Rolling Loud weekend spurred many demon-related conspiracy theories during performances from Lil Uzi Vert and Playboi Carti. On Friday night, one woman shared a video of herself leaving during Playboi Carti’s set as she felt that it was too demonic. An understandable take, given Carti’s fascination with the occult, the individual went viral as fans debated whether or not artists like Playboi Carti are pushing the Devil’s agenda. However, he certainly isn’t the only rapper who has embraced and explored this aspect.
Lil Uzi Vert has also expressed his adoration for the devil in the past in a few ways that are just as alarming. Some might argue that Uzi and Carti use this imagery for entertainment purposes. However, there are plenty of individuals who feel as though artists shouldn’t be playing with devil in the first place. During Uzi’s set at Rolling Loud, he debuted new music where he suggests that he converted JT of the City Girls to Satanism. “I make a City Girl believe in Satan,” he raps on the track. There’s no word from Lil Uzi Vert or his camp when the record might come out, though it could land on Pink Tape.
Summer Walker, who collaborated with Uzi’s girlfriend JT in the past, appears to be concerned with the influx of references to the devil in modern music. The Over It singer addressed Uzi’s comments online, though she wondered whether any of these artists who speak the devil’s name have ever encountered a demon in their lifetime. “I be genuinely curious have these people ever seen or heard a demon before…?” she asked.
Though we’ve undoubtedly seen a lot more gothic and darker imagery appear in hip-hop in recent years, Walker urged people to stop trying to play with evil spirits, even in jest. “I feel like if you have [encountered a demon] you’d stop playin’,” she continued. “Really nothing funny or cute about it. May God be with y’all.” So far, Lil Uzi Vert hasn’t chimed in but it seems incredibly unlikely that he will. Perhaps, her comments might make him reconsider releasing the single. Check out Summer Walker’s post above and sound off with your thoughts in the comment section below.
Lil Uzi Vert doesn’t agree that their viral smash song, “Just Wanna Rock,” has replaced Meek Mill’s beloved 2012 track “Dreams & Nightmares” as Philadelphia’s rap anthem. However, that has stopped the track from being enjoyed across the globe, especially in their hometown of Philly.
Before Uzi takes their act on the road to headline The Roots Picnic and Broccoli City Festival, they made a special appearance at Nickelodeon’s Kids’ Choice Awards on Sunday (March 4) to perform the song. Backed by a team of dancers as well as hosts Nate Burleson and Charli D’Amelio, the rapper delivered their epic Jersey-club-influenced choreography.
Of course, it wouldn’t be the Kids’ Choice Awards without a celebrity sliming. Lil Uzi Vert gave into the ceremony’s tradition, but before they did so, the rapper gave the eager crowd a taste of their budding skills on drums. However, after a few notes, Uzi brought out 8-year-old drumming prodigy Justin Wilson II to finish out the song.
After Wilson kills his solo set, Uzi takes center stage as slime falls from the Microsoft Theater ceiling.
Lil Baby and Lil Uzi Vert are leaders of their generation. We’ve witnessed both artists get it out of both and transform into the biggest stars of today. Baby became an inescapable force in the music industry. Records like “My Dawg” took over the streets while songs like politically-conscious “The Bigger Picture” showcased his range. On the other hand, Lil Uzi Vert has undoubtedly pushed the boundaries when it comes to his sound and style, especially in recent times. Though “Just Wanna Rock” didn’t top the Billboard Hot 100, it’s yet another anthem that proves Lil Uzi hardly misses.
Though both rappers don’t necessarily work together often, they certainly frequent the same spaces. This weekend, both rappers hit the stage for Rolling Loud where they delivered memorable moments. Baby proved that “Freestyle” always hits while Uzi got fans excited for his forthcoming Pink Tape as he showed love to Playboi Carti and claimed he has JT believing in the devil. However, fans still hope that we’ll hear more music from them in the near future if possible.
Lil Uzi Vert and Lil Baby both held it down at Nickelodeon’s Kids’ Choice Awards, where the former actually got slimed. However, on the red carpet before the award show, the rapper caught up with Young Hollywood who asked him who he was most excited to see. “I heard Lil Baby’s going to be here,” he said. Then, the reporter asked what song he’d want to perform with Lil Baby if he had the chance. “He has a lot of great songs, like, I never heard a bad song from Lil Baby in my life ever,” he added. “But we have a song and I would love to perform it with him.”
Lil Uzi Vert and Lil Baby have worked together on a few records in the past. The two linked up on My Turn highlight, “Commercial.” Prior to that, Lil Uzi Vert appeared on Lil Baby’s Harder Than Ever project on the Gunna-assisted, “Life Goes On.” Perhaps, we’ll get to hear more from Lil Baby and Lil Uzi Vert. Though Pink Tape is rumored to be featureless, maybe Uzi will make an exception for Lil Baby since he’s such a fan. Check out the clip above and sound off with your thoughts in the comment section below.
Compared to the same time last year, it may not feel like hip-hop has been quite as productive. It’s been a great year for indie releases; Greedo came home with a new mixtape, underground faves Skyzoo and Oddisee both released excellent projects in January, and rising stars like Maxo and Nappy Nina crafted standout projects.
Likewise, plenty of buzzy faves released stuff; ZelooperZ, Ice Spice, Boldy James, Reuben Vincent, Big Scarr, Gloss Up, and Kash Doll all came back strong ahead of a flurry of end-of-month releases in February that seemed to signal a shift. Just check out Key Glock and Don Toliver‘s new projects. But looking forward, it looks like hip-hop’s penchant for surprise releases is gearing to strike, because although very few projects have been announced, such a wide-open field has to be inviting for anyone looking to make a name for themselves.
So, although things are looking pretty bare bones for the time being, here are the most anticipated hip-hop albums of spring 2023.
March 3
De La Soul — 3 Feet High And Rising, De La Soul Is Dead, Buhloone Mindstate, Stakes Is High, etc.
De La Soul
Okay, this one is a little bit of a cheat, I admit. None of these are new, so much as folks have been anticipating the coming of De La Soul’s long-lost catalog to streaming since… well… streaming started. Between a prolonged label dispute over publishing rights and a labyrinth of sample clearance issues, it seemed for some time that De La’s discography would be a curio consigned to the memories of Gen Xers and millennials, like the 100-point Wilt Chamberlain game. But here they all are, in high definition, 100 percent intact. The only downside is that Trugoy the Dove isn’t here to see it.
Masego — Masego
The Virginia-based polymath — he sings, raps, and plays the sax — is just about five years removed from his debut album Lady Lady. Since then, he has polished his self-devised TrapHouseJazz style and grown his fan base with a handful of strategically based viral favorite singles and a charming, charismatic social media presence that has rap fans very much looking forward to seeing what he does next.
Slowthai — Ugly
Fresh off the success of 2021’s breakout hit Tyron, the UK punk grime star is picking up right where he left off. Slow is known for the emotional push-pull of his music, which cycles through aggression and processing the trauma behind it. Ugly continues his tradition of fusing rap, rock, and electronic music with surprising vulnerability.
March 6
Talib Kweli & Madlib — Liberation 2
One of rap’s earliest experiments in the “free online release” mechanic gets a follow-up a decade and a half later as the Brooklyn MC reunites with one of rap’s most coveted producers. They’ve proven to be a match made in heaven in the past, and longtime fans are excited to hear the evolution of their chemistry.
March 10
6lack — Since I Have A Lover
It always feels iffy to include 6lack in hip-hop lists considering he’s as much of an R&B traditionalist as he is a bars-first rhyme spitter, and with every project, he can easily split the difference or go all-in on just one side of things. I feel prettty confident in saying this will be one of the better projects to come out this year, though.
March 11
Yeat — Afterlyfe
I’ll be honest and say I don’t quite have the best handle on what exactly makes Yeat so damn popular. There’s a unique blend of Gen-Z nihilism and deep-web-bred meme humor I suspect I’m missing (have I finally found myself on the other side of the Lil B equation?), but anyone with eyes can see that he’s having quite the effect on online discourse. Fans are looking forward to his next album, so I’m looking forward to his next album — even if only in hopes of finally “getting it.”
April
Lil Uzi Vert — The Pink Tape
There’s no hard date attached to this one as far as I can tell — and it would be largely useless, considering the release drama around this album so far, as well as Uzi’s last one, Eternal Atake — but Genius has a tentative April release date. Given Uzi has already blown through the original October date and another February one. All that has only served to increase the anticipation surrounding this release — especially since Uzi promised the delays were to ensure the tape wouldn’t “suck.”
Destroy Lonely — If Looks Could Kill
Similarly to Lil Uzi Vert’s Pink Tape, this one is just posited by Genius for an April date, and simliarly to Yeat, there’s a buzzy, grown-up-confusing element to Destroy Lonely’s music that makes him heavily anticipated, but only by those “in the know.” A clear descendant of the SoundCloud Rap era he’s also a rap nepo baby (his dad I-20 was one of Ludacris’ Disturbing Tha Peace artists in the 2000s), but his vibe is very inspired by Trippie Redd and Playboi Carti — whose label he’s signed to.
May
Your guess is as good as mine. None of the usual forums or resources have any information about what might be coming out, but no one on our Most Anticipated Albums Of 2023 list has dropped yet, and just before summer would be an opportune time for anyone looking to dominate the latter half of the year.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Hip-hop’s infatuation with demonic spirits isn’t something new but it seems as though artists like Lil Uzi Vert and Playboi Carti are keeping that tradition alive. Many rappers have explored the evil forces in their music, whether it be Three 6 Mafia or Lil Nas X, who caused a storm after performing a lap dance on a Satanic figure. Some feel as though these individuals are pushing a devilish agenda, while others argue that it’s merely for the purpose of entertainment.
Artists like Lil Uzi Vert haven’t necessarily denied their alleged satan worshipping agenda. Uzi previously got into a back-and-forth with Offset about the use of the upside-down cross, which he felt was symbolic of the occult. “All y’all n***as wearing upside-down crosses, even my little partners, stop that shit,” Offset said. “You look lame. All that worship the devil shit. Get with God man.” It ultimately led to a back-and-forth involving XXXTENTACION and SahBabii. However, Lil Uzi Vert has largely died down on looking like an agent for the devil for more eccentric looks, like his fit at the Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards this past weekend.
It was a big weekend in California as Rolling Loud brought their three-day festivities to the West Coast. Throughout the weekend, fans were treated to some exciting performances from artists like Lil Wayne, Lil Baby, and Playboi Carti, though some felt as though the latter’s set was a bit too demonic. However, Lil Uzi Vert’s Sunday set had people talking, from his hairstyle for the evening, as well as the new records he previewed.
At one point, Uzi performed an unreleased cut that built fans’ excitement for his next release, Pink Tape. However, one bar, in particular, caught everyone off guard. At one point, he raps, “I make a City Girl believe in Satan,” which led to rumors that his girlfriend, JT, joined the occult. Paired with the “Throw up the Roc, ’cause that’s the nation,” bar, Uzi took many people back with the unreleased tune. At this point, Lil Uzi Vert hasn’t expounded on the bar, nor has JT addressed the matter but we’ll keep you posted if either comment on the record. Check out the song snippet above and let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.
Lil Uzi Vert made headlines everywhere when a $24M diamond was implanted in his forehead. Created by popular jeweler Eliantte & Co, the diamond was a rose pink and shaped like an oval. It was right in the middle of his forehead and very eye catching – or distracting. Uzi already has several face tattoos but, this addition takes the art up several notches.
We often see rappers making extravagant purchases but this was in league of its own. And, considering this is Lil Uzi Vert, it lines up well with his vibrant personality. Uzi has often worn extravagant outfits and done even more extravagant things to his hair. He is an excellent example of self expression and confidence. Many people commend him for truly being himself in every way possible. But sometimes, self-expression can have consequences. Like all decisions, they have a cause-and-effect clause and some effects are more impactful than others. Uzi spent a ton of money on his facial diamond, but if you’ve seen any recent videos or pictures of the Philly rapper, you may notice he no longer has it.
Lil Uzi Vert got his diamond implant in February 2021 and by July 2021 it was gone. And apparently, it was not removed voluntarily. It was taken from Uzi during a performance at Rolling Loud Miami. Uzi fans are often as energetic and over the top as he is. Moshpits are common and encouraged at his shows. Uzi has called himself a rockstar multiple times too. Organized chaos is something that’s right up his alley. It’s not surprising someone would attempt to remove it by force. Uzi entered a sea of his fans and this did not end well for him.
Rappers turning up with their fans is a mixed bag situation every time. Some fans can be over eager and sometimes this can get truly out of hand. Sometimes a fan hopes they will get close enough to the artist to do something truly over the top. This is what happened with Lil Uzi Vert. Amongst the excitement, one fan pulled the diamond right out of his forehead.
Lil Uzi Vert’s Diamond Almost Ruined his Life Insurance
Rappers deal with some of the trials of life we go through – at a higher level. Life insurance is something we should all have but we don’t always think about it. Rappers usually have multiple streams of income and spend money as they make it. They also must pay for things like studio time, features and other matters that are in the rap world. But, they also have bills to pay and have to consider things all adults consider.
They have a different lifestyle than most but some things are just mostly unavoidable. Life insurance is one of those things. Lil Uzi Vert was not thinking about it at all when he got his implant. He was surprised that his insurance company contacted him. “I never even thought about my insurance company, like my life insurance. I just started living life…” He said once he heard from them. He was worried his coverage would end.
Lil Uzi Vert decided not to have the diamond re-implanted. Naturally, getting it in the first place was a very long process. He started paying for it in 2017 and did not get it until 2021. For some people, this sounds like an investment. At the end of the day, Uzi had a goal and he carried it out. It ultimately resulted in a loss for him but also a life lesson.
Uzi has stated that he does still have the diamond. Considering all that it has been through, Uzi may be able to make his money back twice over if he sells the diamond. At the same time, he may not even consider selling it for the same reason. The memory of the entire ordeal will be in his mind forever. But, I don’t think any fans will be forgetting about it any time soon either. They will be able to move past it but they’ll always remember it.
Twitter users were quick to compare Uzi’s loss to a pivotal moment from Marvel’s Avengers: Infinity War. In it, a character named Thanos rips a powerful stone from the forehead of another character named Vision. Memes of this moment were already circulating before the “Just Wanna Rock” rapper even lost the diamond. Naturally, they spiked in popularity once the truth came out. Some might call this a situation where manifestation did not bring positive results. Meanwhile, in some recent pictures, a septum-like piercing has replaced the diamond. Since Uzi has moved past the ordeal and is doing fine, the jokes can fly without guilt.
Broccoli City Festival has long been one of Washington, DC’s premiere music festivals, highlighting both local talent and rising stars of the wider music world since its inception in 2013. This year’s lineup continues that tradition, including headliners Brent Faiyaz, Jazmine Sullivan, and Lil Uzi Vert.
Outside of the headliners, the 2023 edition of the Broccoli City Festival also includes Afropop breakouts Asake and Rema, hip-hop it-girls like City Girls, GloRilla, Ice Spice, and Lola Brooke, and R&B standouts Coco Jones and Mariah The Scientist. Naturally, local acts like Fat Trel, Backyard Band, UCB, and more will also appear, with a battle of the bands highlighting the regional go-go sound.
The festival is set to take place on July 15th and 16th at the RFK Festival Grounds in Washington, DC. Tickets and more information can be found here.
Last year’s festival was headlined by Ari Lennox and Summer Walker, with appearances from 21 Savage, Don Toliver, Jeezy, Lil Durk, Masego, Tems, and Wizkid. However, it was also struck by controversy when Wale, widely considered the patron saint of DC hip-hop, declared he was pulling out of the show shortly after its lineup was announced due to feeling “disrespected” by his low placement on the flyer. However, the dispute was quickly resolved, with the flyer being updated to include “and friends” to reflect the outreach he does for local acts.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
Ever since the growing popularity of Lil Uzi Vert’s hit song “Just Wanna Rock,” there has been a conversation as to whether or no the song has replaced Meek Mill’s “Dreams and Nightmares” as Philadelphia’s official anthem. While some believe “Just Wanna Rock” has taken that spot, others belive that it is still “Dreams and Nightmares.” To settle the debate, who better to ask than legendary DJ and producer, and Philly native, DJ Jazzy Jeff.
HipHopDX caught up to DJ Jazzy Jeff where he gave his pick.
“I don’t think you could ever go against Meek Mill’s ‘Dreams and Nightmares,’” Jeff stated. “Lil Uzi’s ‘Just Wanna Rock’ is a dope song. Everybody loves it, but ‘Dreams and Nightmares’ took the city by storm. It took every sports team by storm. So, it’s going to be ‘Dreams and Nightmares’ for me.”
The conversation was first ignited by DJ Drama who said that “Dreams and Nightmares” had been replaced by “Just Wanna Rock.”
“I think it’s fair to say that ‘Just Wanna Rock’ has replaced — with all due respect — ‘Dreams and Nightmares’ as the new anthem of Philadelphia,” Drama said. “The new anthem of the Philadelphia Eagles this year. I’m looking forward to hearing that song many, many times Super Bowl weekend.”
Philadelphia artists are being debated, and one of the city’s icons, DJ Jazzy Jeff, is weighing in. The Rap legend began his career alongside his best friend Will Smith, and soon, the pair were a staple in the mainstream. They were teased about their propensity to avoid violent or sexually explicit lyrics. Instead, DJ Jazzy Jeff and the Fresh Prince—their full stage name—gave us classics like “Parents Just Don’t Understand,” “Girls Ain’t Nothin’ But Trouble,” and “Summertime.”
Recently, fellow Philly artists Meek Mill and Lil Uzi Vert’s names have been entangled in a debate. Fans have discussed whether Uzi’s “Just Wanna Rock” or Meek’s “Dreams and Nightmares” is the anthem for the City of Brotherly Love. HipHopDX caught up with Jeff and wanted him to share his thoughts as a native.
It was DJ Drama who first ignited this conversation. He was stopped by a TMZ cameraperson and offered the hot take. “I think it’s fair to say that ‘Just Wanna Rock’ has replaced — with all due respect — ‘Dreams and Nightmares’ as the new anthem of Philadelphia,” he said. Of course, Uzi was one of Drama’s artists so there may be a bias. “The new anthem of the Philadelphia Eagles this year. I’m looking forward to hearing that song many, many times Super Bowl weekend.”
The comments prompted Meek and Uzi to react. The latter honored his peer, calling Meek “the big homie.” Uzi also acknowledged that it was far too early to compare his new track to Meek’s classic. “That song like been around for a very long time,” said Uzi. “And that song is still hitting exactly the same way. I’m just gonna have to see, you know, in a couple of years or a decade or whatever.” Only time will tell.
DJ Jazzy Jeff Picks His Choice
UNSPECIFIED – CIRCA 1980: DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince (aka Jeff Townes and Will Smith). (Photo by David Corio/Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images)
“I don’t think you could ever go against Meek Mill’s ‘Dreams and Nightmares,’” said the music and television great. “Lil Uzi’s ‘Just Wanna Rock’ is a dope song. Everybody loves it, but ‘Dreams and Nightmares’ took the city by storm. It took every sports team by storm. So, it’s going to be ‘Dreams and Nightmares’ for me.”
(@nojumper)
