Lil Uzi Vert seems to have hinted that their latest album, Eternal Atake 2, was released mainly to meet contractual obligations and exit their label deal. The sequel to Uzi’s hit 2020 album faced a lukewarm reception from fans and critics when it dropped earlier this month.
Speculation about the album’s purpose intensified after a fan commented on Uzi’s recent Instagram post: “So you pulled a Frank Ocean and EA 2 was your Endless to get out of your deal?” While Uzi didn’t respond directly, they liked the comment, implying there might be some truth to the label-related theory.
Eternal Atake 2 debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200. It sold just 59,000 equivalent units in its first week. This marked a significant drop compared to Uzi’s previous releases. The album also earned a disappointing 51/100 score on Metacritic, marking the lowest critical rating of their career.
The fan’s comment refers to Frank Ocean’s strategy in 2016. The R&B star released the visual album Endless to fulfill his Def Jam contract. Shortly after, he independently dropped the critically acclaimed Blonde. Reflecting on that strategic move in a 2019 GayLetter interview, Frank said: “I feel at peace with all that. I feel like the best outcome for myself was that outcome, and I feel proud of what I was able to get done with it.” He added, “There was certainly noise within the industry about it… That situation probably won’t ever happen again in the same way.”
As for Uzi, it’s unclear if they plan to follow Eternal Atake 2 with another project soon, such as the anticipated Luv Is Rage 3.
Leave a Reply