When Lil Uzi Vert‘s Pink Tape debuted atop the Billboard 200 in 2023, the Philly rapper ended the chart’s longest gap between No. 1 rap albums in almost 30 years. A little over a year later, they’re back with a new record called Eternal Atake 2.
A sequel to their 2020 behemoth of the same name, Eternal Atake 2 is a relatively concise 16-track set that finds Uzi returning to the intergalactic explorations that resulted in fan favorites like “Lo Mein” and “Baby Pluto.” Featuring production contributions from a bevy of beatmakers, including Cashmere Cat, WondaGurl, McVertt, Lil 88, Henney Major and Charlie Puth, Eternal Atake 2 notably shifts away from Pink Tape’s preoccupation with punk and metal and instead returns to the pop and R&B-laced trap of Uzi’s earlier work.
Prior to dropping the album, Uzi shared a 30-second teaser jingle, “Uzi The Earthling! (TV Show Theme),” that continued the science fiction bent of the first Eternal Atake and introduced the cosmic reality show they teased through the album’s visuals. While Eternal Atake 2 is a clear improvement on Pink Tape, the album fails to reach the highs of its prequel, with lazy songwriting and an aimless concept marring the more impressive emotional moments tucked away in the back half of the album. Outside of a cameo from Big Time Rush, Uzi handles Eternal Atake 2 entirely on their lonesome — and from introspective rap ballads (“Conceited”) to bass-busting headbangers (“Chips And Dip”), they flaunt their unique versatility across the set.
With three Billboard 200 No. 1 albums and over 100 Billboard Hot 100 entries to their name, Lil Uzi Vert is one of the most successful rappers of their generation — but they don’t really position themselves as a leader with Eternal Atake 2. If anything, the album feels like a rushed — and, at times, desperate — attempt to hit the reset button and take back control of Uzi’s narrative after the tepid response to Pink Tape. Uzi has offered up a sequel that doesn’t do much to expand upon the world establish with Eternal Atake, and that lack of a coherent vision in regard to how the two album exist in relation to each other is painfully evident. Nonetheless, with a song like “Chill Bae” waiting for its moment in the sun, Uzi will always keep at least one hit in their back pocket.
Here’s a ranking of every track on Lil Uzi Vert’s Eternal Atake 2
