It is widely accepted that Lil Uzi Vert is one of the best performers in hip hop right now, when he shows up. Although Uzi is notorious for cancelling sets at the last minute, he has put on many amazing performances at Rolling Loud, the multiple-location festival whose lineups his name pretty much always pops up on. Not only are Uzi's songs tailored for a stadium setting, his sassy shoulder rolls and wild stage dives make his shows incredibly captivating.
Rolling Loud held their Bay Area iteration this past weekend and many were disappointed to see that Uzi's slot was missing from the list of livestreamed sets. It was unclear why this was the case until the festival's co-founder and owner, Tariq Cherif, provided an explanation in an Instagram post. In a recap of the otherwise successful weekend, Cherif lamented that Roc Nation denied permission for Uzi's set to be livestreamed. "I trust they will reconsider that for future shows after they see how many people want to see him," Cherif wrote. This caption was written on a photo of Cherif with Uzi, the latter holding a massive, iced-out Rolling Loud chain, which appears to have been a gift for his services.
After a protracted period of Uzi expressing his frustrations about being signed to DJ Drama's Generation Now label, in March, it was announced that Roc Nation would free the Philly rapper from his deal and take him under its wing. It's unfortunate to see that Uzi is now under another label's dictatorial rule that fails to prioritize his fans.
