Lil Uzi Vert has seemingly addressed the discourse among his fanbase about his latest album, Eternal Atake 2, “missing the mark.”
During a recent appearance on Kai Cenat’s Mafioso 2 marathon Twitch stream, Lil Uzi Vert offered a rare glimpse into his philosophy on releasing music, shedding light on why he chooses not to cater entirely to fans’ demands.
Despite receiving co-signs from a number of artists, including Lucki, Uzi’s newest effort hasn’t been received well by his fans and has many claiming he sounds “washed” on the album.
When Lil Uzi Vert was asked why he doesn’t simply “give the people what they want,” he stressed that while he values his fans’ loyalty, there’s a delicate balance between catering to their desires and staying true to his own creative evolution.
“We always can give ’em what they want, but we got to also do what we want to do,” Lil Uzi Vert explained. For Uzi, adhering too closely to the familiar would not only compromise his growth as an artist but could also stifle the fresh energy that keeps his sound original and his fanbase engaged.
As Cenat pointed out the patterns in the songs fans often request tracks with a similar vibe, such as “Blow The Whistle” and “Backspace,” Uzi touched on a recurring issue that he feels has undermined his releases. In addition to hinting that leaks play a role in what music is made available to fans, he also spoke about how that specific “frequency” that connects with his listeners would cost him much more in the long run than he would gain by rewarding fans with tunes ascribed to the aforementioned vibrations.
“It’s not that I don’t want to give ’em what they want,” he clarified, revealing a more personal reason behind his approach. “When I wanted to give ’em what they want…they invaded my privacy and they let the world hear these sounds.”
He also said leaks of his unfinished work left a lasting impression on Uzi. While he still “loves and values” each of those songs, he noted that fans’ early exposure tarnished his vision.
“I got here by bringing a new sound,” he said. “So it would be very crazy for me to be doing exactly what I was doing when I got here.”
Lil uzi vert explains why he doesn’t give the fans what they want & tries to be innovative pic.twitter.com/9C2uMcmSR3
— 2Cool2Blog (@2Cool2Blog) November 2, 2024
For Lil Uzi Vert, innovation is essential to his identity as an artist, and he’s willing to risk disappointing even his most dedicated supporters to preserve that. But he assured Cenat, “You always still come back and feed your main supporters,” reflecting his gratitude toward those who have stayed with him through his creative shifts.
Though the retrosuperfuturistic sounds of Eternal Atake 2 haven’t truly had a chance to grow on his fans just yet, Uzi’s drive for innovation has paid off over the years.
His last three albums show the undeniable impact of his unique sound. In 2020, the original version of Eternal Atake debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, selling 288,000 units in its first week and later achieving platinum certification by the RIAA. LUV vs. The World 2, released just one week after Eternal Atake as part of a deluxe edition, also performed strongly, peaking at No. 2.
His 2023 album Pink Tape also continued his Billboard success, landing at No. 1 with 167,000 first-week sales, marking his third chart-topping project.
Check out the clip above.