The collaboration was a commercial success, reaching #24 on the Billboard Hot 100. By February 2024, the track was recognized as having reached #14 on both Rap and Rhythmic Airplay charts. It has since been certified 4x Platinum by the RIAA.
The core of "The Way Life Goes" is an anthem for those enduring "hard times". Lil Uzi Vert - The Way Life Goes Remix (Feat. Nicki Minaj)
Critical reception was mixed but generally intrigued by the pairing. Some critics felt Minaj’s combative energy created a "symbolic dissonance" with Uzi’s sensitive tone. Others praised the synergy, viewing Minaj as a stabilizer who completed the track’s melodic appeal with a traditional rap verse. The music video, directed by DAPS and released in December 2017, further emphasized this contrast, featuring Minaj in a luxury cabin while Uzi remained bound to a tree in a dark forest. The collaboration was a commercial success, reaching #24
The remix came to fruition after Nicki Minaj publicly expressed her admiration for the original track on Instagram in August 2017, urging Uzi to send her the beat. Despite reported delays caused by Atlantic Records, the remix was officially released on November 3, 2017. The core of "The Way Life Goes" is
Watch the official music video for 'The Way Life Goes Remix' to see the visual contrast between Uzi and Minaj's styles:
: His verses reflect on the pain of a failed relationship, specifically the feeling of wanting to let go while still being haunted by the past.