XXXTENTACION is without doubt one of the most complex figures in hip-hop historical past.
His breakout hit, “Look At Me Now!,” didn’t catch hearth till greater than a 12 months after it was launched, sparking conversations about whether or not Drake stole the circulate used within the music.
At the time, XXXTENTACION was in jail on costs together with aggravated battery of a pregnant girl, home battery by strangulation, witness tampering, and false imprisonment. He was launched in March 2017, and inside a 12 months, he had change into one of many largest stars in rap, releasing a No. 1 album in ?.
Although he was partly credited with sparking the rowdy SoundCloud revolution that was overtaking rap on the time, his music was way more melodic, genre-bending, and emotive. His songs resonated deeply with followers, forging a singular bond with those that noticed him as a delicate, misunderstood soul. At the identical time, he turned a polarizing determine in mainstream rap circles. Despite his recognition, common acceptance eluded XXX, as allegations and controversy adopted him all through his profession.
He did seem on No Jumper early on, which later change into his definitive video interview. And in 2018, he allowed an intern from the Miami New Times vital entry—into his dwelling and his inside circle.
That article detailed, in horrific particulars, the quite a few allegations in opposition to him and for the primary time, Geneva Ayala, one in every of his alleged victims spoke out on the report. About every week after the article was printed, XXXTENTACION was gunned down close to his dwelling in Deerfield Beach, Florida.
However, his legacy has solely grown stronger, with books, documentaries, and posthumous albums preserving his reminiscence alive. Over time, his reference to followers has deepened. January 23 marks his birthday, and in 2026, he would have turned 28. In an try and discover his influence, listed here are 10 belongings you didn’t learn about XXXTENTACION.
XXXTENTACION’s actual title was Jahseh Dwayne Ricardo Onfroy.
In a 2018 interview with Florida Files, X’s father, Dwayne Onfroy, mentioned the origins of his estranged son’s title. He defined that he named him Jahseh after a 1974 Bob Marley music referred to as “So Jah Seh.” During the interview, he mentioned:
“[His name] came from Bob Marley. Who you would call God, we as Rastafarians would say, ‘Jah.’ So ‘Jah’ is God, and ‘Seh’ is said. God said. From the mouth of God.”
XXXTENTACION’s “Look at Me Now!” options one in every of his most iconic covers—a photograph of a 12-year-old child with a blunt in his nostril. The picture isn’t random: the boy on the quilt is KidPronto, a buddy of X from his metropolis.
“I was smoking, and I just put it in my nose, took a picture, and sent it to the group chat as a joke,” he informed Complex in 2020. “We were just playing, and X was like, ‘I’m going to use this as my next song cover.’ He wasn’t big or anything back then, so I didn’t really think anything of it.”
X went forward and used the picture as the quilt artwork, and the music finally blew up. Similar to X, KidPronto additionally bumped into bother with authorities. In 2024, he was sentenced to 10 years in jail for tried homicide associated to a 2019 stabbing.
Rumors about XXXTENTACION’s physique odor and his alleged avoidance of deodorant have circulated for years on Reddit and Instagram.
The most definitive affirmation, nonetheless, got here from producer John Cunningham, who labored intently with XXX through the years, together with govt producing ?.
During two separate AMAs, Cunningham confirmed that the rapper didn’t use deodorant and emphatically acknowledged that he “did smell”—repeating “yes” 3 times for emphasis.
XXXTENTACION and Ski Mask had a really difficult, up-and-down relationship through the years.
One factor is plain: they have been formative to one another’s growth, with XXX serving to Ski Mask set up himself as a rapper.
The two first met in a Florida juvenile detention middle within the early 2010s. During an interview with ComplexSki Mask referred to as going to jail one of many smartest issues he did—partly as a result of it allowed him to fulfill XXX.
According to Look at Me!, a biography concerning the rapper, XXXTENTACION was born with a uncommon coronary heart situation referred to as Ventricular Septal Defect (VSD), which contributed to his slight construct—he stood simply 5’6”.
The guide additionally notes that, as a toddler, different youngsters have been discouraged from taking part in too roughly with him due to his situation.
In 2023, Spotify celebrated 50 years of hip-hop by releasing an inventory of probably the most streamed rap albums ever.
Sitting proper on the high was ? by XXXTENTACION, led by hit singles like “Moonlight,” “Changes,” and “SAD!” The album has gathered extra streams than Drake’s Scorpion and Viewsin addition to Travis Scott’s Astroworld.
Also touchdown within the high 10 was 17which got here in at No. 6. As of now, ? has over 12 billion streams, whereas 17 has surpassed 10 billion.
XXXTENTACION’s Instagram presently has solely two posts on his feed.
One was shared by his property on what would have been his twenty eighth birthday. The different was posted earlier than his demise and encompasses a black-and-white picture of the rapper the wrong way up, with the caption “LOVE IS WAR.”
Over the years, this publish has change into one of the vital fashionable in Instagram historical past. It is presently the twelfth most-liked publish, with 34 million likes and 10 million feedback, with a great quantity of them coming from devastated followers of the rapper.
In the mid 2010s, Denzel Curry had the ULT home the place he had members of his crew dwelling. This at one level included XXXTENTACION, who he met at a celebration he threw. During an interview with Montreality, he talked concerning the scenario, saying:
“X got into some type of trouble,” says Denzel. “I was like, yo, you can stay at the crib, and I’ll keep you out of trouble.”
He additionally provides:
“Anybody who’s portrayed as the abuser is the abused… really you’re just a hurt child on the inside.”
The two would have their ups and downs through the years, however it appears that evidently on the time of X’s demise, they have been in a great spot.
One of XXXTENTACION’s earlier interviews was with XXL whereas he was nonetheless in jail. In the interview, he mentioned the music that impressed him and what he listened to on the time, mentioning artists similar to Nirvana, The Weeknd, and Ski Mask the Slump God.
When discussing the music he listened to earlier in his life, he additionally named artists like The Fray, Three Days Grace, Asking Alexandria, Odd Future, Papa Roach, and underground rapper Immortal Technique, who he mentioned “he loved.”
On X, XXXTENTACION overtly shared his love for Kingdom Heartsthe traditional online game sequence that blends RPG gameplay with Disney characters.
He beloved the sport so deeply that it even impressed his son Gekyume’s title.
“[XXXTENTACION] took a couple of letters from different characters from his favorite video game, Kingdom Hearts, and just mashed them all together,” mentioned Genesis SanchezGekyume’s mom, explaining the origin of her son’s title. “I know it’s kind of hard to say Gekyume, but he goes by ‘Yume’ as well.”
After his demise, Kingdom Hearts composer Yoko Shimomura launched a tribute music and video honoring the late rapper.