre Bourne, and Wheezy, among others. The album also serves as a sequel to Lil Uzi Vert's third mixtape Lil Uzi Vert vs. the World (2016), which was released 4 years earlier.

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Eternal Atake is the second studio album by 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.

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References

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