In the present era of hip-hop, it’s getting harder to distinguish some rappers from rockstars. Lil Uzi Vert has hovered near the pinnacle of this identity collision since their emergence as one of hip-hop’s essential figures around 2016. Their most recent album, Pink Tape, cemented their rockstar-rapper ethos with its genre-elastic approach to their playful and emo-trap sound, pouring in influences from punk and hard rock.
Lil Uzi Vert has a long list of hits and notable albums that resonated heavily with young rap fans in the latter half of the 2010s, when contemporary hip-hop arrived at a generation-defining juncture. They were a prolific figure in catapulting “mumble rap” — a term coined by oldheads lamenting that they couldn't understand what rappers were saying in their songs — into the mainstream.
On the frontlines of this pop culture crusade, Lil Uzi Vert brushed off criticism predicting their fame would be short-lived. They succeeded in proving critics wrong — they’re still around, and Pink Tape debuted at number one on the Billboard Hot 200 in June.
Pink Tape is a monster of a project coming in at 26 songs. It’s a mixed bag given its length, and, naturally, it meanders in its sound. It starts off ablaze with a batch of forceful punk-inspired tracks. Many of those tracks are dripping with guttural and ghoulish ad libs that jump out the back of their throat.
Other tracks on the album align more with the sound they’ve honed throughout their career, with high-pitched vocals slathered in autotune, colorful trap instrumentals and dynamic, catchy flows. Emo-rap tracks are thrown in the mix as well, with Lil Uzi Vert crooning about struggles with drug addiction and mental health.
Lil Uzi Vert brought their Pink Tape Tour to Cincinnati's Andrew J Brady Music Center Tuesday, Oct. 24. (Their second show on Wednesday was canceled). CityBeat was there to capture their most memorable on-stage moments. Keep scrolling for everything we spotted during the rapper's show in Cincinnati.
Photos by Kennedy Dudley
