XXXTentacion, born Jahseh Dwayne Ricardo Onfroy, was a prominent American rapper and singer-songwriter. Despite controversies surrounding his legal issues, he cultivated a dedicated young fan base through his music, characterized by themes of depression and alienation. Known for his musical versatility, XXXTentacion's work spanned genres including emo, trap, indie rock, and punk rock. He is recognized as a key figure in the development of emo rap and SoundCloud rap, genres that achieved mainstream popularity in the late 2010s, solidifying his impact on contemporary music.
On January 23, 1998, Jahseh Dwayne Ricardo Onfroy, known as XXXTentacion, was born in Plantation, Florida. He would later become a controversial but influential figure in the emo rap and SoundCloud rap genres.
In early 2008, when XXXTentacion was ten years old, his father was jailed for nine years in Arizona on RICO charges after a DEA sting operation.
In 2012, XXXTentacion was arrested for possession of 21 grams of marijuana and was sentenced to one month of juvenile detention and six months at a behavioral correction facility.
In June 2013, XXXTentacion's career as a music artist began after the release of his song "News/Flock".
In 2013, XXXTentacion started his music career on SoundCloud after being released from a juvenile detention center, utilizing unconventional styles and techniques inspired by emo and grunge.
In 2013, a Snapchat video surfaced of XXXTentacion hitting a girl named Breonna Starling when he was 15. His attorneys claimed the video was "obviously . . . in jest".
In 2013, following his release from juvenile detention, XXXTentacion reunited with Stokeley Goulbourne with intentions of committing home invasions, but he chose to pursue music instead.
On March 5, 2014, XXXTentacion uploaded his first non-deleted song, "Vice City", on SoundCloud and released his debut mixtape XXX (Unmastered).
On April 30, 2014, XXXTentacion released his two firsts officials extended plays (EPs), called E.motion and XXX, alongside the original version of the song "Ecstasy".
On July 11, 2014, an unfinished version of The Nobody's EP was released but quickly removed.
In November 2014, XXXTentacion, whose real name was Jahseh Onfroy, met Geneva Ayala. Onfroy contacted Ayala, offering to confront her boyfriend, who had allegedly posted nude photos of her without her consent.
On November 21, 2014, The Fall EP was released.
In 2014, XXXTentacion formed the underground collective Members Only, becoming a popular figure in SoundCloud rap.
In 2014, XXXTentacion was sent to a youth detention center for a year on gun possession charges. There were discussions about trying him as an adult, potentially leading to a 5–10 year prison sentence.
On June 22, 2015, XXXTentacion began using his YouTube channel, previously used for music, to upload gaming videos and vlogs, expanding his content creation.
In August 2015, XXXTentacion attempted to commit suicide by running into incoming traffic. He was hospitalized for his injuries and fined $86.50 for the incident.
On October 30, 2015, XXXTentacion's father was released from BOP custody.
In November 2015, XXXTentacion, along with three others, entered Che Thomas' home armed with a firearm, pistol-whipped Thomas three times, and stole an iPad, an iPhone, a Sony PlayStation Portable, and $20.
In 2015 XXXTentacion released the songs "Look at Me" and "Riot".
In 2015, XXXTentacion joined Ski Mask the Slump God's group Very Rare before breaking off and starting the Members Only collective.
On December 31, 2015, the original version of "Look at Me" was uploaded to SoundCloud.
In April 2016, XXXTentacion gave an interview to Adam22, where he discussed attacking his gay cellmate while in juvenile detention. This interview led to characterizations of him as homophobic, although he later clarified that he is not homophobic and supports gay marriage.
On April 28, 2016, XXXTentacion released the EP Willy Wonka Was a Child Murderer, which had music heavily inspired by heavy metal and indie music.
On July 14, 2016, XXXTentacion was arrested for robbery, assault with a deadly weapon, and home invasion. This was for a crime that happened in November 2015. He had been bailed for stabbing Tablez a few days prior.
In July 2016, XXXTentacion was arrested and charged with robbery and assault with a deadly weapon.
In September 2016, XXXTentacion was released on a $10,000 bond. He was later sentenced to six years probation, and Thomas requested that XXXTentacion not receive prison time.
On October 8, 2016, XXXTentacion was arrested. Secretly recorded audio of XXXTentacion talking with acquaintances around the time of this arrest was later released by Pitchfork on October 23, 2018.
On the afternoon of October 26, 2016, XXXTentacion told a woman, "I already got what I wanted, I already bashed her face—her face on the internet, bruh, I done made her look bad on the internet, bruh." Later that day, an audio clip from the call was posted on Instagram of Onfroy saying he "bashed her face" without the hurried clarification.
On October 31, 2016, XXXTentacion's debut independent album, Bad Vibes Forever, was slated for release but was delayed due to his arrest.
In 2016, Dylan Turner, known as Tablez, managed XXXTentacion and Ski Mask the Slump God. Tablez's payment was agreed to be proceeds from the song "Look at Me!" due to inexperience.
In 2016, Geneva Ayala moved in with XXXTentacion and his roommates, marking a significant step in their relationship.
In 2016, XXXTentacion expressed his political views during the presidential election, opposing Donald Trump and signaling support for Bernie Sanders. He predicted Trump's victory and voiced concerns about the impact on minorities and the lower classes.
In 2016, XXXTentacion faced significant legal issues, most notably battery charges that led to considerable controversy.
In 2016, XXXTentacion was involuntarily hospitalized under Florida's Baker Act after Ayala and XXXTentacion's roommates reported to police that he had attempted suicide.
In 2016, XXXTentacion's ex-girlfriend Geneva Ayala accused him of domestic abuse, sparking significant controversy.
On January 28, 2017, Drake previewed a new track, "KMT", which drew comparisons to XXXTentacion's song "Look at Me" due to a similar triplet-heavy flow. Before the release of KMT, it was noted that Drake followed XXXTentacion on Twitter.
On March 18, 2017, Drake released his mixtape More Life, which included the song "KMT". This release preceded XXXTentacion's subsequent criticisms and online exchanges with Drake.
On March 26, 2017, after being released from jail, XXXTentacion announced a surprise concert set for April 7 in Miami. The show had a low admission price, but before he arrived, a riot broke out, leading police to shut it down.
Around April 2017, XXXTentacion recorded footage of himself detailing biographical information, which was later used in an official documentary about his life.
In April 2017, XXXTentacion voiced his opposition to President Trump's decision to launch a missile strike on Syria.
On April 18, 2017, XXXTentacion was released from prison and subsequently released three more songs on SoundCloud.
On April 28, 2017, XXXTentacion announced his first nationwide tour titled "The Revenge Tour".
In May 2017, XXXTentacion's trial for domestic violence and witness tampering charges was originally set to take place but was pushed back multiple times.
On May 16, 2017, XXXTentacion released his debut commercial solo mixtape, Revenge, which consisted of eight previously released songs.
On May 31, 2017, at the first show of the Revenge Tour in Houston, Wifisfuneral, a member of XXXTentacion's Members Only collective, was assaulted after stage-diving into the audience. Audience members kicked him and then left the venue.
In June 2017, a physical altercation occurred at XXXTentacion's concert in San Diego, leading to XXXTentacion being knocked unconscious and an audience member being stabbed. The assailant was reported to be an associate of rapper Rob Stone.
On June 16, 2017, XXXTentacion punched an audience member during a concert at the Complex in Salt Lake City, Utah. He claimed it was in self-defense after warning the audience not to touch him.
On June 24, 2017, XXXTentacion announced the cancellation of the rest of "The Revenge Tour" dates due to his cousin being shot.
On June 26, 2017, the collaborative mixtape, Members Only, Vol. 3, with Members Only, was released.
On August 9, 2017, XXXTentacion was brought out by DRAM at a concert at the Staples Center in Los Angeles during Kendrick Lamar's Damn Tour, marking his first time opening for a major act.
On August 24, 2017, a day before the release of his debut album, 17, XXXTentacion uploaded a video to Instagram depicting the act of suicide by hanging, later clarifying it was part of a music video.
On August 25, 2017, XXXTentacion released his debut album, 17, which debuted at number 2 on the US Billboard 200.
On September 2, 2017, a free concert announced to take place in Tampa, Florida, was canceled due to over 3,000 attendees appearing at a venue with only 750 capacity. This led to a near-riot and police intervention.
On September 3, 2017, XXXTentacion announced that Bad Vibes Forever, his second album, was still in production.
On September 8, 2017, Pitchfork leaked the testimony of the alleged victim in XXXTentacion's case, leading to another delay in the trial, which was rescheduled for December 11, 2017.
On September 12, 2017, XXXTentacion released his first official music video for his 2015 song "Look at Me", as well as sharing a music video with his 2015 song "Riot".
On September 22, 2017, Noah Cyrus released her single "Again", which featured vocals by XXXTentacion.
The domestic violence and witness tampering trial, for which XXXTentacion was arrested in October of the previous year, was set to take place on October 5, 2017, after being pushed back several times from the original May 2017 date.
In October 2017, XXXTentacion and Rob Stone resolved their feud after a prior altercation at a concert in San Diego in June. They had a conversation to settle their differences.
On October 19, 2017, XXXTentacion's label, Bad Vibes Forever, signed a distribution deal with Capitol Music Group subsidiary, Caroline.
On October 21, 2017, XXXTentacion was involved in a brawl with a fan during California's Rolling Loud Festival. He claimed it was purely self-defense.
On October 25, 2017, XXXTentacion announced he was terminating his contract with Caroline.
On October 27, 2017, XXXTentacion announced his retirement from producing music. He then stated on Instagram that he would make music again if Ski Mask the Slump God would become his friend again.
On October 30, 2017, XXXTentacion stated he would return to making music only if Ski Mask the Slump God, a fellow rapper from Broward and his "former best friend", would become his friend again. He also responded to a fan on Instagram Live about his previous retirement announcement, clarifying he was quitting for an indefinite period.
On November 2, 2017, XXXTentacion previewed new music, hinting at a return to creating music after a brief retirement announcement.
In November 2017, XXXTentacion purchased a 6,000-square-foot (560 m2) mansion in Parkland for US$1.4 million.
On November 17, 2017, XXXTentacion announced his album Bad Vibes Forever, describing it as a mix of genres intended for his core fanbase and sharing its name with his label.
On December 8, 2017, XXXTentacion wrote on Instagram, "don't care about what you said about me, you know who got your back, love you, forever", referring to Ski Mask the Slump God, amidst their ongoing social media exchange.
On December 10, 2017, XXXTentacion posted a message to Instagram with his court information, saying that he apologizes to everyone he let down if he is taken into custody.
On December 11, 2017, XXXTentacion released his tenth EP, A Ghetto Christmas Carol, on SoundCloud.
On December 14, 2017, XXXTentacion pleaded not guilty and was taken into pretrial custody after the prosecution filed a motion based on him violating his bond.
On December 15, 2017, a new trial date was announced in XXXTentacion's case following an affidavit from his ex-girlfriend asking for the charges to be dropped. Additional witness tampering charges were filed against him.
On December 20, 2017, it was confirmed that XXXTentacion was being released on house arrest.
In 2017, "Look at Me" gained traction, peaking at number 34 on the US Billboard Hot 100. This helped him gain more popularity and public attention.
In 2017, XXXTentacion released his debut album '17', which reached number two on the Billboard 200 and is certified triple-platinum in the US.
In 2017, XXXTentacion was named as the tenth pick on XXL's "2017 Freshman Class".
In a 2017 interview on The Beat, XXXTentacion stated that he had Syrian, Indian, and possibly Italian ancestry.
In a 2017 interview, XXXTentacion expressed frustration that the officer who killed Eric Garner was not arrested.
In a 2017 interview, XXXTentacion stated he should have been clearer in the podcast about the fight he had, stating he wished he had clarified that he did not attack his cellmate for the fact that he was gay, calling his discussion of the topic "negligent and stupid".
In a 2017 interview, when asked about his relationship with his father, XXXTentacion sarcastically asked, "What's a father?"
On New Year's Eve 2017, XXXTentacion began a relationship with Jenesis Sanchez, which evolved into a domestic partnership. According to Sanchez, XXXTentacion demonstrated improved anger management and would remove himself from arguments to avoid physical altercations.
On January 22, 2018, XXXTentacion announced on Instagram that he and Joey Badass were creating a project together.
In February 2018, XXXTentacion posted on Instagram that he was preparing to return to school.
On February 21, 2018, XXXTentacion released the song "Hope" on SoundCloud, as a dedication to the victims of the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Florida.
On March 2, 2018, XXXTentacion announced the midnight release of two songs, which would be the first singles from his second album, ?.
On March 9, 2018, XXXTentacion and Joey Badass released a freestyle to the song "King's Dead" on SoundCloud to promote their upcoming collaboration.
On March 12, 2018, XXXTentacion announced the release date and 18-track listing for his second studio album, ?, which featured collaborations with Joey Bada$$, Travis Barker, and PnB Rock.
In March 2018, XXXTentacion announced that he was getting his GED, which he completed according to his death certificate, and was planning to go to community college.
On March 16, 2018, XXXTentacion's album ? was released and debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 chart.
On March 21, 2018, XXXTentacion was released from house arrest.
On May 10, 2018, Spotify announced it would no longer promote or recommend music by XXXTentacion, Tay-K, and R. Kelly, citing a desire for editorial decisions to reflect their values. This decision was later reversed after pressure from Top Dawg Entertainment.
On June 18, 2018, XXXTentacion was murdered. This event marked the end of his short but impactful career.
On June 21, 2018, the first posthumous song featuring XXXTentacion, "Ghost Busters" with Trippie Redd, Quavo, and Ski Mask the Slump God, was released on Trippie Redd's SoundCloud.
On June 22, 2018, Ugly God released "Tear Drop," a tribute song featuring previously unreleased verses by XXXTentacion from his 2017 Freshman Cypher.
On June 27, 2018, an open casket service for XXXTentacion was held at the BB&T Center in Sunrise, Florida, allowing fans to pay their respects.
On June 28, 2018, XXXTentacion's private funeral took place, attended by artists such as Lil Uzi Vert, Lil Yachty, and Erykah Badu. He was entombed in a mausoleum at Gardens of Boca Raton Memorial Park.
In August 2018, Trayvon Newsome, the third accomplice in XXXTentacion's murder, was arrested and charged with premeditated first-degree murder.
On August 17, 2018, iLoveMakonnen announced "Falling Down", a collaboration between Lil Peep and XXXTentacion, which featured verses recorded by XXXTentacion after Lil Peep's death as a tribute.
On August 22, 2018, it was confirmed that Jenesis Sanchez, XXXTentacion's partner, was expecting a boy.
On August 31, 2018, Houston rapper Sauce Walka released his Drip God mixtape, which included a collaboration with XXXTentacion titled "Voss", produced by Carnage.
On September 19, 2018, the single "Falling Down", a collaboration between Lil Peep and XXXTentacion, was officially released.
On September 27, 2018, Kanye West announced that XXXTentacion would have been a featured artist on his cancelled ninth studio album, Yandhi. The same day, it was reported that XXXTentacion would also be featured on Lil Wayne's twelfth album, Tha Carter V.
On October 22, 2018, XXXTentacion's manager Soloman Sobande stated in an interview with Billboard that his third album would come "very soon" and that he had more than two album's worth of material.
On October 23, 2018, Pitchfork released secretly recorded audio of XXXTentacion talking with acquaintances around the time of his October 8, 2016, arrest. The audio was considered a confession by the prosecution and defense.
On November 8, 2018, the release date for XXXTentacion's first posthumous album and his third studio album, Skins, was announced for December 7, 2018.
On November 9, 2018, the first single from Skins, titled "Bad!", was released.
On December 7, 2018, XXXTentacion's posthumous album and third studio album, Skins, was released.
In 2018, XXXTentacion's second album '?' debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 and is certified quintuple-platinum. His single "Sad!" posthumously reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100.
In 2018, following the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting, XXXTentacion reversed his stance on gun control. He then held multiple charity events for the March for Our Lives movement and visited Parkland survivor Anthony Borges in the hospital.
In 2018, the posthumous album "Skins" was released, becoming XXXTentacion's second number-one album on the Billboard 200.
On January 23, 2019, the Members Only collective and XXXTentacion's estate released the album Members Only, Vol. 4.
On January 26, 2019, XXXTentacion's son was born, three days after what would have been his 21st birthday.
On May 15, 2019, Jenesis Sanchez won a legal battle to obtain a DNA sample from XXXTentacion to prove the paternity of her son. A Florida judge granted access to the sample.
On June 12, 2019, Craig Xen released the song "Run It Back!", which featured XXXTentacion.
On June 18, 2019, the first anniversary of XXXTentacion's death, an official documentary about his life was announced.
On July 21, 2019, the posthumous song "Royalty" featuring XXXTentacion, Ky-Mani Marley, Stefflon Don, and Vybz Kartel was released. It was the first single from the upcoming album, Bad Vibes Forever.
On October 21, 2019, XXXTentacion's estate officially released the song "Hearteater" as the second single for the album Bad Vibes Forever.
On November 22, 2019, the title track of the album Bad Vibes Forever was released.
On December 6, 2019, XXXTentacion's fourth and final studio album "Bad Vibes Forever" was released.
Following XXXTentacion's death, Geneva Ayala appeared in the music video and cover art for the 2019 single "Hearteater".
In 2019, documents and audio of phone calls that XXXTentacion made to his mother from jail were released. In them, he claimed his ex-girlfriend might not have been pregnant and that it was his female friends who beat Ayala.
In 2019, the posthumous album "Bad Vibes Forever" was released, entering the top 5 on the Billboard 200.
On June 1, 2020, XXXTentacion's song "Riot" was re-released onto streaming services to raise awareness about the protests following George Floyd's murder.
As of October 2020, XXXTentacion was one of the top-20 best-selling artists in terms of digital singles, with a total of 49 million RIAA-certified digital sales.
In 2020, a biography disputed XXXTentacion's narrative of his time in youth detention in 2014, suggesting that he may have served only one month's detention as part of a wider sentence of less than one year.
In a 2020 biography, multiple transgender artists stated that XXXTentacion was supportive of the transgender community, contradicting claims of homophobia.
Jonathan Reiss criticized the media's portrayal of XXXTentacion, saying, "They bundled his sins into listicles and timelines, partaking in an almost gluttonous level of hatred. They made a monster and sold it." in his 2020 biography.
Some sources interviewed for a 2020 biography dispute the narrative that XXXTentacion met Ski Mask the Slump God in juvenile detention, claiming they met at high school.
On May 10, 2021, XXXTentacion became the first artist to posthumously release music as NFTs, featuring five scrapped SoundCloud songs.
In August 2021, XXXTentacion's single, "Sad!", was certified Diamond in the US.
In August 2021, XXXTentacion's song "Sad!" was certified Diamond by the RIAA.
In November 2021, XXXTentacion's manager, Solomon Sobande, announced a posthumous collaboration between XXXTentacion and the late Juice Wrld was in development.
On January 23, 2022, on what would have been XXXTentacion's 24th birthday, his estate announced they would release his 2014 SoundCloud track "Vice City" to all streaming services on January 28, 2022.
On January 28, 2022, XXXTentacion's 2014 track "Vice City" was released to all streaming platforms, marking the first release by his estate to make all his unofficial releases available on main streaming platforms.
On February 2, 2022, it was announced that the film, titled Look at Me, would be released on the Hulu streaming service on May 26, 2022.
On February 23, 2022, Kanye West released the demo album Donda 2, in which XXXTentacion has featured vocals on the songs "True Love" and "Selfish".
On May 23, 2022, XXXTentacion's estate announced that a new album, Look at Me: The Album, would be released alongside the documentary, and that "True Love" would be released as a single from the album on May 27, 2022.
On May 26, 2022, the documentary about XXXTentacion, titled Look at Me, was released on Hulu.
On May 27, 2022, "True Love" was released as a single from the album Look at Me: The Album.
On June 10, 2022, alongside his documentary, Look at Me: The Album was released, featuring 25 songs including his earlier SoundCloud songs, his biggest hits, and the single "True Love" with Kanye West.
On August 12, 2022, Robert Allen pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in exchange for testimony against the other three defendants in XXXTentacion's murder case.
In August 2022, one of the four men arrested in connection to XXXTentacion's murder pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in exchange for testimony.
In November 2022, a 2017 interview with The Fader was released where XXXTentacion stated he should have been clearer in the podcast about the fight he had.
In 2022, an article described that while XXXTentacion was a flawed individual, during his career he "nearly became rap's own Kurt Cobain", and mentioned that it was "heartbreaking" to see XXXTentacion killed just as he began to show signs of "warmth, self-awareness and a desire to help".
On February 7, 2023, the trial for the remaining three defendants in the murder of XXXTentacion began.
On March 20, 2023, all three defendants in XXXTentacion's murder trial were found guilty on all counts.
On April 6, 2023, the three men found guilty in the murder of XXXTentacion were sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole.
According to YouGov polling as of July 2023, a majority of Americans have heard of XXXTentacion. A plurality of Americans view him positively, with 56 percent of Americans who have heard of him holding a positive opinion, and 19 percent holding a negative opinion.
On October 26, 2023, Robert Allen was released from prison and is currently on probation after being sentenced to seven years in prison with credit for time served, with a consecutive 20-year probation sentence.
As of February 2024, XXXTentacion's last Instagram post before his death held the record of the 11th most-liked Instagram post of all-time with 32.5 million likes.
By February 2024, XXXTentacion's song "Sad!" had amassed significant streaming numbers, including over 1.2 billion views on YouTube and 2.1 billion streams on Spotify.