End of an Era?

Lil Uzi Vert claims he’s done making music

WIKICOMMONS | THE SPECTRUM It’s going to be sad such talent might depart from music.

This is not the news I wanted to hear at the beginning of 2019. This goes for me and nearly all the members of the hip-hop community. On Jan. 11, artist Lil Uzi Vert, real name Symere Woods, said he’s “done with music.” Woods became famous after he released his debut studio album, “Luv is Rage,” on Oct. 20, 2015. Since that album, Uzi has released three more albums that have all blown up. He’s one of the most highly paid and listened to artists in America.

Woods had more to say than him just being done with music. He said, “I deleted everything. I wanna be normal. I wanna wake up in 2013.” I guess it’s safe to say the fame was getting to be too much for Woods. A normal person would probably be thinking, “Wow, he’s so stupid. Why would you just give up all that fame and fortune?” That’s not fair to say for a number of reasons. We don’t know what fame is like (yet, hopefully). There are actors who say they liked being unknown more than being famous. This same concept likely applies to Woods and his musical talent. Him saying he wants to wake up in 2013 translates to, “I wish I was never famous.”

There might have also been personal issues that came up that are making Woods want to quit music. Whatever the reason, you have to appreciate what he has done for the hip-hop community and hope he gets through whatever he might be dealing with.

If he does indeed quit music, it’s going to break the hearts of the music community in general, as well as mine. 

Before we all can officially be sad, we need to see if this “claim” is actually true. Young Thug, another hip-hop artist, claimed he wouldn’t make music in 2018. However, he did indeed end up making music either due to a lack of money or to continue a passion. It’s most likely option two because you don’t often find a famous musician in need of money.

The point is, Uzi might come to his senses and realize music is everything for him, and that it’s not so easy giving up something you strived to be great at. Otherwise, he’s officially gone from the music industry, and it will forever make fans sad.

If he is indeed done making music, I must reflect. The first time I heard his music, I thought to myself that he was the next greatest hip-hop artist. However, if you listen to a lot of his songs, they start to sound somewhat identical and you might get sick of them.

However, he still has a couple songs he will always be known for. My favorite song by Lil Uzi is “XO Tour Llif3,” which won song of the summer at the MTV Video Music Awards. That song was the anthem my senior year of high school. Every time I hear it, it brings back memories.

My favorite album by Woods is “Lil Uzi Vert Vs. The World.” This album only has nine songs, but all of them are amazing. This also brings me back to my high school days. If you have never heard Lil Uzi before, listen to the songs on that album.

While I didn’t expect him to give up music, there were definitely signs of him slowing down a little bit. His album “Luv is Rage 2” was the only album he released in 2017. It was also delayed a few months. It also took a step back from his previous albums. With exception to “The Way Life Goes” and maybe “Dark Queen,” the songs on that album don’t live up to his past projects.

On top of this, he didn’t release a single album in 2018. However, he was still featured in many different songs. He also dropped a single called “New Patek” that was nearly a 6-minute song that hit No. 24 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. While these are stellar accomplishments nonetheless, it’s fair to say he did take a step back.

Whatever actually happens, I can say Lil Uzi Vert is one of the greatest hip-hop artists of our generations. If he does indeed quit music, it’s going to break the hearts of the music community in general, as well as mine.

Leave a Reply