{"id":1803838,"date":"2026-03-03T11:50:00","date_gmt":"2026-03-03T08:50:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1803838"},"modified":"2026-03-03T11:50:00","modified_gmt":"2026-03-03T08:50:00","slug":"6-times-lil-uzi-vert-pushed-rap-forward","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1803838","title":{"rendered":"6 times Lil Uzi Vert pushed rap forward"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/1200\/0-0-1320-880\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1430\/9\/1439333.jpg&#8221;]<\/p>\n<article class=\"main-article standard \">\n<div class=\"article-main-content article-wrapper has-media-but-its-an-image\" data-status=\"loaded\" data-primary-article=\"true\" data-url=\"\/music\/article\/69733\/1\/6-times-lil-uzi-vert-pushed-rap-forward-jersey-rage-emo-country-spring-2026\" data-article-id=\"69733\">\n<header class=\"article-header has-landscape-image no-media\">\n<div class=\"wrapper dg-max-width\">\n<div class=\"inner\">\n<figure class=\"main-img has-figcaption\" data-img-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\" data-img-aspect-ratio=\"1.53\" data-template=\"Standard Article\"><span class=\"has-css-custom-props image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" alt=\"DC291_COV4_M4_LilUziVert_PavelGolik_KyleLuu_04-1\" class=\"img\" height=\"880\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/1350\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1430\/9\/1439333.jpg\" width=\"1350\"><\/span><\/span><figcaption class=\"img-caption\"><span class=\"inner\"><span class=\"credit\">Photography Pavel Golik, Styling <span class=\"nowrap\">Kyle Luu<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<aside class=\"meta\">\n<div class=\"inner\"><time datetime=\"2026-03-03T11:50:00+00:00\" class=\"timestamp\" title=\"03 March 2026\"><span class=\"month\">March<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\n<span class=\"day\" data-day=\"3\">3,<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\n<span class=\"year\">2026<\/span><\/time><\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<div class=\"titles\">\n<div class=\"tags\">\n<div class=\"sections\"><a class=\"category vertical - music\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/music\">Music<\/a><br \/>\n\/<br \/>\n<a class=\"series\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/lists\">Lists<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"standard-tag-container\"><a class=\"standard-category\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/music\">Music<\/a> \/<br \/>\n<a class=\"standard-series\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/lists\">Lists<\/a><\/div>\n<h1 class=\"title\"><span>6 times Lil Uzi Vert pushed <span class=\"nowrap\">rap forward<\/span><\/span><\/h1>\n<div class=\"standfirst\">\n<h2>In light of their recent cover story, we look back at six times the Philly rap star pushed the frontiers of rap music, including rage rap, emo rap, jersey club <span class=\"nowrap\">and more<\/span><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<p><time datetime=\"2026-03-03T11:50:00+00:00\" class=\"timestamp\" title=\"03 March 2026\"><span class=\"month\">March<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\n<span class=\"day\" data-day=\"3\">3,<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\n<span class=\"year\">2026<\/span><\/time><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><time datetime=\"2026-03-03T11:50:00+00:00\" class=\"timestamp\" title=\"03 March 2026\"><span class=\"month\">March<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\n<span class=\"day\" data-day=\"3\">3,<\/span>\u00a0<br \/>\n<span class=\"year\">2026<\/span><\/time><\/p>\n<div class=\"providers\">\n<div class=\"contributors\"><span class=\"contributor\" data-contributor-role=\"Text\"><span class=\"contributor-role\">Text<\/span><a class=\"contributor-name\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/user\/solomonpacemccarrick\">Solomon Pace-McCarrick<\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"article-body-container\">\n<div class=\"article-body wrapper\">\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>I\u2019m convinced that <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/liluzivert\"><span>Lil Uzi Vert<\/span><\/a><span> is an alien \u2013 an alien sent from a sci-fi future to drive rap\u2019s evolution forward. And I\u2019m not the only one who thinks so. The chronically online elders among us will remember the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=TRc85qoNo6w\"><span>Howard the Alien meme<\/span><\/a><span> of 2016, in which a slender, ET-like figure danced to bass-boosted versions of Uzi\u2019s recent hit \u201cMoney Longer\u201d \u2013 often for ten hours at a time. Even back then, this sort of uncanny valley beat-matched dance video wasn\u2019t new (cast your minds back to the early-internet <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/media?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.redd.it%2F3j4y1xv5p7x81.gif\"><span>CGI Spiderman<\/span><\/a><span> that could dance to anything), but the Howard the Alien videos made a very important point: Lil Uzi\u2019s music sounded like it was from another world.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>And the parallels don\u2019t stop there. In 2020, Uzi would release the sci-fi trap album <\/span><em><span>Eternal Atake <\/span><\/em><span>(coincidentally inspired by the same Heaven\u2019s Gate cult that fakemink credits for influencing his first moniker, 9090gate), which is replete with intergalactic samples and otherworldly, glitchy effects. Meanwhile, in their numerous guest appearances, Uzi would consistently find themselves at the cutting edge of rap trends \u2013 emo rap, country rap, jersey club; the list goes on.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>To a certain extent, Lil Uzi has always been a misfit. Despite breaking through as part of the cloud rap wave in 2014, and then riding the mainstream popularity of trap music in the mid-2010s, Uzi has repeatedly stated that their biggest musical influences are Marilyn Manson and Paramore, and frequently describes themselves as a \u2018rockstar\u2019 in interviews. It speaks to a musical open-mindedness that has also been long evident in their fashion sense, appearing over the years rocking brightly coloured hair and punk rock-style ripped jeans. All of this provides important context on the many rap subgenres Lil Uzi has spearheaded throughout their career, but, to me, it is all an elaborate ruse: Lil Uzi Vert is in fact an alien sent from the future, and I won\u2019t accept any other answer.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Below, we break down six times that Lil Uzi Vert found himself at the cutting-edge of current rap trends.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><span>CLOUD RAP: \u201cWHITE SHIT\u201d (2014)<\/span><\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"media-soundcloudtrack\" data-id=\"174062763\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"soundcloud-embed\" frameborder height=\"166\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https:\/\/w.soundcloud.com\/player\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com\/tracks\/174062763&amp;show_artwork=true\" width=\"100%\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>Landing on Uzi\u2019s first EP <\/span><em><span>Purple Thoughtz Vol. 1<\/span><\/em><span>, \u201cWhite Shit\u201d is produced by cloud rap pioneer and Raider Klan founder SpaceGhostPurrp. Cloud rap, of course, wasn\u2019t new at this point \u2013 landmark releases from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/asap-rocky\">A$AP Rocky<\/a>, Lil B and Sad Boys-Drain Gang all predated it \u2013 but <\/span><em><span>Purple Thoughtz Vol. 1 <\/span><\/em><span>did place Uzi at the centre of what was perhaps the most influential rap subgenre in recent memory. Intersecting psychedelic, southern hip-hop-style production, trap drums, and influences spanning everything from J-Pop to ambient music, cloud rap is largely responsible for the countless rap microgenres we see today, and also paved the way for Uzi&#8217;s numerous rap reinventions in the years since.<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><span>TRAP: \u201cBAD AND BOUJEE FEAT. LIL UZI VERT\u201d (2016)<\/span><\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"src-youtube video-container embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"media-youtube\" data-id=\"S-sJp1FfG7Q\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" allowfullscreen frameborder height=\"422\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/S-sJp1FfG7Q\" webkitallowfullscreen width=\"750\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>While Uzi\u2019s debut was in cloud rap, it was their 2016 mixtape <\/span><em><span>Luv Is Rage <\/span><\/em><span>that saw them first reach notoriety. The project is centred around the Atlanta trap movement that was picking up steam around that time, featuring an early mumble rap verse from rising star Young Thug and trap\u2019s signature stuttering drum patterns. The next year it was followed up by Uzi\u2019s appearance on perhaps the biggest trap song of all time: Migos\u2019 \u201cBad and Boujee\u201d.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Even on <\/span><em><span>Luv Is Rage<\/span><\/em><span>, Uzi was injecting their own misfit personality into rap music. On \u201cTop\u201d, Uzi introduces the groaning, pop-punk style vocals that would later become central to Juice WRLD\u2019s emo rap, while the project\u2019s title hints at another fledgling subgenre: rage rap.<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><span>RAGE: \u201cWOKEUPLIKETHIS\u201d (AUG, 2017)<\/span><\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"src-youtube video-container embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"media-youtube\" data-id=\"REmZhFKmOmo \"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" allowfullscreen frameborder height=\"422\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/REmZhFKmOmo%20\" webkitallowfullscreen width=\"750\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>Codified by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/playboi-carti\">Playboi Carti<\/a> albums <\/span><em><span>Die Lit <\/span><\/em><span>(2018) and <\/span><em><span>Whole Lotta Red <\/span><\/em><span>(2020), rage rap is a subgenre of trap that infuses trap percussion with the video-game-like synthesisers of EDM producers like Skrillex and The Chainsmokers. Through rappers like Lancey Foux and Xaviersobased, the subgenre has since become a key reference for much of the underground rap we hear today, and elements of it can be traced back to Lil Uzi\u2019s <\/span><em><span>Luv Is Rage <\/span><\/em><span>in 2015.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>On tracks like \u201cBanned From TV\u201d, Lil Uzi raps over the sort of distorted synths that have since become a staple of rage music, while the project\u2019s title makes explicit reference to \u2018rage\u2019 as a musical influence. \u201cI am rage, everything that I do, I\u2019m raging\u2026 a lot of the songs are a little darker and stuff,\u201d Uzi told <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=H1TphXiP7VQ\"><span>GlobalGrindTV in 2016<\/span><\/a><span> . But perhaps the biggest example of Lil Uzi\u2019s involvement in the subgenre is their appearance on Playboi Carti\u2019s 2017 single \u201cWokeuplikethis\u201d, on which the distorted synthesiser runs prominently throughout the track.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><span>EMO RAP: \u201cXO TOUR LLIF3\u201d (SEPT, 2017)<\/span><\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"src-youtube video-container embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"media-youtube\" data-id=\"WrsFXgQk5UI \"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" allowfullscreen frameborder height=\"422\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/WrsFXgQk5UI%20\" webkitallowfullscreen width=\"750\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>\u201cXO Tour Llif3\u201d is one of the biggest hits of Uzi\u2019s career, if not the biggest. Released alongside the peak of fellow emo rappers Juice WRLD, Lil Peep and XXXTentacion, the track features the jilted pop-punk vocals and themes of suicidal ideation that are not only a staple of the emo rap subgenre, but also contain clear similarities with the influences of Marilyn Manson and Paramore that Uzi had cited previously.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Leading with the chorus \u201c<\/span><em><span>All my friends are dead, push me to the edge<\/span><\/em><span>\u201d, \u201cXO Tour Llif3\u201d\u2019s fixation on death is not least significant given the tragic and untimely passing of Juice, Peep and X within two years of the track\u2019s release, giving the song a particularly haunting legacy.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><span>COUNTRY RAP: \u201cLIKE A FARMER (REMIX) FEAT. LIL UZI VERT\u201d \u2013 LIL TRACY (2018)<\/span><\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"src-youtube video-container embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"media-youtube\" data-id=\"PYuyMJkS92w\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" allowfullscreen frameborder height=\"422\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/PYuyMJkS92w\" webkitallowfullscreen width=\"750\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>On a lighter note, however, is Uzi\u2019s decidedly tongue-in-cheek appearance on the remix of Lil Tracey\u2019s 2018 single \u201cLike A Farmer\u201d. Featuring lyrics like \u201c<\/span><em><span>Yes, I have a tractor<\/span><\/em><span>\u201d and \u201c<\/span><em><span>Took her on a trip to Texas<\/span><\/em><span>, <\/span><em><span>treat it like Dubai<\/span><\/em><span>\u201d, the track showed a new, humorous side to Uzi, and was also inadvertently responsible for a resurgence in the country rap subgenre. Alongside Young Thug\u2019s 2017 mixtape <\/span><em><span>Beautiful Thugger Girls<\/span><\/em><span>, \u201cLike a Farmer\u201d\u2019s use of acoustic production and Southern American drawl is a key precursor to Lil Nas X\u2019s viral hit \u201cOld Town Road\u201d.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><span>JERSEY CLUB: \u201cJUST WANNA ROCK\u201d (2022)<\/span><\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"src-youtube video-container embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"media-youtube\" data-id=\"UhbixyxgsiU\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" allowfullscreen frameborder height=\"422\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/UhbixyxgsiU\" webkitallowfullscreen width=\"750\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>Continuing Uzi\u2019s popularisation of niche rap subgenres is his 2022 jersey club-rap hit \u201cJust Wanna Rock\u201d. Originating in Newark, just up the road from Uzi\u2019s own hometown of Philadelphia, jersey club is most recognisable by its pulsing kick drum rhythm, along with its fusion of uptempo house music and hip hop. Much like many of the genres above, Uzi wasn\u2019t the first rapper to touch a Jersey club beat \u2013 artists like Unicorn151 had been doing so since the late 2000s \u2013 but \u201cJust Wanna Rock\u201d did mark the mainstream peak for the subgenre, with the track even being nominated for a Grammy.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cJust Wanna Rock\u201d\u2019s music video is also notable for pioneering the hyperactive dance trend that was since revived in Uzi\u2019s most recent hit: jersey-rap-slash-waltz cut \u201cWhat You On\u201d. Even today, Lil Uzi Vert\u2019s genre-blending legacy shows no signs of slowing down.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"newsletter-inline-last\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-small\">\n<div class=\"inner\">\n<h1 class=\"newsletter-title\">Escape the algorithm! Get The Drop<\/h1>\n<div class=\"meta-row\">\n<p class=\"meta\">Get must-see stories direct to your inbox every weekday.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/privacy-policy\" class=\"meta-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\nPrivacy policy<br \/>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"confirmation\" aria-live=\"polite\">\n<p class=\"confirmation-title\">Thank you. You have been subscribed<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/privacy-policy\" class=\"meta-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\nPrivacy policy<br \/>\n<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<footer class=\"article-footer\">\n<div class=\"wrapper\">\n<div class=\"article-series\">\n<h4 class=\"heading\">More on these topics<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"article-series\"><a class=\"series\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/music\">Music<\/a><a class=\"series\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/lists\">Lists<\/a><a class=\"series\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/tag\/rap\">rap<\/a><a class=\"series\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/tag\/lil-uzi-vert\">Lil Uzi Vert<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/footer>\n<div class=\"grid\">\n<div class=\"lava-lamp\">\n<div class=\"lava-lamp-text-container\">\n<h3 class=\"lava-lamp-subheading\">Expand your creative community and connect with 15,000 creatives from around the world.<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"grid section-header\">\n<div class=\"section-header__link\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/music\/article\/69733\/1\/music\"><\/p>\n<h2 class=\"section-header__title\">READ MORE<\/h2>\n<p><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"grid tag-article-list\">\n<div class=\"swiper swiper-latest\">\n<div class=\"swiper-wrapper\">\n<div class=\"swiper-slide list-element\">\n<div class=\"scard-latest__section\">\n<div class=\"card-latest__wrapper\"><a class=\"card-latest\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/music\/article\/69753\/1\/lil-uzi-vert-spring-2026-issue-interview-steampunk\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"card-latest__img-wrapper\"><span class=\"image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Photography Pavel Golik, Styling Kyle Luu\" 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underground\u2019<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"swiper-slide list-element\">\n<div class=\"scard-latest__section\">\n<div class=\"card-latest__wrapper\"><a class=\"card-latest\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/music\/article\/69764\/1\/pigeons-car-crash-pokemon-5-toes-of-fakeminks-digital-footprint\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"card-latest__img-wrapper\"><span class=\"image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"maxresdefault (13)\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/480\/0-0-1082-720\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1430\/9\/1439187.jpg\"><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"card-latest__content\">\n<h3 class=\"card-latest__title\">Pok\u00e9mon, pigeons and a car crash: Tracing fakemink\u2019s digital footprint<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><a class=\"card-latest\" 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class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"maxresdefault (14)\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/480\/150-28-978-651\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1430\/9\/1439336.jpg\"><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"card-latest__content\">\n<h3 class=\"card-latest__title\">5 acts to know from Manchester\u2019s musical underground<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"swiper-slide list-element\">\n<div class=\"scard-latest__section\">\n<div class=\"card-latest__wrapper\"><a class=\"card-latest\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/music\/article\/69719\/1\/7-saddest-mitski-tracks-ranked-nothings-about-to-happen-to-me\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"card-latest__img-wrapper\"><span class=\"image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"stay soft mitski\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/480\/55-43-801-533\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1430\/9\/1439339.jpeg\"><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"card-latest__content\">\n<h3 class=\"card-latest__title\">The 7 most bleak, hopeless and depressing Mitski songs \u2013 ranked!<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><a class=\"card-latest\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/music\/article\/69769\/1\/the-only-tracks-february-2026-danny-l-harle-frost-children-charli-xcx\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"card-latest__img-wrapper\"><span class=\"image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Dazed Playlist 16x9\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/480\/133-0-1624-1080\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1430\/9\/1439307.png\"><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"card-latest__content\">\n<h3 class=\"card-latest__title\">February 2026 playlist: All the music we loved from the last month<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><a class=\"card-latest\" href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/music\/article\/69684\/1\/magdalena-bay-da-zed-quiz-interview-romance-memes-advice-european-tour\"><\/p>\n<div class=\"card-latest__img-wrapper\"><span class=\"image-container\" data-aspect-ratio-type=\"landscape\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><img decoding=\"async\" alt=\"Magdalena Bay - 2025 Second Sleep\" src=\"https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/480\/0-2-3000-1995\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1430\/8\/1438041.jpg\"><\/span><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"card-latest__content\">\n<h3 class=\"card-latest__title\">Magdalena Bay on romance, fate and the best advice they ever received<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"newsletter-inline\" data-newsletter hidden>\n<div class=\"newsletter-small\">\n<div class=\"inner\">\n<h1 class=\"newsletter-title\">Escape the algorithm! Get The Drop<\/h1>\n<div class=\"meta-row\">\n<p class=\"meta\">Get must-see stories direct to your inbox every weekday.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/privacy-policy\" class=\"meta-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\nPrivacy policy<br \/>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"confirmation\" aria-live=\"polite\">\n<p class=\"confirmation-title\">Thank you. You have been subscribed<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/privacy-policy\" class=\"meta-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\nPrivacy policy<br \/>\n<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"article-body wrapper\">\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>I\u2019m convinced that <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/liluzivert\"><span>Lil Uzi Vert<\/span><\/a><span> is an alien \u2013 an alien sent from a sci-fi future to drive rap\u2019s evolution forward. And I\u2019m not the only one who thinks so. The chronically online elders among us will remember the <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=TRc85qoNo6w\"><span>Howard the Alien meme<\/span><\/a><span> of 2016, in which a slender, ET-like figure danced to bass-boosted versions of Uzi\u2019s recent hit \u201cMoney Longer\u201d \u2013 often for ten hours at a time. Even back then, this sort of uncanny valley beat-matched dance video wasn\u2019t new (cast your minds back to the early-internet <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.reddit.com\/media?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.redd.it%2F3j4y1xv5p7x81.gif\"><span>CGI Spiderman<\/span><\/a><span> that could dance to anything), but the Howard the Alien videos made a very important point: Lil Uzi\u2019s music sounded like it was from another world.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>And the parallels don\u2019t stop there. In 2020, Uzi would release the sci-fi trap album <\/span><em><span>Eternal Atake <\/span><\/em><span>(coincidentally inspired by the same Heaven\u2019s Gate cult that fakemink credits for influencing his first moniker, 9090gate), which is replete with intergalactic samples and otherworldly, glitchy effects. Meanwhile, in their numerous guest appearances, Uzi would consistently find themselves at the cutting edge of rap trends \u2013 emo rap, country rap, jersey club; the list goes on.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>To a certain extent, Lil Uzi has always been a misfit. Despite breaking through as part of the cloud rap wave in 2014, and then riding the mainstream popularity of trap music in the mid-2010s, Uzi has repeatedly stated that their biggest musical influences are Marilyn Manson and Paramore, and frequently describes themselves as a \u2018rockstar\u2019 in interviews. It speaks to a musical open-mindedness that has also been long evident in their fashion sense, appearing over the years rocking brightly coloured hair and punk rock-style ripped jeans. All of this provides important context on the many rap subgenres Lil Uzi has spearheaded throughout their career, but, to me, it is all an elaborate ruse: Lil Uzi Vert is in fact an alien sent from the future, and I won\u2019t accept any other answer.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Below, we break down six times that Lil Uzi Vert found himself at the cutting-edge of current rap trends.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><span>CLOUD RAP: \u201cWHITE SHIT\u201d (2014)<\/span><\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"media-soundcloudtrack\" data-id=\"174062763\">\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" class=\"soundcloud-embed\" frameborder height=\"166\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https:\/\/w.soundcloud.com\/player\/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fapi.soundcloud.com\/tracks\/174062763&amp;show_artwork=true\" width=\"100%\"><\/iframe><\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>Landing on Uzi\u2019s first EP <\/span><em><span>Purple Thoughtz Vol. 1<\/span><\/em><span>, \u201cWhite Shit\u201d is produced by cloud rap pioneer and Raider Klan founder SpaceGhostPurrp. Cloud rap, of course, wasn\u2019t new at this point \u2013 landmark releases from <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/asap-rocky\">A$AP Rocky<\/a>, Lil B and Sad Boys-Drain Gang all predated it \u2013 but <\/span><em><span>Purple Thoughtz Vol. 1 <\/span><\/em><span>did place Uzi at the centre of what was perhaps the most influential rap subgenre in recent memory. Intersecting psychedelic, southern hip-hop-style production, trap drums, and influences spanning everything from J-Pop to ambient music, cloud rap is largely responsible for the countless rap microgenres we see today, and also paved the way for Uzi&#8217;s numerous rap reinventions in the years since.<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><span>TRAP: \u201cBAD AND BOUJEE FEAT. LIL UZI VERT\u201d (2016)<\/span><\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"src-youtube video-container embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"media-youtube\" data-id=\"S-sJp1FfG7Q\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" allowfullscreen frameborder height=\"422\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/S-sJp1FfG7Q\" webkitallowfullscreen width=\"750\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>While Uzi\u2019s debut was in cloud rap, it was their 2016 mixtape <\/span><em><span>Luv Is Rage <\/span><\/em><span>that saw them first reach notoriety. The project is centred around the Atlanta trap movement that was picking up steam around that time, featuring an early mumble rap verse from rising star Young Thug and trap\u2019s signature stuttering drum patterns. The next year it was followed up by Uzi\u2019s appearance on perhaps the biggest trap song of all time: Migos\u2019 \u201cBad and Boujee\u201d.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Even on <\/span><em><span>Luv Is Rage<\/span><\/em><span>, Uzi was injecting their own misfit personality into rap music. On \u201cTop\u201d, Uzi introduces the groaning, pop-punk style vocals that would later become central to Juice WRLD\u2019s emo rap, while the project\u2019s title hints at another fledgling subgenre: rage rap.<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><span>RAGE: \u201cWOKEUPLIKETHIS\u201d (AUG, 2017)<\/span><\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"src-youtube video-container embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"media-youtube\" data-id=\"REmZhFKmOmo \"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" allowfullscreen frameborder height=\"422\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/REmZhFKmOmo%20\" webkitallowfullscreen width=\"750\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>Codified by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/playboi-carti\">Playboi Carti<\/a> albums <\/span><em><span>Die Lit <\/span><\/em><span>(2018) and <\/span><em><span>Whole Lotta Red <\/span><\/em><span>(2020), rage rap is a subgenre of trap that infuses trap percussion with the video-game-like synthesisers of EDM producers like Skrillex and The Chainsmokers. Through rappers like Lancey Foux and Xaviersobased, the subgenre has since become a key reference for much of the underground rap we hear today, and elements of it can be traced back to Lil Uzi\u2019s <\/span><em><span>Luv Is Rage <\/span><\/em><span>in 2015.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>On tracks like \u201cBanned From TV\u201d, Lil Uzi raps over the sort of distorted synths that have since become a staple of rage music, while the project\u2019s title makes explicit reference to \u2018rage\u2019 as a musical influence. \u201cI am rage, everything that I do, I\u2019m raging\u2026 a lot of the songs are a little darker and stuff,\u201d Uzi told <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=H1TphXiP7VQ\"><span>GlobalGrindTV in 2016<\/span><\/a><span> . But perhaps the biggest example of Lil Uzi\u2019s involvement in the subgenre is their appearance on Playboi Carti\u2019s 2017 single \u201cWokeuplikethis\u201d, on which the distorted synthesiser runs prominently throughout the track.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><span>EMO RAP: \u201cXO TOUR LLIF3\u201d (SEPT, 2017)<\/span><\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"src-youtube video-container embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"media-youtube\" data-id=\"WrsFXgQk5UI \"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" allowfullscreen frameborder height=\"422\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/WrsFXgQk5UI%20\" webkitallowfullscreen width=\"750\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>\u201cXO Tour Llif3\u201d is one of the biggest hits of Uzi\u2019s career, if not the biggest. Released alongside the peak of fellow emo rappers Juice WRLD, Lil Peep and XXXTentacion, the track features the jilted pop-punk vocals and themes of suicidal ideation that are not only a staple of the emo rap subgenre, but also contain clear similarities with the influences of Marilyn Manson and Paramore that Uzi had cited previously.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>Leading with the chorus \u201c<\/span><em><span>All my friends are dead, push me to the edge<\/span><\/em><span>\u201d, \u201cXO Tour Llif3\u201d\u2019s fixation on death is not least significant given the tragic and untimely passing of Juice, Peep and X within two years of the track\u2019s release, giving the song a particularly haunting legacy.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><span>COUNTRY RAP: \u201cLIKE A FARMER (REMIX) FEAT. LIL UZI VERT\u201d \u2013 LIL TRACY (2018)<\/span><\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"src-youtube video-container embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"media-youtube\" data-id=\"PYuyMJkS92w\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" allowfullscreen frameborder height=\"422\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/PYuyMJkS92w\" webkitallowfullscreen width=\"750\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>On a lighter note, however, is Uzi\u2019s decidedly tongue-in-cheek appearance on the remix of Lil Tracey\u2019s 2018 single \u201cLike A Farmer\u201d. Featuring lyrics like \u201c<\/span><em><span>Yes, I have a tractor<\/span><\/em><span>\u201d and \u201c<\/span><em><span>Took her on a trip to Texas<\/span><\/em><span>, <\/span><em><span>treat it like Dubai<\/span><\/em><span>\u201d, the track showed a new, humorous side to Uzi, and was also inadvertently responsible for a resurgence in the country rap subgenre. Alongside Young Thug\u2019s 2017 mixtape <\/span><em><span>Beautiful Thugger Girls<\/span><\/em><span>, \u201cLike a Farmer\u201d\u2019s use of acoustic production and Southern American drawl is a key precursor to Lil Nas X\u2019s viral hit \u201cOld Town Road\u201d.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h1><span>JERSEY CLUB: \u201cJUST WANNA ROCK\u201d (2022)<\/span><\/h1>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"src-youtube video-container embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"media-youtube\" data-id=\"UhbixyxgsiU\"><span class=\"preserve-aspect-ratio\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" allowfullscreen frameborder height=\"422\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/UhbixyxgsiU\" webkitallowfullscreen width=\"750\"><\/iframe><\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"embed-content\" data-embed-type=\"raw-html\">\n<p><span>Continuing Uzi\u2019s popularisation of niche rap subgenres is his 2022 jersey club-rap hit \u201cJust Wanna Rock\u201d. Originating in Newark, just up the road from Uzi\u2019s own hometown of Philadelphia, jersey club is most recognisable by its pulsing kick drum rhythm, along with its fusion of uptempo house music and hip hop. Much like many of the genres above, Uzi wasn\u2019t the first rapper to touch a Jersey club beat \u2013 artists like Unicorn151 had been doing so since the late 2000s \u2013 but \u201cJust Wanna Rock\u201d did mark the mainstream peak for the subgenre, with the track even being nominated for a Grammy.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span>\u201cJust Wanna Rock\u201d\u2019s music video is also notable for pioneering the hyperactive dance trend that was since revived in Uzi\u2019s most recent hit: jersey-rap-slash-waltz cut \u201cWhat You On\u201d. Even today, Lil Uzi Vert\u2019s genre-blending legacy shows no signs of slowing down.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"newsletter-inline-last\">\n<div class=\"newsletter-small\">\n<div class=\"inner\">\n<h1 class=\"newsletter-title\">Escape the algorithm! Get The Drop<\/h1>\n<div class=\"meta-row\">\n<p class=\"meta\">Get must-see stories direct to your inbox every weekday.<\/p>\n<p class=\"paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/privacy-policy\" class=\"meta-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\nPrivacy policy<br \/>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"confirmation\" aria-live=\"polite\">\n<p class=\"confirmation-title\">Thank you. You have been subscribed<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/privacy-policy\" class=\"meta-link\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><br \/>\nPrivacy policy<br \/>\n<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>[analyse_source url=&#8221;https:\/\/www.dazeddigital.com\/music\/article\/69733\/1\/6-times-lil-uzi-vert-pushed-rap-forward-jersey-rage-emo-country-spring-2026&#8243;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/images-prod.dazeddigital.com\/1200\/0-0-1320-880\/azure\/dazed-prod\/1430\/9\/1439333.jpg&#8221;] Photography Pavel Golik, Styling Kyle Luu March\u00a0 3,\u00a0 2026 Music \/ Lists Music \/ Lists 6 times Lil Uzi Vert pushed rap forward In light of their recent cover story, we look back at six times the Philly rap star pushed the frontiers of rap music, including rage rap, emo rap, jersey [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[226,76],"class_list":["post-1803838","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics","tag-crawlmanager","tag-dazeddigital-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1803838","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1803838"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1803838\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1803838"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1803838"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1803838"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}