Controversial rapper Jahseh D. Onfroy (aka XXXTENTACION) plays fast and loose when it comes to genres, often incorporating elements of punk rock, hip-hop, R&B, and heavy metal. Born in South Florida, Onfroy had something of a troubled upbringing, often getting into violent situations; his mother couldn't cope with raising him alone, so he was often forced to stay with various other guardians as a result. At an undisclosed age Onfroy was sent to a juvenile detention center on account of armed robbery; it was while there that he met friend and longtime collaborator Ski Mask the Slump God. After his release, both Onfroy and Ski Mask decided to get clean and pursue a career in music, setting up the Florida rap crew Members Only in the process. In 2014 Onfroy uploaded his first track to SoundCloud, "Vice City," which quickly racked up hundreds of thousands of streams. Later the same year he released two EPs, The Fall and Ice Hotel; the broad array of genres and vocal styles -- ranging from whispering and singing to rapping and outright screaming -- earned Onfroy a cult following in under a year. In 2015, Onfroy released two collaborative albums, Members Only, Vol. 1 and Vol. 2 -- alongside the Slump God and various Members Only associates -- as well as his third and fourth EPs, ItWasn'tEnough and Willy Wonka Was a Child Murderer. His debut album, Bad Vibes, was originally intended to be a mixtape released in 2016; however, the expansion of the record into a full-length studio album, coupled with two different incarcerations, repeatedly delayed the album's release. Single "Look at Me!," originally released in early 2016, became a sleeper hit, and was re-released in 2017, at which point it hit the Top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. Onfroy signed a deal with Empire, and the label released Revenge, an eight-song mixtape of previously released XXXTENTACION material, in May of 2017. Unfortunately X was murdered on June 18, 2018 in Florida.

Liam Martin
AllMusic.com