Future and Lil Uzi Vert are two of the most renowned artists in all of trap. Adding to their dominant chart success, both have had excellent years as Hndrxx’s High Off Life and Uzi’s Eternal Atake were some of the best-received projects in the genre. Being on top of the game, the two superstars have decided to come together for a brand new collaboration album titled Pluto x Baby Pluto. With the latest installment in a series that spans from Drake to Young Thug, can Future show he is just as capable of making musical greatness with a younger, more flashy, and creative genius in Lil Uzi Vert?
Showcased from the get-go with the atmospheric “Stripes Like Burberry” and built upon with moments like the lawless “That’s It” and “Plastic”, Future and Lil Uzi seem to have the time of their lives together. Even though most of the songwriting is wacky and ridiculous, it’s super entertaining to hear the two’s lively chemistry playout bar to bar. “Bought a Bad B*tch” showcases this formula thriving as the two play around with the idea of being able to lure women purely with their money. Continuing these themes, “She Never Been to Pluto” and “Off Dat” continue to raise this banter with even more vulgar themes. Throughout the LP, Future is continually reinventing himself as he utilizes different flows, rhyme schemes, and deliveries to make one of his career’s most unique performances. On the other side of this is Uzi Vert, who keeps things pretty grounded to his usual status quo. While this same spaced-out style worked on his previous two records, songs like “Sleeping on the Floor” and “Drankin N Smokin” are evidently held back by the 26 year old’s inability to adapt. Despite Future bailing him out at times, Uzi doesn’t payback the favor, and it’s clear as both suffer on the horrendously generic “Marni on Me” and over the top “Million Dollar Play”. Making things worse, the bloated and lazily curated 16 song tracklist is a chore to get through. No other moments are more frustrating than “Lullaby” and “Rockstar Chainz” as they’re plainly two solo tracks from Uzi and Future, respectively. Turning things around, the trap gods send us off with one of the best three-track runs of the year in “I Don’t Wanna Break Up”, “Bankroll”, and “Moment of Clarity”. Even with an evidently rushed creative process, Future and Lil Uzi Vert are able to keep together an overall positive experience.
On the side of production, DJ ESCO does a solid job of making sure the soundtrack was intuitive while also staying true to both artists. Though he only created three instrumentals, the star-studded list of beat-makers is what makes Pluto x Baby Pluto an ever binding sonic journey. Whether it’s Zaytoven’s “Real Baby Pluto” or Wheezy’s “That’s It”, most instrumentals are thoroughly crafted hard-hitting trap bangers. Seen on cuts like “I Don’t Wanna Break Up” and “Bankroll”, the psychedelic background and intoxicating synths show a bias towards Lil Uzi Vert’s pallet. Still, Future gets his fair share of signature moments as “Sleeping on the Floor” and “Bought a Bad B*tch” embody the style that made his early work so beloved. “Drankin N Smokin” was a definite standout as its sampled guitar riff makes for an intricate pattern and emotional ride. London on da Track’s “Plastic” was also impressive with its chopped up orchestral horn and string sections. With a consistently above-average soundtrack that only crumbles from its vocal counterparts, Pluto x Baby Pluto continues to show producers’ importance in trap.
While not being as ruthless as SUPER SLIMEY or as ambitious as What a Time To be Alive, Pluto x Baby Pluto is a good addition to Lil Uzi Vert’s ever-expanding discography and an even better one to Future’s. Although it shouldn’t have been anywhere near 54 minutes, the LP thrives at showing a fun adventure into the lives of hip hops most careless stars. The biggest positive has to be Future’s artistic growth as he seems to have reached a new level with the most stylistically courageous performance of his career since Save Me. The records downside is surely on Uzi as he fumbles a handful of songs and verses. Walking away from this project, Pluto x Baby Pluto will undoubtedly be remembered for the moment in time it represents as it’s most likely the first and last full length collaboration we will ever see between Future and Lil Uzi Vert.
Rating: 6.1/10
Pros:
- Future and Uzi at their best is so much fun
- Future shows artistic growth
- Solid production all around.
- Handful of bangers
Cons:
- Lil Uzi underperforms overall
- 16 Songs, 54 minutes is way too long of a run time
Written by: Mr. Fantastic
Scored and edited by: Mr. Fantastic founder and owner of Fantastic Hip Hop
