Why I Actually Really Like Lil Uzi’s XO Tour Life…
Rapper/Singer/Songwriter Lil Uzi Vert often gets a bad wrap for being one of the members of the all-too-often complained about “mumble rappers.” Out of this group he is, in my opinion, one of the best. He actually does have an air of musicality in a lot of his tracks and even though he is sometimes quite literally moaning over the production, the song’s are surprisingly catchy. His most recent track, XO Tour Life is no exception.
The song’s production stands for itself. The lilting compressed synths are reminiscent of an 80s vibe which evokes late night high way car rides. I din’t think too much of this song until I read an article about it on rap genius. The article covered various interpretations of the song’s lyrics as they initially come off as very punk rock angst. The repeated line “all my friends are dead” especially sticks out. One of the interpretations that the article suggested is that the ‘dead friends’ referred to in the song actually referred to dead presidents — a slang term sometimes used in rap for money due to the fact that American bills feature their ‘dead presidents.’
This adds an entirely meaning to the song, making it not so much an angsty hood song with a synthy beat — but more of a ballad in which Lil Uzi reflects on his friends and girlfriend leaving him, being replaced with money as his fame has escalated. This interpretation, wether or not it was actually Lil Uzi’s intention, gives the song an entirely new meaning for me and makes it a really good track in my opinion. Take a listen for yourself after reading this and see if it’s any different for you. Either way, this is one of his best tracks in a while and I’m hoping for more songs in a similar direction in the future.
