Lil Uzi Vert has expressed his intention to make a fresh start, particularly when it comes to his use of nitrous oxide, shortly after seemingly addressing the persistent rumors surrounding his use of the substance.
Over the weekend, Uzi took to Instagram Stories to drop some hints about this new direction. In one post, he shared a selfie with a straightforward message: “Nomore bad stuff,” accompanied by a salute, wind face, and balloon emojis—often associated with nitrous oxide use, which is typically inhaled through party balloons.
In another post, still visible as of now, Uzi jokingly asks, “Who fried?” paired with a laughing emoji, likely responding to concerns from fans who have worried about his mental state due to the rumored nitrous use. A third story features a clip with a “Okay, I’m reloaded!” voice-over from JAY-Z’s album, alongside the phrase “Trust the process,” complete with a bat emoji.
These stories add to the ongoing conversation Uzi started earlier, with many fans catching on and sharing their thoughts. The artist also addressed these concerns on his album Eternal Atake 2. In the opening track, “We Good,” Uzi directly touches on the rumors, rapping: “They said I was lost, they thought I was a dead guy, I was on that NOS.”
On the very next track, “Light Year (Practice),” Uzi seems to confirm his use of nitrous oxide, saying: “I’m fresh off the nitrous, ain’t mess up ability.”
Earlier this year, fans became concerned after a video surfaced showing Uzi inhaling from a balloon while at a studio with friends. In the clip, a man in the background cheers, “My son is back! We got Uzi back!” while Uzi enthusiastically replies, “Yes sir!” amid laughter. The video also showed several balloons and an unmarked canister, leading fans to suspect the substance was nitrous oxide—also known as laughing gas, which gives users a euphoric high.
The online reaction was swift, with fans sharing mixed opinions on Uzi’s choice of recreational substances. One fan wrote, “No wonder his music so trash now, nitrous fried his brain smh,” while another added, “Using nitrous for his studio sessions? Yeah, just go ahead and retire. Luv Is Rage 3 gonna be his worst album by far, and his brain is gonna be cooked.”
The National Institute of Health has cautioned about the risks of prolonged nitrous oxide use, noting that it can deplete vitamin B12, which can cause numbness in the fingers and, over time, lead to peripheral neuropathy and megaloblastic anemia.
