lil uzi vert xo tour llif3 (y2k remix) 500x500

Like most of Uzi’s other moves though, it’s almost guaranteed to propel him into greater popularity: until now, “XO Tour Llif3” was only available as a Soundcloud loosie, but now that it’s officially on YouTube, it can be considered for the Billboard Hot 100, where it will almost certainly end up next week. All we get is one looped clip of a cartoon Uzi behind the wheel, steering into a colorful vortex while his blunt expels plumes of smoke into the ether. The song just received video treatment, but befitting Uzi’s nontraditional career, it’s not what you’d expect.

Even Marilyn Manson himself commented on that very same video to voice his approval. “XO Tour Llif3” has racked up over 16 million plays on Soundcloud since dropping two weeks ago, and a little over a week after the song’s release, an Instagram video revealed that a crowd in London already knew all of the words. However, all of this is vibrant individuality is definitely paying off for him. He’ll wear Marilyn Manson shirts at shows, declare himself more of a rockstar than a rapper, and allow his shyness (and perhaps depression) to completely derail interviews. It’s rare and difficult for rappers as popular as Uzi to bare their souls this much, but up to this point, the Philadelphia native has shown little fear of breaking the genre’s rules. In a parody video shared on Twitter by the song’s producer, TM88, an actor playing Uzi’s engineer pauses while recording the hook to ask in a concerned tone, “Yo Uzi, you straight brother? There something you need to tell me man?” If you think the mood of “XO Tour Llif3” is pretty emo by hip-hop standards, you’re not alone. They were written by Uzi, a former XXL Freshman who’s collaborated with everyone from Meek Mill to Young Thug.

Surprisingly, these words weren’t penned by My Chemical Romance’s Gerard Way or Paramore’s Hayley Williams. Should’ve saw the way she looked me in my eyes Has mainstream rap officially reached its Hot Topic era? For evidence, look no further than Lil Uzi Vert’s hook on his recent track “XO Tour Llif3”:

Lil uzi vert xo tour llif3 (y2k remix) 500x500