Luv Is Rage 2

In November 2016, Lil Uzi Vert initially announced Luv Is Rage 2 that would suffer from numerous delays amid confusion.[1][2] In February 2017, Lil Uzi released an extended play (EP), Luv Is Rage 1.5 containing four tracks for streaming on SoundCloud. It serves as a prequel for Luv Is Rage 2; as well as Uzi previewing snippets of those songs online throughout the whole year.[3] In July 2017, DJ Drama and Don Cannon premiered five songs on their Shade 45 radio show, which were not to be included on the album.[4][5] On August 24, 2017, Lil Uzi unexpectedly announced the release of Luv Is Rage 2 a day before release via social media, including the cover art and track listing.[6]

Luv Is Rage 2 was released on August 25, 2017, for streaming and digital download.[7][8] The deluxe edition of the album was released on November 17, 2017, and included four bonus tracks: "Skir Skirr", "Loaded", "Diamonds All on My Wrist" and "20 Min".[9] The album was released a few days later in Japan, with two additional tracks: "Money Longer" and "Do What I Want", both originally featured on Lil Uzi Vert vs. the World and The Perfect LUV Tape, respectively.[10]

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	75/100[18]
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[19]
Consequence	B[20]
HipHopDX	3.7/5[21]
HotNewHipHop	77%[22]
Pitchfork	7.7/10[23]
RapReviews	6.5/10[24]
Spectrum Culture	[25]
Sputnikmusic	3.0/5[26]
Tiny Mix Tapes	3.5/5[27]
XXL	4/5[28]

Luv Is Rage 2 was met with generally positive reviews. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from professional publications, the album received an average score of 75, based on eight reviews.[18]

Scott Glaysher of XXL gave a positive review, stating "Despite the long-winded nature of the album, Uzi definitely got it right with Luv Is Rage 2. The songs are catchy, the beats are hot and Uzi gives a vocal performance that redefines the term rap rock star".[28] Hip hop website HotNewHipHop stated that "Uzi is changed a person now, more weary of the world, less naively cheerful, and this is reflected on Luv Is Rage 2. If [they do] have a heart, it may soon be blackened. Uzi is feeling vindictive, rather than just being "happy to be here" (as [they were] on Luv Is Rage), [they're] looking, now, for admiration and acknowledgement that's deserved of [them]".[22] Dan Weiss of Consequence said, "Nearly every song on Luv Is Rage 2 comes with a distinct enough hook to break up the limited set of things it does and subjects it ponders".[20] In his review, Aaron McKrell of HipHopDX states, "Luv Is Rage 2 is proof that Lil Uzi Vert is simply an artist who succeeds in making music [they love], for people that hold tightly to [Uzi's] carpe-diem attitude".[21] Corrigan B of Tiny Mix Tapes said, "The breadth of sounds covered will scan as inconsistency to all but the most pious Uzi devotees, but it's hard to imagine anything else serving as a more comprehensive document of rap in 2017".[27]

Neil Z. Yeung of AllMusic said, "Although Uzi'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".[19] Paul Thompson of Pitchfork stated that Luv Is Rage 2 is Lil Uzi Vert's "most musically developed work and features a bulk of [their] most interesting songs to date", as well as commending the subject matter and production, concluding: "Whether [they're] full of joy or howling into the void, [Uzi] pushes [their] songs to their edge, which helps to deliver on the promise shown in [Uzi's] earlier work. We knew Lil Uzi Vert would become one of rap's biggest stars, but Rage 2 suggests that [they] may spend [their] time on top experimenting rather than retreating to a comfort zone."[23] Steve "Flash" Juon of RapReviews wrote: "As for today's singing rappers, Vert fits in comfortably next to the likes of Fetty Wap and French Montana, and I have little qualms with calling [Uzi] a better writer than the latter. The production is a little bit more of a mixed bag."[24] In a mixed review, Sputnikmusic's Robert Lowe stated: "A lot of tracks start off OK, but [Uzi's] flow and style are so unfocused and muddled the songs become a chore to sit through."[26]

Luv Is Rage 2 debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200 with 135,000 album-equivalent units, of which 28,000 were pure album sales.[33] In its second week on the chart, Luv Is Rage 2 moved another 73,000 units bringing the total sales to 208,000.[34] On March 19, 2019, the album was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for combined sales, streaming and track-sale equivalents of two million units.[35]

The album also entered at number 14 on the UK Albums Chart, selling 3,000 album-equivalent units in its first week.[36]

Notes

• ^{^[a]} signifies a co-producer
• ^{^[b]} signifies an uncredited co-producer
• "Two®" features additional vocals from Kesha Lee
• "The Way Life Goes" originally didn't credit featured vocals by Oh Wonder
• "How to Talk" features additional vocals from Dreamdoll
• "XO Tour Llif3" is stylized as "XO TOUR Llif3"

Sample credits

• "The Way Life Goes" contains a sample of "Landslide", written by Josephine Vander West and Anthony Vander West, as performed by Oh Wonder.

Credits were adapted from the album's liner notes and Tidal.[37]

Performers

• Lil Uzi Vert – primary artist
• Oh Wonder – featured artist (track 5)
• Pharrell Williams – featured artist (track 8)
• The Weeknd – featured artist (track 10)

Technical

Production

Additional personnel

• List of Billboard 200 number-one albums of 2017