XXXTentacion facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
XXXTentacion
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XXXTentacion in 2016
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| Born |
Jahseh Dwayne Ricardo Onfroy
January 23, 1998 Plantation, Florida, U.S.
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| Died | June 18, 2018 (aged 20) Deerfield Beach, Florida, U.S.
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| Resting place | Gardens of Boca Raton Memorial Park Boca Raton, Florida, U.S. |
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| Agent | Solomon Sobande |
| Partner(s) | Geneva Ayala (2014–2016) Jenesis Sanchez (2017–2018) |
| Children | 1 |
| Musical career | |
| Origin | Broward County, Florida, U.S. |
| Genres | |
| Years active | 2013–2018 |
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| YouTube information | |
| Years active | 2015–2018 |
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| Subscribers | 38.80 million |
| Total views | 10.32 billion |
| Subscriber and view counts updated as of April 15, 2023. | |
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Jahseh Dwayne Ricardo Onfroy (born January 23, 1998 – died June 18, 2018), known as XXXTentacion, was an American rapper and singer. He became very popular with young fans during his short career. His music often talked about feelings like sadness and being alone.
Many people admired him for how he could sing and rap in different styles. His music mixed sounds from emo, trap, trap metal, nu metal, indie rock, lo-fi, hip hop, R&B, and punk rock. He was a key artist in the emo rap and SoundCloud rap music styles. These styles became very popular in the mid-to-late 2010s.
XXXTentacion was born in Plantation, Florida. He grew up mostly in Lauderhill, Florida. He started writing music after leaving a youth detention center. He began his music career on SoundCloud in 2013. He used unique sounds in his rap music, like distortion and strong guitar music. He was inspired by emo and grunge music.
In 2014, he started a music group called Members Only. With this group, he became well-known in SoundCloud rap. This style of music uses elements of lo-fi music and strong 808 beats. XXXTentacion became famous with his song "Look at Me".
His first album, 17 (2017), sold over two million copies in the US. It reached number two on the Billboard 200 chart. His second album, ? (2018), was number one on the Billboard 200. It sold over four million copies in the US. The main song from this album, "Sad!", became number one on the Billboard Hot 100 after he passed away. By November 2021, it had over 1.3 billion views on YouTube and 1.7 billion streams on Spotify. It was also certified Diamond in August 2021, meaning it sold over 10 million units.
XXXTentacion sold 61 million music units in the US and over 7 million in the UK. This makes a total of 68 million certified records sold in these two countries. After his passing, he won an American Music Award and a BET Hip Hop Award. He also received 11 Billboard Music Award nominations. Two albums were released after his death: Skins (2018) and Bad Vibes Forever (2019). Skins became his second number-one album.
Contents
Early Life and Growing Up
Jahseh Dwayne Ricardo Onfroy was born on January 23, 1998, in Plantation, Florida. His parents were from Jamaica. His father named him after a Bob Marley song. Jahseh was born with a "hole in the heart" condition, which meant he didn't grow taller than 5 feet 6 inches. He also said he had Egyptian, Syrian, and Indian family roots.
Jahseh was mostly raised by his grandmother, Collette Jones. This was because his mother had personal problems. He lived in Pompano Beach, Florida, and Lauderhill, Florida. In 2008, when he was ten, his father was sent to jail for nine years. His father was released in 2015 and later moved to Jamaica.
Jahseh first became interested in music when his aunt encouraged him to join the school choir. He was later kicked out of the choir for fighting another student. He was also expelled from Margate Middle School after more fights. His mother then sent him to a program called Sheridan House Family Ministries for over six months. While there, he started listening to rap, nu metal, and hard rock. This led him to learn how to play the piano and guitar.
Jahseh went to Piper High School but left in the tenth grade. He described himself as a "misfit" back then. He was quiet but popular and often got into fights. As a child, he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder. He wasn't into sports and felt sad and unsure of himself during high school.
Music Career
Starting Out and "Look at Me" (2013–2016)
Jahseh's music career began in June 2013 with his song "News/Flock." He met another artist, Stokeley Goulbourne (known as Ski Mask the Slump God), while in youth detention. They became good friends and started making up raps together.
In 2013, Jahseh and Stokeley met again. Jahseh bought a microphone and started recording music. This inspired Stokeley to do the same. Jahseh chose the name XXXTentacion. He then uploaded his first song, "Vice City", to SoundCloud.
He kept uploading short clips of his songs. Some he would release, others he would keep private. He first joined Ski Mask the Slump God's group, Very Rare. Later, he started his own group called Members Only, and Ski Mask joined him. The word "tentación" in his name means "temptation" in Spanish.
On November 21, 2014, he released his first official EP (Extended Play), called The Fall. In 2015, he released a mixtape with Ski Mask the Slump God, Members Only Vol. 1. Then he released Members Only Vol. 2 with other members of his group. On December 31, 2015, the original version of "Look at Me" was put on SoundCloud.
In 2016, XXXTentacion quit his job at a call center because his music career was growing. He moved in with rapper Denzel Curry. He kept working on his first independent album, Bad Vibes Forever. It was supposed to come out on October 31, 2016, but it was delayed because he was arrested.
Breakthrough and Albums (2017)
In 2017, "Look at Me" became very popular. It reached number 34 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song became even more famous because some people thought Canadian rapper Drake used a similar rap style in his song "KMT". XXXTentacion's unique half-colored hair, inspired by Cruella de Vil, also got a lot of attention.
While he was in jail, XXXTentacion signed a deal with manager Soloman Sobande. Even though he was in jail during his first big success, major music labels offered him large contracts. He eventually signed with Empire Distribution. This deal gave him full creative control over his music.
After he was released from jail on April 18, 2017, he put out three more songs on SoundCloud. He announced he was working on two albums, Bad Vibes and 17, and a mixtape called I Need Jesus. He told XXL that 17 would have an alternative R&B sound, and I Need Jesus would be more rap and underground music.
On April 28, 2017, he announced his first tour, "The Revenge Tour." It had 26 shows and got a lot of media attention. There were incidents like a rapper being attacked and XXXTentacion himself being knocked out. He canceled the rest of the tour dates after his cousin was shot. However, the last show in Broward County, Florida, still happened and was streamed online.
XXL magazine named him one of the "2017 Freshman Class" artists.
He released his first solo mixtape, Revenge, on May 16, 2017. It had eight songs that were already released. The group mixtape, Members Only, Vol. 3, came out on June 26, 2017.
His first album, 17, was released on August 25, 2017. It debuted at number 2 on the US Billboard 200 chart. It sold 86,000 units in its first week. Critics had mixed feelings about the album. Some praised it for its personal stories and different music styles. On September 3, 2017, he said his second album, Bad Vibes Forever, was still being made.
17 helped seven of his songs get on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. These included "Jocelyn Flores" and "Revenge." "Jocelyn Flores" became his highest-charting song since "Look at Me." He also appeared on Kodak Black's song "Roll in Peace," which reached number 31.
On September 12, 2017, he released his first official music video for "Look at Me." He also shared a video for his 2015 song "Riot." His music label, Bad Vibes Forever, signed a deal with Capitol Music Group on October 19, 2017. This deal was reportedly worth $6 million for one album. However, he announced he was ending his contract with them soon after.
Two days later, he said he was quitting music because of negative comments. But he had made similar statements before. On October 30, 2017, he said he would make music again if his friend, Ski Mask the Slump God, became his friend again. He later said on Instagram that he was quitting for a while.
On September 22, 2017, Noah Cyrus released her song "Again" which featured XXXTentacion's voice.
He showed new music on November 2, 2017, signaling his return. On November 17, 2017, he announced Bad Vibes Forever again. He said it would be a mix of genres he had tried before and was mainly for his loyal fans. On December 11, 2017, he released A Ghetto Christmas Carol on SoundCloud. Before a court hearing, he announced he was preparing three albums for 2018: Skins, Bad Vibes Forever, and ?.
YouTube and ? Album (2018)
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On June 22, 2015, XXXTentacion started using his YouTube channel to upload gaming videos and vlogs. This channel now has 36.7 million subscribers and over 9 billion total views. On January 22, 2018, he announced on Instagram that he was working with rapper Joey Bad***. They released a freestyle song together on March 9, 2018.
The YouTube channel also uploaded a video called "#THEHELPINGHANDCHALLENGE." In the video, XXXTentacion donated musical instruments, video games, and other gifts to a foster home. He said his new album would be released once the hashtag #HELPINGHANDCHALLENGE reached one million mentions on Instagram.
He released his first song of 2018, "Shining Like the Northstar," on February 2. He also appeared on producer Ronny J's song "Banded Up." He released "Hope" on SoundCloud on February 21, 2018. On March 2, 2018, he announced two new songs, "Sad!" and "Changes," which would be the first singles for his second album, ?.
"Sad!" debuted at number 17, becoming his highest-charting song at the time. After his passing, it reached number 1. Its music video was released on June 28. "Moonlight" and "Hope" also charted after his death.
On March 12, 2018, he announced the release date for ?. It had 18 songs and featured artists like Joey Bada$$, Travis Barker, and PnB Rock. ? was released on March 16, 2018. It debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, becoming his first number-one album. After ? was released, he signed a new album deal with Empire Distribution for $10 million.
Music Released After His Passing (2018–Present)
On June 21, 2018, the first song featuring XXXTentacion released after his passing was "Ghost Busters." It was with Trippie Redd and also featured Quavo and Ski Mask the Slump God. XXL released some freestyles he performed. Ugly God released "Tear Drop" on June 22, 2018, using XXXTentacion's unreleased rap verses as a tribute. A few months later, he won the Best New Hip Hop Artist at the BET Hip Hop Awards. He also won Favorite Album – Soul/R&B for 17 at the American Music Awards.
On August 17, 2018, iLoveMakonnen announced a song with Lil Peep and XXXTentacion called "Falling Down." This song was a new version of "Sunlight on Your Skin" by Makonnen and Peep. XXXTentacion added his verses after Peep's death to honor him. The song was released on September 19, 2018.
On September 27, 2018, Kanye West said XXXTentacion was supposed to be on his album Yandhi, which was later canceled. The same day, it was reported that XXXTentacion would also be on Lil Wayne's album, Tha Carter V, released the next day. He was featured on the song "Don't Cry." A music video for it was released on what would have been XXXTentacion's 21st birthday.
On October 22, 2018, his manager said that XXXTentacion's third album would come "very soon." He also said there was enough material for more than two albums. On October 25, 2018, DJ Skrillex released "Arms Around You." This song was a collaboration with XXXTentacion, Lil Pump, Maluma, and Swae Lee. Lil Pump asked XXXTentacion's mother to use his voice on the song as a tribute. The song's producer, Mally Mall, later said that nine more XXXTentacion songs would be released soon.
On November 8, 2018, the release date for his first album after his passing, Skins, was announced for December 7, 2018. The first song from Skins, "Bad!", was released on November 9, 2018. He was also a surprise feature on Lil Wayne and Ty Dolla Sign's song "Scared of the Dark" from the Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse movie soundtrack.
On January 23, 2019, the Members Only group and XXXTentacion's family released the album Members Only, Vol. 4.
On June 12, 2019, Craig Xen released "Run It Back!" which featured XXXTentacion.
On July 21, 2019, another song released after his passing was "Royalty." It featured Bob Marley's son, Ky-Mani Marley, Stefflon Don, and Vybz Kartel. This dance-hall inspired song was the first from the album Bad Vibes Forever, which came out in December 2019. On October 21, 2019, "Hearteater" was officially released as the second song for the album. On November 22, 2019, the album's title track, Bad Vibes Forever, was released. This fourth and final album came out on December 6, 2019.
In January 2020, Lil Wayne remixed XXXTentacion's song "The Boy with the Black Eyes" for his album Funeral.
On June 1, 2020, his song "Riot" was re-released to help spread awareness for the protests following the death of George Floyd.
He became the first artist to release music as NFTs after his passing. This happened on May 10, 2021, with five old SoundCloud songs.
In November 2021, his manager said that a song with XXXTentacion and the late emo rapper Juice Wrld was being planned.
On January 23, 2022, his 24th birthday, his family announced that his 2014 SoundCloud song, "Vice City", would be available on all streaming services on January 28, 2022. This song was a fan favorite and his first release on SoundCloud. This was the first step to make all his unofficial songs available everywhere. It was also confirmed that a documentary about him, called Look at Me, was being made. It was released on Hulu on May 26, 2022.
On February 23, 2022, rapper Kanye West released his album Donda 2. XXXTentacion's voice was featured on the songs "True Love" and "Selfish." On May 23, 2022, his family announced on Instagram that a new album, Look at Me: The Album, would be released with the documentary. "True Love" was released as a single from this album on May 27, 2022.
On June 10, 2022, along with his documentary, Look at Me: The Album was released. It had 25 songs, including his early SoundCloud tracks, his biggest hits, and the song True Love with Kanye West.
Musical Style and Influences
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XXXTentacion's music explored many different styles. These included emo, trap, lo-fi, indie rock, punk rock, nu metal, and hip hop. He said Kurt Cobain was his biggest inspiration. Other artists who influenced him were 2Pac, Cage the Elephant, Chingy, Coldplay, Eminem, The Fray, Chief Keef, Gorillaz, Hoobastank, Lana Del Rey, Laura Mvula, The Notorious B.I.G., Papa Roach, Yoko Shimomura, Tech N9ne, Three Days Grace, The Weeknd, and Kanye West.
He once said, "I'm really into multi-genre things that aren't just based around rapping itself. I'm more inspired by artists in other genres besides rap." People described his music as versatile and experimental. It often had a "lo-fi" feel and was influenced by heavy metal. His songs also often had distorted bass and sounded a bit unfinished on purpose. He said this made his music feel "genuine."
Some fans have noticed that his music inspired many new artists, like Juice Wrld and Trippie Redd. They started using similar styles in their own music. Juice Wrld even dedicated his song "Legends" to XXXTentacion after he passed away.
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XXXTentacion often changed his singing style depending on the song. His voice could show "emotional vulnerability" on sad songs. On more aggressive songs, he would use a screaming style. His songwriting was sometimes seen as unusual or shocking. However, in albums like The Fall and 17, his songs were more emotional. They often talked about feeling lonely, sad, isolated, and worried. He was known for his "depressing, and at times devastating" music that brought attention to mental health.
Personal Life
XXXTentacion had two half-siblings: an older sister named Ariana and a younger brother named Aiden. He used to live in Florida with rappers Denzel Curry and producer Ronny J. Before he passed away, he was moving into a large mansion in Parkland. He bought it in November 2017 for $1.4 million. At the time of his death, he lived with his girlfriend, Jenesis Sanchez. They had three cats and two dogs.
He was friends with many rappers and musicians. These included Ski Mask the Slump God, Lil Uzi Vert, PnB Rock, Denzel Curry, Lil Yachty, Trippie Redd, Juice Wrld, and Billie Eilish.
Rapper Trippie Redd briefly stopped being friends with XXXTentacion when some details about past issues came out. After they had a disagreement, XXXTentacion said at a concert that he understood why Trippie Redd didn't want to be associated with him. He admitted, "I was not a good person. But I've been trying my best to change myself." He still thought Trippie Redd was an "amazing artist" and performed their song. Trippie Redd accepted his apology on Instagram, saying, "It takes a real man to really apologize for their actions... I also apologize for anything I've said about you."
In February 2018, XXXTentacion posted on Instagram that he was going back to school. In March 2018, he announced he was going to a community college to get his GED. His death certificate later confirmed he completed it. He was open about his struggles with sadness and mental health.
Relationships and Family
XXXTentacion was in a relationship with Geneva Ayala starting in November 2014.
On New Year's Eve 2017, he started a relationship with Jenesis Sanchez. Three days after he passed away, his mother announced on Instagram that Sanchez was expecting his child. Sanchez said in an interview that XXXTentacion knew about the baby three weeks before he died. It was confirmed to be a boy on August 22, 2018. His son was born on January 26, 2019, three days after what would have been XXXTentacion's 21st birthday.
Passing Away
On June 18, 2018, XXXTentacion, who was 20 years old, was tragically shot near a motorcycle dealership in Deerfield Beach, Florida. The attackers left the scene in an SUV after taking his bag. Four people were arrested and charged in connection with his death. In August 2022, one of the men admitted guilt and agreed to testify against the other three. On March 20, 2023, the remaining three were found guilty.
In his will, XXXTentacion named his mother Cleopatra and brother Aiden as the main people to receive his belongings. His future child was not named in the will because it was written before the pregnancy was known.
Funeral Service
A public viewing for XXXTentacion was held at the BB&T Center in Sunrise, Florida, on June 27, 2018. Fans were able to pay their respects. His private funeral took place on June 28, 2018. Rappers Lil Uzi Vert and Lil Yachty, and singer Erykah Badu were among those who attended. He was laid to rest in a mausoleum at Gardens of Boca Raton Memorial Park in Boca Raton, Florida.
Legacy and Impact
XXXTentacion's music often focused on themes of sadness and feeling alone. He became known for his "depressing, and at times devastating" music that helped bring attention to mental health. During his career, he used unique styles and techniques in hip hop, like distortion and strong guitar sounds. He was inspired by third-wave emo music.
XXXTentacion has sold 38 million units in the US and over 7 million in the UK. He is also one of the top 20 best-selling artists for digital songs, with 49 million certified digital sales by October 2020. In August 2021, his song "Sad!" was certified Diamond in the US, meaning it sold over 10 million units.
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Many artists have said XXXTentacion influenced them. These include Billie Eilish, Juice Wrld, Kendrick Lamar, Lil Nas X, Trippie Redd, and Kanye West.
As of August 2022, XXXTentacion's last Instagram post before he passed away is the 3rd most-liked Instagram post of all time, with 29.9 million likes.
According to polls from August 2022, many Americans view XXXTentacion positively. 41% of those who know him have a positive opinion, and 31% have a negative one. He is most famous among young people (Generation Y and Generation Z).
Music Albums
Studio Albums
- 17 (2017)
- ? (2018)
- Skins (2018)
- Bad Vibes Forever (2019)
Compilation Album
- Look at Me: The Album (2022)
Collaborative Album
- Members Only, Vol. 4 (2019) (with Members Only)
Videos
| Year | Title | Role |
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| 2022 | Look at Me | Himself (from old videos) |
| 2022 | In His Own Words | Himself (from old videos) |
Concert Tours
Main Tours
- The Revenge Tour (2017)
- A Helping Hand (2018)
Awards and Nominations
American Music Awards
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
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| 2018 | XXXTentacion | New Artist of the Year | Nominated | |
| 17 | Favorite Album – Soul/R&B | Won |
BET Hip-Hop Awards
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
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| 2018 | XXXTentacion | Best New Hip Hop Artist | Won |
Billboard Music Awards
| Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
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| 2018 | 17 | Top R&B Album | Nominated |
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See Also
In Spanish: XXXTentacion para niños
