Perfection takes time, a reality further proven by the fact that people still say shit like "perfection takes time" after all these years. As the wait for the embattled Eternal Atake presumably stands to draw to a close at some point in 2019, those who've worked closely with Lil Uzi Vert have pointed to perfectionism as a contributing factor in the ever-changing nature of a project that boasts the always-worth-repeating distinction of having allegedly pissed off surviving Heaven's Gate devotees.
In a recent interview with Genius published following the delayed release of Uzi's "Sanguine Paradise" and "That's a Rack," the manager for the Philadelphia-based Working on Dying collective gave a bit of insight on the behind-the-scenes moves that resulted in that delay, as well as the confusion surrounding the recent "Free Uzi" drop. Working on Dying's Oogie Mane and Brandon Finessin, notably, produced the "Do It"-sampling "Sanguine Paradise" and have a years-deep history with Uzi.
Their manager, Finesse, was also kind enough to give a worthy update on Eternal Atake, which he says has now gone through as many as 11 different incarnations, though he was cautious not to offer up anything firm with regards to a release schedule.
"[Uzi's] one of the most creative people that I've ever met in my life, and that's tough man," Finesse told Genius. "It's tough because he's such a perfectionist that we've probably had 11 versions of Eternal Atake. He records every day. But he's not gonna put it out until he feels like every one is to his liking, and sometimes that pace is gonna be slower than what his fans like. So we get it. We understand, but equally speaking he's working on the best music of his life. That's gonna take time."
Comparing the current assortment of possible album cuts to a closet full of shoes when you’re packing for a week-long trip, Finesse said Eternal Atake was "close" to being finished.
The public back-and-forth between Uzi and Generation Now, which released his studio debut Luv Is Rage 2 with Atlantic back in 2017, has added a fresh layer of confusion to the current status of Uzi's label relationships. As you'll recall, Uzi rapped that he was "tryna figure out how I'm gon' get out my deal" on his Shabazz PBG collab "Shells" last December.
Last month, TMZ came through with a report alleging that Uzi was indeed searching for a new deal. Specifically, Uzi was reported at the time as wanting to renegotiate his Generation Now contract.
