After the steady release of EPs and mixtapes in the three years following their debut, Philadelphia rapper
Lil Uzi Vert
finally issued their first official studio full-length in 2017. A sequel to their 2015 mixtape,
Luv Is Rage 2
celebrated
Uzi
's rapid ascent in the hip-hop world, marking their mainstream breakthrough with the single "XO Tour Llif3" and peaking at the top spot of the Billboard 200. While production -- courtesy of
Don Cannon
,
TM88
Metro Boomin
WondaGurl
, and more -- improved upon that of the mixtapes, the colorful lyrical content remained as dark, hedonistic, and candid as ever, with
layering rhymes about sex and drugs atop vulnerable moments relating to a tough breakup. Despite featuring high-profile guests like
Pharrell Williams
("Neon Guts") and
the Weeknd
("UnFazed"),
fares better on their own, their oddball personality and endearing uniqueness adding flavor to highlights like "Two®" and "Sauce It Up." A sample of
Oh Wonder
's "Landslide" elevates the single "The Way Life Goes," a melodic pop moment that finds
in a tender and yearning state. The catchiness of the track is contrasted by its dour subject matter, giving
an appreciable depth. The hypnotic "For Real" bounces along a blipping beat; provided by
DJ Plugg
and
Bobby Kritical
, it's one of the best-produced moments on the album. For pure thrills, "Early 20 Rager" booms, a stomping standout that injects an undeniable energy into
. Although
's post-breakup pain rears its head throughout the entirety of the album, many of the tracks are too fun to get too bogged down in emotions. ~ Neil Z. Yeung