Lil Uzi Vert dropped two surprise songs this week and in conjunction with news that they had signed with Jay-Z’s music management and distribution company.
The Grammy-Award nominated rapper had been silent on social media for nearly seven months but returned Monday to promote the releases of “Chanel Boy” and “Relevant.” The songs were released independently, despite Uzi’s new association with ROC Nation, whose only other artists are Jay-Z and Rihanna.
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Lil Uzi Vert had been signed to Atlantic Records since 2017, initially as part of the label’s Philly-based Generation Now imprint – a business relationship that involved public disputes and hackers leaking music. Their most recent album with the label was 2024’s “Eternal Atake 2.” The move to ROC Nation allows the rapper to own the rights to their master recordings, the company said in a press release.
“UZI is a global icon and a dynamic force in the music industry, so we’re thrilled to work together with them in this new capacity,” Krystian Santini, president of ROC Nation Distribution, said in the statement. “Our partnership is centered around empowering UZI to continue building their legacy, with full creative control and the resources to take their artistry to new heights.”
“Chanel Boy” and “Relevant” are Lil Uzi’s first new tracks in more than a year. Both were released with music videos, and the songs show the artist returning to their experimental production style and playful lyrics, which often include plenty of brand name drops. The video for “Chanel Boy” begins with a car doing burnouts in the parking lot outside Franklin Music Hall in Callowhill. Later in the video, it’s revealed that the tire marks the car created look like logo for the French luxury fashion brand named in the song’s title.
The rapper’s last album, “Eternal Atake 2” debuted at No. 3 on the Billboard 200 last November, but the artist has been relatively quiet since, only surfacing to be featured on rapper Don Toliver’s 2024 album “HARDSTONE PSYCHO” and releasing a 29-second song, “Uzi The Earthling! (TV Show Theme).”
Lil Uzi Vert, 31, was born Symere Bysil Woods and grew up in North Philly’s Francisville neighborhood. Their hit “Just Wanna Rock” off the 2022 album “Pink Tape” became an anthem during the year’s Philadelphia Eagles’ Super Bowl run and inspired players, like Jason Kelce, to show of their dance moves along the way.
The song is the subject of a $110 million federal lawsuit filed by New York artist Rief Rawyal, who claims the rapper and his former management team with Atlantic Recordscopied elements of his song “Pain and Pleasure.”
“Chanel Boy” and “Relevant” are available on all music streaming platforms. Watch the videos below:
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