Lil Uzi Vert

Symere Bysil Woods, known as Lil Uzi Vert, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. Born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, they became well-known for their unique fashion and music that mixes many different styles. Their career began to take off after they released a mixtape called Luv Is Rage in 2015, which led to a record deal with Atlantic Records.

Lil Uzi Vert gained even more attention with their 2016 single "Money Longer", which was part of their mixtape Lil Uzi Vert vs. the World. They later appeared on a very popular song by the Migos called "Bad and Boujee". In 2017, they released their first full album, Luv Is Rage 2, which reached the top of the charts and was very successful. They continued to make music that fans loved, including albums like Eternal Atake and Pink Tape.

Early life

Symere Bysil Woods was born on July 31, either in 1994 or 1995, in the Francisville neighborhood of North Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Growing up, they loved listening to music, starting with artists like Mike Jones and Ying Yang Twins. Later, they were inspired by Wiz Khalifa, Meek Mill, and many other bands and groups.

Woods left school and tried working at a Bottom Dollar store, but quit after just four days. This tough time led them to get their first tattoo and inspired them to focus on their rap career.

Career

2010–2015: Career beginnings

Lil Uzi Vert began rapping in high school after hearing a classmate freestyle over a Chris Brown song. At first, they weren’t sure if they wanted to pursue rap seriously. They formed a group called Steaktown with friends, performing under the name Sealab Vertical. Later, they changed their name to Lil Uzi Vert, inspired by how someone described their rap style as fast, like a machine gun.

Their first project, an EP called Purple Thoughtz Vol. 1, was released in 2014. It featured a unique sound with psychedelic beats. Soon after, they caught the attention of bigger names in the music industry. They signed with Atlantic Records and released their first mixtape, The Real Uzi, later that year. In 2015, they released their second mixtape, Luv Is Rage, which was well-received and helped them gain more recognition.

2016: Breakthrough

In 2016, Lil Uzi Vert released their commercial mixtape Lil Uzi Vert vs. the World, which debuted on the Billboard 200 chart. They also released the single "Money Longer," which became very popular. Later that year, they released The Perfect LUV Tape and collaborated on a mixtape with Gucci Mane.

2017: Luv Is Rage 2

Lil Uzi Vert released the single "Bad and Boujee" with the Migos, which reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100. They also released the EP Luv Is Rage 1.5 and, later in the year, their album Luv Is Rage 2, which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200.

2018–2020: Eternal Atake, Lil Uzi Vert vs. the World 2, and Pluto × Baby Pluto

In 2020, Lil Uzi Vert released their second studio album, Eternal Atake, which debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. Later that year, they released a deluxe version and also collaborated with Future on the project Pluto × Baby Pluto.

2021–present: Red & White, Pink Tape, and Eternal Atake 2

Lil Uzi Vert continued to release music, including the EP Red & White and their third studio album, Pink Tape, which also debuted at number one. They have since teased future projects, including Eternal Atake 2.

Musical style

Lil Uzi Vert is known for their unique and creative style. Their look includes facial tattoos, piercings, and unusual hairstyles, along with fashion that mixes genders. Their music blends different sounds, often compared to rock, and has been called emo rap and punk rap. Critics have praised Lil Uzi Vert for being different and exciting, calling them a rising star to watch.

Lil Uzi Vert draws inspiration from many artists. They mention Marilyn Manson as a major influence and also like the band Paramore. In interviews, they have talked about being inspired by artists such as ASAP Rocky, Pharrell Williams, Kanye West, Simple Plan, Young Thug, Wiz Khalifa, Lil Wayne, and the Ying Yang Twins.

Feuds

Lil Uzi Vert has had some public disagreements with other musicians. They expressed frustration with delays to their album and made comments about the people who managed their music early on.

In 2016, another rapper claimed Lil Uzi Vert was copying his style, which upset Lil Uzi Vert because this rapper mentioned someone else they were having issues with. Later, Lil Uzi Vert had a physical confrontation but it was stopped by security. In 2018, Lil Uzi Vert got into a verbal fight online with another rapper who offered them a contract they felt was too low. This led to more online arguments and a planned diss track that was never officially released. There was also an incident at a coffee shop where Lil Uzi Vert tried to confront this rapper but was stopped by security.

Personal life

Lil Uzi Vert, whose real name is Symere Bysil Woods, was in a relationship with fashion designer Brittany Byrd from 2014 to 2017. Byrd moved from California to study at the Parsons School of Design when she met Woods. Woods wrote several songs about Byrd, and she appeared in the music video for their popular song "Money Longer". In 2017, Woods and Byrd broke up, and Woods announced it with a song called "Stole Your Luv". Since 2019, Woods has been in a relationship with JT from the hip hop duo City Girls.

In July 2022, Woods shared on Instagram that they use they/them pronouns, and later confirmed they identify as gender-nonconforming. In February 2021, Woods revealed they had a large pink diamond implanted in their forehead, inspired by the animated series Steven Universe and rapper Lil B. The diamond was removed in June 2021 but later reimplanted for a performance. Unfortunately, fans pulled it out while Woods was crowd surfing at an event, though they were not seriously hurt and still have the diamond.

After the death of rapper Lil Peep in 2017, Woods decided to stop using drugs and try to live without them. Following the murder of musician XXXTentacion in 2018, Woods asked other rappers for help in creating a foundation to prevent gun violence and support XXXTentacion's family.

Woods is 5 ft 4 in tall, a fact mentioned in their song "Sanguine Paradise".

Satanism allegations

Some people have said that Lil Uzi Vert supports Satan because of certain things they said and did online. In July 2018, Woods told fans they were “going to hell” with them. Woods once used symbols and phrases linked to Satan on their social media, which caused some trouble, including losing their Instagram access for a time. However, in March 2023, Woods explained that any references to Satan were not meant literally and that they do not actually believe Satan exists.

Legal issues

In December 2016, Lil Uzi Vert was arrested in Atlanta for riding a dirtbike without lights or a helmet. After being chased by police, they fell off the dirtbike and tried to run but were caught. The case was later resolved with community service.

In October 2020, Lil Uzi Vert was arrested in Philadelphia after being part of a paintball game that turned into a fight. They shared a video of the incident on Instagram.

In July 2021, Lil Uzi Vert had a disagreement with another artist, which led to a fight. Later that month, claims were made that Lil Uzi Vert hurt someone during this disagreement. In February 2022, they agreed to certain court conditions, including counseling and a protective order.

Discography

Lil Uzi Vert has released several studio albums, including Luv Is Rage 2 in 2017, Eternal Atake in 2020, Pink Tape in 2023, and Eternal Atake 2 in 2024.

They also worked with another artist, Future, on a collaborative album called Pluto × Baby Pluto in 2020.

Awards and nominations