Lil Uzi Vert Says Sobriety's Helped His Creative Process

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Nickelodeon's 2023 Kids' Choice Awards - Arrivals
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MARCH 04: Lil Uzi Vert attends Nickelodeon's 2023 Kids' Choice Awards at Microsoft Theater on March 04, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic)

Lil Uzi Vert says he's been able to "think more clearly" once he stopped doing drugs.

At one point in time, Lil Uzi Vert’s drug use became a concern for their fans. Not necessarily due to their behavior online or on stage but simply because we began witnessing plenty of rappers die from overdosing. Following Lil Peep’s death, Uzi said that they would no longer be consuming drugs. By last summer, the “Just Wanna Rock” rapper said they have been completely sober. It’s a complete 180 from the times when they rapped about the endless use of opioids.

It seems as though they might prefer sobriety these days. TMZ recently caught up with the Philadelphia rapper who explained that they unlocked new levels of creativity by abstaining from drug use, even though they initially felt sobriety would have the opposite effect. “I thought that my creative process wasn’t gonna be the same because I wasn’t on drugs no more,” he said. He explained that he’s able to “think more clearly,” which will likely have an effect on his upcoming album Pink Tape.

Lil Uzi Vert Encourages Sobriety

The rapper explained that their recent visits to the studio have found them in an even more focused space. “It made sense,” Uzi said of the decision to go drug-free. They added that they aren’t necessarily throwing sh*t on the wall to see what sticks. Instead, he’s exploring different themes and topics more thoroughly. “It wasn’t like I just made random music,” he continued. “I didn’t just play off the beat. I actually made songs with topics this time.” He encouraged his peers to consider doing the same, stating, “It can change your life.”

Lil Uzi Vert’s latest comments come shortly after he clarified his lyric about his City Girl partner, JT. Following his controversial lyric from his Rolling Loud performance, he explained that he doesn’t actually believe in Satan. “Basically, I make a girl do whatever I say so,” he said. Instead, Uzi said that they were simply practicing their right to freedom of speech, though the intentions were never to offend anyone. “If they don’t like it, they have the option to turn it off,” he said. Afterward, he confirmed that Pink Tape would arrive in the next two months. 

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About The Author
Aron A. is a features editor for HotNewHipHop. Beginning his tenure at HotNewHipHop in July 2017, he has comprehensively documented the biggest stories in the culture over the past few years. Throughout his time, Aron’s helped introduce a number of buzzing up-and-coming artists to our audience, identifying regional trends and highlighting hip-hop from across the globe. As a Canadian-based music journalist, he has also made a concerted effort to put spotlights on artists hailing from North of the border as part of Rise & Grind, the weekly interview series that he created and launched in 2021. Aron also broke a number of stories through his extensive interviews with beloved figures in the culture. These include industry vets (Quality Control co-founder Kevin "Coach K" Lee, Wayno Clark), definitive producers (DJ Paul, Hit-Boy, Zaytoven), cultural disruptors (Soulja Boy), lyrical heavyweights (Pusha T, Styles P, Danny Brown), cultural pioneers (Dapper Dan, Big Daddy Kane), and the next generation of stars (Lil Durk, Latto, Fivio Foreign, Denzel Curry). Aron also penned cover stories with the likes of Rick Ross, Central Cee, Moneybagg Yo, Vince Staples, and Bobby Shmurda.