Yes. We are right…
[Video][Website]
[4.86]
Micha Cavaseno: Pop-rap polymorph Lil Uzi Vert might be presumed to be a bizarre anomaly to the current rap climate: a dandelion of a wilting sing-rapper hailing from Philadelphia, who sounds like an ATLien. The fact is, while he often gets paired with one of his key influences, Young Thug, his spiritual big brother is Kid Cudi. Like Mescudi before him, Uzi’s songs are highly emotive but consist of throwaway raps made to get to the choruses, and usually built off emulation of other rappers styles. “Ps & Qs” is Fetty Wap as if shuffled by Todd Rundgren, “Money Longer” is Chief Keef circa-Almighty So trapped in an EDM swell. As far as “You Was Right,” it’s the Metro Boomin enhancing the dawdling melodies of Zaytoven and turning them into digital melancholia that’d make Boards of Canada proud while Uzi woodsheds late-period Future into teen heartbreak. “Woodshedding” being the essential term here, because it isn’t until the second verse that Uzi really has a verse to offer and his third abandons his original structure to extend the chorus into more scenes of uncomfortable drama. There isn’t a proper song here, per se, which makes “You Was Right” such a surprisingly successful record when you get past how well it can communicate beyond the inconsistency of its sender.
[6]
Crystal Leww: Metro Boomin is right in the middle of his wave of rap radio dominance. Unlike his immediate predecessors DJ Mustard and Mike WiLL, his production style feels more flexible, unconfined by bpm or particular atmospherics. What I notice the most is the drums, which seem like they are made from the same set of samples. As such, he’s managed to avoid rap fan fatigue for the most part, and as long as huge personalities like Lil Uzi Vert manage to keep turning in tracks full of personality, we’ll have more time with Metro Boomin’s wave of rap radio dominance.
[6]
Anjy Ou: To whom much is given, much is expected. Lil Uzi Vert is squandering what he has here — a fantastic beat by Metro Boomin’, intriguing visuals from Spike Jordan, and all he gives us is about eight IDGAF bars about a woman’s feelings. If he can’t be bothered that much, then neither can I.
[3]
Jonathan Bradley: I don’t know much about Lil Uzi Vert — sorry, I tuned out of rap for a year kinda — but after hearing his verse on “Bad and Boujee,” I expected something more abrasive, more divisive, the way someone like Lil B used to be. “You Was Right,” though, is agreeable and unremarkable, floating and melodic but never distinct. “…I was wrong” is an intriguing hook, but nothing about the rest of the song is interesting enough for me to even want to figure out whether his line about running to the restroom is literally about needing to take a shit.
[5]
Ryo Miyauchi: This isn’t quite Uzi Vert’s “you made it a hot line, I made it a hot song” moment. His hook gives diminishing returns, and by the time he explores the more interesting part of his chorus, it has come a bit too late. But even if it’s too brief, Uzi Vert rapping about relationship drama is always a treat. Maybe someone else will expand his “talk about a broken heart, run into the restroom” line into a proper, narrative-heavy rap.
[6]
Will Adams: Those backing bells kinda sound like Björk’s “Crystalline,” so that’s fun. Uzi’s narrative is interesting for the brief moments it’s around, but I wish it had been used in the service of a fully fleshed out song.
[5]
Alfred Soto: A snapping nothing, a trap without a mouse. Uzi wasn’t the best part of “Bad and Boujee” anyway.
[3]