It feels like 2020 all over again. Yesterday, instead of celebrating the Fourth of July, Lil Uzi Vert decided to hint at releasing another full-length project, less than a week removed from dropping their long-awaited third album Pink Tape. Taking to Instagram, the Philadelphia rapper posted a story promising that they’d put out “the album y’all really looking for” if Pink Tape debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200.
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“Get this 2 number one and I will drop the album y’all really looking for,” they wrote.
While it was not immediately clear what potential LP Uzi was alluding to, the edit they made to their Instagram bio shortly after made it evident. Adding the phrase “Luv is rage 3” to their IG page, it now seems that Uzi is prepared to deliver the third rendition of their beloved Luv is Rage album series.
Uzi put out the first Luv is Rage as a mixtape in 2015, catapulting themselves into mainstream trap-rap appeal with songs like “Top” and “Yamborghini Dream” with Young Thug. Two years later, Uzi would drop Luv is Rage 2 as their debut studio album on Aug. 25, 2017. With smash hits like “The Way Life Goes,” “Neon Guts” with Pharrell Williams, and “XO Tour Llif3,” Luv is Rage 2 became Uzi’s first-ever No. 1 album.
The low-key announcement of Luv is Rage 3 on Tuesday came just a couple of days after Chart Data announced that Uzi is projected to reach No. 1 again with Pink Tape. Dethroning Morgan Wallen’s March album One Thing at a Time, which has held the top spot of the Billboard 200 for 17 weeks, Pink Tape will likely become hip-hop’s first No. 1 album of 2023. Additionally, as noted before, this achievement will fulfill Uzi’s requirement to release Luv is Rage 3.
The last time Uzi put out a studio album, dubbed Eternal Atake in March 2020, they followed it up the next week with a 14-song deluxe. The deluxe, titled Eternal Atake (Deluxe): Lil Uzi Vert vs. the World 2, served as the sequel to Uzi’s 2016 mixtape Lil Uzi Vert vs. the World, which included breakout hits like “Money Longer” and “You Was Right.”
While Luv is Rage 3 has not been officially confirmed, and probably won’t be until Pink Tape hits No. 1, it’s clear that Uzi has developed a knack for putting out projects consecutively in a matter of weeks. So, barring any setbacks, it appears fans of Lil Uzi will be able to experience some friendly déjà vu in the very near future.
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