Lil Uzi Vert facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lil Uzi Vert
Woods in 2018
Background information
Birth name	Symere Bysil Woods
Also known as	Orenji Renji Baby Pluto Sasuke Uzi London Leslie Chow Sealab Vertical Boop
Born	(1995-07-31) July 31, 1995 (age 29) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Genres	Hip hop trap emo rap SoundCloud rap mumble rap psychedelic rap rage
Occupation(s)	Rapper singer songwriter
Years active	2010–present
Labels	Roc Nation Atlantic Generation Now
Signature

Symere Bysil Woods (born July 31, 1995), known professionally as Lil Uzi Vert, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. They use they/them pronouns. Born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Lil Uzi Vert first became known after releasing their mixtape Luv Is Rage in 2015. This led to a record deal with Atlantic Records.

Lil Uzi Vert became very popular with their 2016 song "Money Longer". This song was the first single from their mixtape Lil Uzi Vert vs. the World (2016). Another song from that mixtape, "You Was Right", became a top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. In 2016, they were featured on the Migos song "Bad and Boujee", which reached number one on the charts. Lil Uzi Vert then had their own top ten hit with "XO Tour Llif3" in 2017. This song won an MTV Video Music Award for Song of Summer.

"XO Tour Llif3" was also the main song from Lil Uzi Vert's first studio album, Luv Is Rage 2 (2017). This album went straight to number one on the Billboard 200 chart. It was also certified double platinum, meaning it sold over two million copies. In 2018, they were nominated for Best New Artist at the Grammy Awards. After some delays, their second album, Eternal Atake (2020), also debuted at number one. They then released Pluto × Baby Pluto (2020), a joint album with Future. Lil Uzi Vert's third solo album, Pink Tape (2023), also reached number one. It included the popular song "Just Wanna Rock".

Early Life and Music Beginnings

Symere Woods was born on July 31, 1995, in North Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Growing up, they listened to artists like Mike Jones and Ying Yang Twins. Mike Jones' 2005 album was the first one they ever bought. Later, Woods started listening to Wiz Khalifa and Meek Mill, who influenced their music style. When they were about 13, they also began listening to rock bands like Marilyn Manson, Paramore, and My Chemical Romance.

After leaving school, Woods worked briefly at a store. This experience encouraged them to take their rap career seriously. They even got their first face tattoo, the word "Faith," to remind them of this commitment.

Woods started rapping in 2010 after hearing a classmate, William Aston, freestyle. At first, Woods said they "didn't really wanna rap." They formed a group called Steaktown with friends. They later changed their stage name to Lil Uzi Vert because someone said their rap flow was "Fast, like a machine gun." Their first project, an EP called Purple Thoughtz Vol. 1, came out in January 2014. This project helped them get noticed by people in the music industry.

First Steps in Music

After their EP, Lil Uzi Vert caught the attention of producer Don Cannon. Cannon signed Woods to his record label and produced their first mixtape, The Real Uzi, released in August 2014. After this, Woods signed a record deal with Atlantic Records through DJ Drama's label, Generation Now.

After signing with Atlantic, Woods was featured on songs with other artists like Rich the Kid and ASAP Ferg. They also released several songs on SoundCloud, including "No Wait" and "Pressure." In August 2015, they joined Fall Out Boy and Wiz Khalifa on their "Boys of Zummer" tour.

Woods released their second mixtape, Luv Is Rage, on October 30, 2015. This project featured well-known producers and rappers like Wiz Khalifa and Young Thug. It was praised by many music blogs and helped Lil Uzi Vert become known as a "breakout artist of 2015."

Rising to Fame in 2016

Lil Uzi Vert performing at the Hard music festival, July 31, 2016

In January 2016, Woods performed at a show in New York City. In February, they released the song "Money Longer" on SoundCloud. On April 15, 2016, Woods released their third mixtape, Lil Uzi Vert vs. the World. This mixtape was their first to appear on the Billboard 200 chart, reaching number 37. It stayed on the chart for over a year and was eventually certified gold. Woods also went on a joint tour with Kodak Black called the "Parental Advisory" tour.

In June 2016, Lil Uzi Vert was featured in XXL magazine as part of their "2016 Freshman Class." This is a list of rising hip-hop artists. As part of this, Woods performed in a "freshman cypher" with other rappers like Denzel Curry and Lil Yachty. This recognition helped "Money Longer" debut on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song later peaked at number 54 and is now certified double platinum. Another song from Lil Uzi Vert vs. the World, "You Was Right", became Woods' second song to chart, reaching number 40.

On July 12, 2016, Woods announced their fourth mixtape, The Perfect LUV Tape, which was released on their 22nd birthday, July 31. This mixtape debuted at number 55 on the Billboard 200 and is certified gold. In October 2016, Woods was announced as an additional artist for the Weeknd's tour. Woods also announced a collaboration mixtape with Gucci Mane, 1017 vs. the World, released in November 2016.

Luv Is Rage 2 and More Hits

Lil Uzi Vert was featured on the hip-hop group Migos' song "Bad and Boujee", released in October 2016. In January 2017, this song reached number one on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100. This was Lil Uzi Vert's first number one hit. In February 2017, Woods released the EP Luv Is Rage 1.5 while on tour.

One song from the EP, "XO Tour Llif3," became very popular on SoundCloud. Its popularity led to it being released as an official single. On April 4, 2017, "XO Tour Llif3" debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 and reached number seven. It became Lil Uzi Vert's highest-charting solo song and was certified six-times platinum.

Their album Luv Is Rage 2 was delayed for a while. However, "XO Tour Llif3" was confirmed to be on the album. Woods was also featured on Playboi Carti's song "Wokeuplikethis", released in April 2017. They performed this song together at Coachella 2017. In August 2017, Luv Is Rage 2 was announced for a surprise release. It came out on August 25, with "XO Tour Llif3" as the main single. The album debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart and has since been certified platinum. It also had ten songs that charted on the Billboard Hot 100. Lil Uzi Vert also performed "XO Tour Llif3" with Ed Sheeran at the Video Music Awards.

In September 2017, Woods hinted at a possible sequel to Lil Uzi Vert vs The World and a project with Playboi Carti called 16*29. A joint tour with Playboi Carti was announced but later canceled. In October 2017, Woods headlined a music festival in Brooklyn, New York. They were also featured on Nav's song "Wanted You". In December 2017, the music video for "The Way Life Goes" was released, featuring a remix with rapper Nicki Minaj. The song reached number 24 on the Billboard Hot 100.

Eternal Atake and New Projects

In January 2018, Woods announced they had finished a mixtape with producer Wheezy. In May 2018, it was confirmed that a new project would be released. In July 2018, Woods tweeted "Eternal Atake", their second studio album, saying it was "coming soon." The album's cover art referenced the logo of a group called Heaven's Gate. The song "New Patek" was released in September 2018, thought to be the first single from Eternal Atake. Woods was also featured on Lil Pump's song "Multi Millionaire".

In April 2019, it was announced that Woods had signed with Roc Nation. Two new songs, "Sanguine Paradise" and "That's a Rack," were released. On December 13, 2019, Woods released "Futsal Shuffle 2020", the main single for Eternal Atake. They then released "That Way" on March 1, 2020. Eternal Atake was released on March 6, 2020, earlier than expected. It debuted at the top of the Billboard 200 chart.

On March 12, 2020, Woods announced that a deluxe version of Eternal Atake would be released the next day. This deluxe version, titled Lil Uzi Vert vs. the World 2, had fourteen new songs with guest artists like Chief Keef, 21 Savage, and Future. The album had a huge number of streams, making it one of the most streamed albums since 2018.

On April 24, 2020, Woods released a new song called "Sasuke." On July 21, 2020, Woods and Future hinted at a joint project called Pluto x Baby Pluto. They released two new songs, "Patek" and "Over Your Head," on Uzi's birthday, July 31. Pluto x Baby Pluto was released on November 13, 2020, and reached number two on the Billboard 200. A deluxe version with more songs was released a few days later.

Recent Projects: Red & White and Pink Tape

Lil Uzi Vert (second from left) performing with Yeat at The Fonda Theatre in California, May 13, 2022

In late 2020, Woods started sharing new songs on Instagram that sounded like their earlier music. On July 16, 2021, they announced their upcoming album would be called The Pink Tape. Woods also mentioned other projects, including Forever Young and a follow-up to Luv Is Rage 2. On October 29, 2021, Lil Uzi Vert released the song "Demon High".

On July 12, 2022, Woods announced an EP called Red & White, which was released ten days later. In October 2022, they released their song "Just Wanna Rock". This song became very popular on TikTok. "Just Wanna Rock" reached number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming their highest-charting song since Eternal Atake.

On June 30, 2023, Woods released their third solo studio album, Pink Tape. It had 26 songs and featured artists like Travis Scott, Nicki Minaj, and Bring Me the Horizon. Pink Tape debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. This made Lil Uzi Vert one of only three hip-hop artists in the 21st century to have their first three studio albums reach the top spot. It was also the first hip-hop album of 2023 to top the charts.

After Pink Tape, Woods hinted at a fifth mixtape called Barter 16. However, many songs from Barter 16 were leaked online, leading to the project being stopped. While on tour for Pink Tape, Woods mentioned an album called Luv Is Rage 3 and suggested they might retire after their fourth studio album. In October 2024, Woods began teasing Eternal Atake 2.

Musical Style and Influences

Critics often describe Lil Uzi Vert's music as unique and experimental. Their rap style has been compared to rock music, and their music is sometimes called emo rap or punk rap. They have also been described as a lo-fi rapper.

Lil Uzi Vert has a distinctive look, known for their facial tattoos, piercings, unique hairstyles, and fashion style. They often use a melodic approach in their trap songs.

Lil Uzi Vert has said that Marilyn Manson is their "greatest inspiration." They are also a fan of the band Paramore and its lead singer, Hayley Williams. In an interview, Lil Uzi Vert mentioned other artists who influenced them, including ASAP Rocky, Pharrell Williams, Kanye West, Young Thug, Wiz Khalifa, and Lil Wayne.

Personal Life

Woods was in a relationship with fashion designer Brittany Byrd from 2014 to 2017. Byrd appeared in the music video for Woods' song "Money Longer." Since 2019, Woods has been in a relationship with JT from the hip hop duo City Girls.

In July 2022, Woods announced on Instagram that they use they/them pronouns. This was later confirmed by their spokesperson. In 2023, Woods confirmed that they identify as gender-nonconforming.

In February 2021, Woods revealed they had a 10-carat pink diamond implanted in their forehead. They had planned this since 2017. Woods said the idea came from the animated series Steven Universe and from rapper Lil B. They had the diamond removed in June of the same year. They had it put back in for a performance but later said that fans accidentally pulled it out while they were crowd surfing. Woods was not seriously hurt and still has the diamond. They have since replaced it with a barbell piercing.

Woods is 5 feet 4 inches (163 cm) tall.

Discography

Studio albums

• Luv Is Rage 2 (2017)
• Eternal Atake (2020)
• Pink Tape (2023)
• Eternal Atake 2 (2024)

Collaborative albums

• Pluto x Baby Pluto (with Future) (2020)

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Lil Uzi Vert para niños

• List of hip hop musicians
• Music of Philadelphia