L
IL UZI VERT’S NOMINATION FOR BEST NEW ARTIST at this year’s GRAMMY Awards makes one thing clear that many already suspected by the end of 2017—the Philadelphia-based rapper is not only the next superstar in rap, he is one of the next voices of the genre. Going into 2017, the 23-year-old, born Symere Woods, had established himself as a rising star as part of XXL’s 2016 Freshman Class and on the strength of multiple mixtapes, including 2015’s Luv Is Rage. But this past year he delivered on all of that promise, starting with a feature on Migos’ massive Billboard Hot 100 chart-topper, “Bad And Boujee.” If that appearance and track helped establish Lil Uzi Vert as a potential voice for the next generation of rap fans, the methodical and soulful tune, “XO TOUR Llif3” solidified that status. In the smart song, which helped put him in the “Emo rapper” camp, he opens up about the pain of a past relationship.
42 60th Annual GRAMMY Awards
“She said, ‘Baby, I am not afraid to die/Push me to the edge/All my friends are dead,’” he raps. The track’s honesty and emotional resonance helped it take home “Song Of The Summer” at the MTV VMAs. Propelled in part by the success of “XO TOUR Llif3,” Lil Uzi Vert’s proper debut album, Luv Is Rage 2, entered the Billboard 200 at No. 1 with 135,000 copies sold. So, his commercial status as a young rap superstar has been cemented. But Lil Uzi Vert’s impact goes much deeper than numbers. Complex and Spin have both declared him an artist to watch because of his growing cultural impact. Combine his impressive candor as a lyricist, his uncompromising attitude (inspired, in part, by his heroes such as Marilyn Manson), and welldocumented live shows marked by stage dives, and you have a figure who has become one of the most intriguing and undeniable young artists not only in rap, but all of music.—Steve Baltin
SPIKE JORDAN
BEST NEW ARTIST
LIL UZI VERT