Instagram XXXTentacion performs.
XXXTentation has died. The Florida rapper was shot and killed by two unidentified men, according to The Broward Sheriff’s Office, in what appears to be an attempted robbery. X, born Jahseh Dwayne Onfroy, was one of the most popular and divisive figures in rap music during his brief career, and he rubbed shoulders with a number of industry legends as a result.
Read on for some of the most heartfelt tributes and reactions to X’s death from the rap community.
Kanye West and J. Cole took to Twitter to pay their respects to X. Cole, in particular had a volatile relationship with the rapper when he was still alive.
This got me fucked up. RIP X. Enormous talent and limitless potential and a strong desire to be a better person. God bless his family, friends and fans.
In 2017’s XXL Freshman Freestyle, X dissed Cole with the lyrics:
Jesus wasn’t white nor black, I can’t knock it/Was somewhat a Arab and one hell of a prophet/Don’t understand why J. Cole talkin’ ’bout false prophets/But didn’t mention higher-ups/Change your name to Amber Cole/These f**king entertainers is playing it by the rules.
Despite this, Cole complimented X when he appeared on the No Jumper Podcast weeks later: “The kid got punched on stage, it was clearly big enough to make into my realm,” Cole said. “So that leads me to hearing some of his s**t — damn, this n**ga’s actually talented.”
Other famous artists who paid tribute to X on Twitter include 2 Chainz, Juicy J, and Lil Yachty. “We must support his legacy, life isn’t promised”, Yachty wrote. The rapper previously worked with X on the songs “Triple Cup” and “Digits”, and also retweeted a post by X from 2015 that read: “I wont be mad at all if I die right now, in the end, my music will live on.”
We must support his legacy.
Life isn’t promised.
Prayers up for 🙏🏿 @xxxtentacion
I PRAY IT ISNT TRUE AND IF IT IS GOD BLESS THE… t.co/kWNVfjSXLc
Diplo posted an emotional message to the rapper on Instagram, writing “He has his faults but he was young and he worked so hard on his own self. He wanted to be better. He loves everyone so much.” The producer also revealed that he and Skrillex were planning on working with X on his third studio album.
“He texted me this weekend it was one of his goals to get me & Skrillex to finish his next album” Diplo wrote, “I Invited him to LA this week. I was wondering if he was gonna come.”
Veteran radio host Big Boy tweeted out a tribute and posted a video of X shortly before his death. In the video, the rapper addresses his controversial reputation and what he wants his legacy to be in the event he ever died young:
A message from #xxxtentacion before his death. He was only 20.
Worst thing comes to worst, i f**king die a tragic death or some s**t and I’m not able to see out my dreams, I at least wanna know that the kids perceive my message and were able to make something of themselves and able to take my message and use it and turn it into something positive. And to at least have a good life. If I’m gonna die or ever be a sacrifice I wanna make sure that my life made at least five million kids happy, or they found some sort of answer or resolve in my life regardless of the negative around my name.
