NOTEWRTHY: SZN 2

Hello and welcome back to NOTEWRTHY! Don't worry, 3 months haven't changed much around here.

Despite my 3-ish month hiatus, the world of music has continued to change. Tours have happened, projects have been released, and that means we have a lot to talk about.

Starting off strong, Lil Uzi Vert released their highly-awaited Pink Tape earlier this summer, an exciting project that brought a ton of metal and pop-punk influence to the high-energy hip-hop they are typically known for. From songs with some more typical features like Travis Scott and Nicki Minaj to songs featuring BABYMETAL and Bring Me The Horizon, and even a cover of "Chop Suey!" by System of a Down, this new project showcases a new and exciting direction for Uzi. The experimental nature of this project caused a lot of discourse within the community, but overall, a lot of people felt positively towards this work. It's definitely something to check out.

Continuing with projects that carried a lot of anticipation, Travis Scott finally dropped his project UTOPIA a few weeks ago as well. Travis himself said that this project carried a lot of influence from both his own earlier projects and the works of a common collaborator and longtime inspiration of his, Kanye "Ye" West, and that sentiment is obvious. The project is hard-hitting and epic while also reserving some spots for more mellow and thoughtful tracks. Despite the star-studded feature list, including 21 Savage, Kid Cudi, and Playboi Carti, the album still feels like a true Travis Scott project: an exciting display of energy that is easy for fans both old and new to get into.

In the realm of festivals, this was a packed few months. From Lollapalooza to Pitchfork to Bonaroo, the summer had a lot to offer. Unfortunately, because I don't have infinite money, I was only able to go to one: Summer Smash. Hosted by Lyrical Lemonade, this Chicago-based festival was amazing. Even though it was my first music festival, it certainly made a good first impression. Me and two of my friends went on Saturday, and the lineup was stacked. We went and saw Tee Grizzly, Famous Dex, and G Herbo to open up the day, but the main events, for me at least, happened later in the evening.

The first big event was Lil Uzi Vert's set. Despite being a few minutes late, Uzi's set was full of energy. They brought out songs from everywhere in their discography, like "Ps & Qs", "Myron", and, of course, "XO Tour Llif3". The energy was nothing like I've experienced before, and it was amazing to see it live. Even though the show happened before the release of the aforementioned Pink Tape, Uzi still played a track or two from it to give the crowd a taste of the action.

Immediately after Uzi's set, though, I ran over to see my most anticipated act of the night: Ski Mask the Slump God. I got to his set just in time for him to walk out on stage despite a small delay, and I got a great spot in the middle of the crowd. I had such a good time in that crowd that I didn't even care how hot it was. The adrenaline was enough to keep me in great spirits, and it's now one of my favorite concert experiences ever. He even brought out Nardwuar, which made it even better. He played most of his hits, plus a few unreleased songs as well, and overall kept the crowd hyped the entire time. It was a great experience, and one I can't wait to have again next year.

Obviously, a lot more happened this summer that I can't cover, but this was just a short highlight reel of mine.

Anyway, see y'all next week!