Lil Uzi Vert didn’t get to play Lollapalooza on Friday (July 31), so they gave the crowd something else: an EP, a birthday and an uninvited appearance on someone else’s stage. The rapper turned 31 that day and released Maverick “Almost Forever,” their first project since 2024’s Eternal Atake 2, the same day Lollapalooza’s officials canceled their set, Complex reports.
Uzi had been slotted to play Chicago’s Grant Park ahead of Friday headliner Charli xcx, and the festival projected a statement on stage saying they would not perform “due to weather issues,” per The FADER. The on-site announcement gave a different reason: “Due to the travel complications of the Uzi Bird, we will not be performing tonight,” it said, adding that “Zara Larsson will be playing later.” NBC Chicago reported that the area was under heavy rain and stormy conditions all day, and that the cancellation was tied to the weather.
Due to the travel complications of the Uzi Bird, we will not be performing tonight,
On-site Lollapalooza announcement, Complex
Then Uzi showed up anyway. On Saturday they crashed Major Lazer’s Lollapalooza set and performed “Just Wanna Rock,” among other songs, according to The FADER, and live-debuted a track from the new EP. HotNewHipHop reported the crowd sang happy birthday.
What’s on the EP
Maverick “Almost Forever” runs eight tracks with no features and goes back to the melodic trap of Uzi’s earlier work after the Pink Tape, The FADER says. The cover art is a baby Uzi with their grandmother, and fans spotted a message in one child’s eye: “Album after this.” That hints at a full-length, but with no formal announcement and a record of delays, there’s no timeline.
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The date was no accident. It came exactly 10 years after The Perfect LUV Tape, which debuted at No. 55 on the Billboard 200 and is now certified gold, per Complex. Uzi had teased new material on July 14 with an Instagram Story of studio work, and the same Complex report notes that in 2020 they and Future released “Over Your Head” and “Patek” on the same date.
Why it matters
A canceled festival slot usually ends with a statement. Uzi turned theirs into a release-week moment, and the EP is their first project in two years. It arrived the same weekend as the Smashing Pumpkins’ hometown headline set, and our style desk covered Lollapalooza’s fashion, including Charli xcx’s headline night.
Lollapalooza ran through Sunday, Aug. 2, at Grant Park.
Added to the High Grailed archive on October 12, 2026.
