Virgil Abloh directs gruesome new video for Lil Uzi Vert, subtitled with fake Arabic text

Date
6 September 2017
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Virgil Abloh: Lil Uzi Vert – XO Tour Llif3

Lil Uzi Vert has released his highly anticipated video for XO Tour Llif3, directed by fashion designer and Nike collaborator Virgil Abloh.

Featuring an apocalyptic narrative and trippy visuals, the video gives an unnerving insight into the artist’s psyche and tells a story of a deadly bloody murder.

Previously, XO Tour Llif3 had been paired with a simple animation that accumulated over 288 million views on YouTube. The official video therefore came at a lengthy wait to many and has now been certified with three times platinum status. Charted as a newly appointed number one album, the Philadelphia-based rapper’s new hit also cameos the The Weeknd and Nav, while Abloh also makes an appearance as he films the whole thing on a handheld camera. 

“All my friends are dead” and “push me to the edge” are repeated throughout the chorus, accompanied by a gruesomely themed, zombie-filled storyline. Abloh’s most recent directing endeavour sees the creative bring to life this haunting journey, which sits alongside the launch of his latest collaboration with Nike for the Air Max 90 Ice – plus there are also rumours of him taking over Donatella’s role as creative director at Versace. 

The Lil Uzi Vert video is subtitled with seemingly Arabic text, though since its release Fader has translated the words and found them to be non-sensical, branding it “aesthetic appropriation” of the language.

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Virgil Abloh: Lil Uzi Vert – XO Tour Llif3

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Virgil Abloh: Lil Uzi Vert – XO Tour Llif3

Above

Virgil Abloh: Lil Uzi Vert – XO Tour Llif3

Above

Virgil Abloh: Lil Uzi Vert – XO Tour Llif3

Above

Virgil Abloh: Lil Uzi Vert – XO Tour Llif3

Above

Virgil Abloh: Lil Uzi Vert – XO Tour Llif3

Above

Virgil Abloh: Lil Uzi Vert – XO Tour Llif3

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Virgil Abloh: Lil Uzi Vert – XO Tour Llif3

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About the Author

Ayla Angelos

Ayla is a London-based freelance writer, editor and consultant specialising in art, photography, design and culture. After joining It’s Nice That in 2017 as editorial assistant, she was interim online editor in 2022/2023 and continues to work with us on a freelance basis. She has written for i-D, Dazed, AnOther, WePresent, Port, Elephant and more, and she is also the managing editor of design magazine Anima. 

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