ALBUM REVIEW: Eternal Atake 2
In 2020, Lil Uzi Vert released what was at the time their most awaited and experimental album Eternal Atake. After four years, listeners now have the sequel to one of Uzi’s most iconic projects. Eternal Atake 2 is a pivot as originally Uzi stated they planned to retire after releasing Luv is Rage 3, but elected not to and released this album instead.
Philadelphia rapper Lil Uzi Vert is one of several rappers who exploded in popularity after the 2016 XXL Cypher. Their mixtapes such as Luv is Rage and Lil Uzi Vert vs. the World helped shape the sound of melodic rap in the mid to late 2010’s.
Final Album Rating: 5.5/10
Favorite Songs: Chill Bae / PerkySex
Least Favorite Songs: The Rush / Meteor Man
The first stretch of the album is the worst by far. Of the first 5 songs, only one of them stand out. The others are either very forgettable or bad. The intro is a flat start to the album, and the third song ‘Meteor Man’ is one of the worst songs on the album. With things not getting much better until the sixth song ‘Not An Option’ the beginning of Eternal Atake 2 is one of the worst starting stretches of an album in Uzi’s career.
If the intro ‘We Good’ is meant to set the tone of the album, it sets a monotonous and uninspired one. The production is bland, as there is nothing notably complimenting the bass. This leads to a beat that feels like it drones on forever. Uzi’s cadence barely changes throughout the song, which in combination with the instrumental makes their performance forgettable.
Quality upticks a bit in the next song ‘Light Year (Practice).’ Uzi’s rapping is better here, and the synths accompanying the bass tie the production together smoothly. This song is one of few on the album that sound like a sequel to Eternal Atake.
The next three songs send the album back into a decline. ‘Meteor Man’ sees Uzi at their worst lyrically. Most of the song is Uzi repeating meaningless or cringey phrases.
“She give me dome, huh, she gave me head like a comb,”
Lil Uzi, Meteor Man
‘Paars In The Mars’ continues this pattern of the chorus being another set of lazy repetition. There are enough fun lyrics and bright spots in the instrumental to save this song from being as bad as ‘Meteor Man.’ Uzi has always worn their interests on their sleeve, this time using cartoons to joke about recreational drug use.
“I’m so high off medication I can’t stand it. I just saw the reaper like I’m Billy and Mandy.”
Lil Uzi, Paars In The Mars
‘The Rush’ is the biggest waste of a song on the album up to this point. Having Big Time Rush appear and not perform a verse was a waste of a golden opportunity. Uzi’s performance is lackluster and the chorus is another instance of mindless repetition. What could’ve been a trap-infused pop banger that called upon years of nostalgia ended up being a disappointment.
Fortunately, the streak of bad songs ends with ‘Not an Option.’ Uzi displays more rapping ability on this song than they have on the entire album up to this point. This song is the best display of Uzi’s melodic talent to this point as well. The flow switches and catchy interlude make ‘Not An Option’ the closest Uzi has been to being back on form.
This spurt of momentum is undercut slightly as ‘She Stank’ is decent but wastes potential. The verses, while decent, don't stand out from anything else on the album. The hook is another repetition of phrases, however it’s more energetic than the other instances of this on the album.
The next three songs solidify a problem with the album that undermines the theme of the album. ‘Mr Chow’ and ‘ Lyft Em Up’ both sound more reminiscent of songs from Uzi’s 2015 mixtape Luv Is Rage than anything from Eternal Atake.
Driving bass accompanied by emphatic horns on ‘Mr Chow’ is strikingly remnant of the production on ‘Banned From TV,’ a single from Luv Is Rage. ‘Lyft Em Up’ follows this pattern but with less enthusiasm. Another repetitive hook over a bare instrumental slows the album’s momentum.
‘Chips and Dip’ is a breath of fresh air. The bass in this song is distorted and gives the same effect of speakers shaking in a car with music on full blast. This in combination with a catchy hook and frequent flow switches makes for an engaging listen. In another showcase of fun lyrics about things he enjoys, Uzi likens the abundance of their wealth to the physique of wrestler Bobby Lashley.
“Pockets strong like some arms, look like Bobby Lashley.”
Lil Uzi, Chips and Dip
In the next four songs, Uzi sings more than they have at any point in the album. This section is much better than the rap-heavy introductory part of the album. Although inconsistent, it is here that Uzi gives some of the best performances of the entire project.
‘Black Hole’ is decent. Uzi’s singing here isn’t bad. However, in comparison to the rap schemes in the song, the singing is uninteresting. Despite being more pronounced than it is on most songs on the album, the autotune doesn’t enhance or compliment any element of the song.
The next song, ‘Chill Bae,’ is by far the best song on the album. The hook is one of the catchiest Uzi has ever performed. The lyrics describe a relationship that is slowly wearing thin. The vulnerability of the subject matter makes for the most well written and structured lyrics on the song. Simple production allows for the lyricism to shine through in this song.
“Tears on my face, they droppin’ and they pour right down. ‘Cause I know what you really are, he aint know right now. / And I know I’ll buy you anything in store right now. Man, our love, yeah, it feels like a chore right now, yeah.”
Lil Uzi, Chill Bae
‘Goddard Song’ feature one of the most unique vocal performances on the album. The chorus is memorable because of Uzi’s experimental vocal inflections. The rest of the song is a letdown however. The rapping is nothing of note, and the transitions from rapping to singing aren’t smooth.
The next song is the funniest song Uzi has ever made. ‘PerkySex’ sees Uzi dedicate a song to their enjoyment of sex while under the influence of Percocet tablets. The hook is fun to sing along to — and the lyrics are hilarious. The instrumental changes genres twice. The first switch is to a 90’s RnB style instrumental. And the second switch is a Jersey club dance beat. Both transitions are smooth and help keep the song engaging.
The last two songs differ starkly in quality. The penultimate song ‘Conceited’ is a bright spot on the album. ‘Conceited’ is one of the better songs on the album as it sees Uzi be more vulnerable than almost any other song.
With there being a clear subject, Uzi’s writing on this song is more focused than it is in most of the album. This time, it’s navigating a messy relationship. The chorus is one of the best on the album. The verse is well written aside from a few nonsensical lines near the end of it. The background vocals near the end compliment Uzi’s well, leading to one of the best aural moments on the album.
“Melatonin, her skin is like melanin. She give me head and she like Excedrin.”
Lil Uzi, Conceited
‘Space High’ closes the album out. It is little more than Uzi embracing their nonsensical side completely. The chorus is longer than the verse and features some flow switches that keep it engaging, although some of the lyrics are laughably bad. Outside of typical brag raps, the verse is little more than Uzi just putting words together.
Eternal Atake 2 isn’t a bad album, but it fails to live up to the lofty expectations set by the first installment. The inconsistency in quality hampers what could’ve been a great release. This coupled with much of the album sounding more like a Luv Is Rage continuation than a sequel to Eternal Atake leaves much to be desired.
The album suffers heavily from bad writing. Much of the album is filled with lazily repeated lyrics that drag down any song they’re in. The beginning of the album is one of the worst stretches of music in Uzi’s career. The second half is much better, but the standout melodic songs aren’t enough to compensate for the recurring monotony this album is plagued by.
Micheal Jacobs III is a staff writer for The Palmetto. He thinks Jordan versus Lebron is the most overrated debate ever. His main focuses are music, basketball and combat sports. If you have a comment or tip for Micheal, feel free to contact him on social media or through email.
Reach Micheal at micheal@thepalmetto.org