‘?’ Does Little to Redeem XXXTentacion

XXXTentacion is undoubtedly talented. Born Jahseh Onfroy, he emerged from the SoundCloud rap scene and released his first EP at the age of 16, followed a year later by his first album, “17.” And perhaps because of his unconventional start, he has been more willing to deviate from norms of rap and hip-hop, which has consistently landed him on Billboard’s top hits.

The now 20-year-old rapper is also one of the most controversial artists of his time, and for good reason. He has a history of violence against women that includes physical abuse of his then-pregnant ex girlfriend, allegations of torture, kidnapping, and sexual assault, and has been in and out of jail since 2016. Yet his short but extremely successful career has remained largely unaffected by his behavior: He wrote his newly released second album “?” on house arrest while awaiting trial for 15 felony charges, including aggravated battery of a pregnant woman, domestic battery by strangulation, false imprisonment, and witness-tampering.

So how does “?” reconcile any of this?

It doesn’t. Set alone, “?” seems like a look at the inner workings of a troubled young rapper, an experimental blend of acoustic sound with modern trap. In his opening track, “Introduction (instructions),” X doesn’t rap or sing, but speaks without background noise: “This album is far different, far more versatile, far more uplifting than the last. It's something you can find comfort in, it's very comforting, but discomforting at the same time. So, with this project, again, you're entering my mind, feeling my insanity, feeling my genius, my energy. Enjoy.” But, contextualized, the album paints over the inexcusable attitudes that have consistently manifested in his actions. His behavior should taint how we listen to his music—how else are we to respond? Yes, artists who violate the law are by no means a novel concept, but “?” is so imbued with aggression and sexual overtones that separating the artist from the person is impossible.

“Floor 555” is the most explicitly belligerent in tone. Over a rumbling beat, X yells repeatedly, “Fuckboy, don't test, boy, don't test / Boy, don't test, boy, don't test,” an angrier rendition of his 2016 song “Don’t Test Me.” “schizophrenia” is similar with its bursts of screaming and menacing drums as he screeches, “Don’t give up, don’t give up.” There does seem to be a hint of pained remorse in “PAIN = BESTFRIEND” when he sings, “Lost in regret, I / Feel so deeply, I can't seem to find the means of ground,” but his outlet for regret is still vocally strained screaming, which closes out the last 40 seconds of the 100-second song, leaving no room to explore the nuances of his anguish. This aggression also transfers to his views on sex, as “SMASH!” is exactly what it implies.

The seemingly tender tracks of his album, “the remedy for a broken heart (why am I so in love),” “SAD!” and “NUMB,” are superficially so, with lofty lyrics that rely on repetitive lines and filler tunes. Along with completely random tracks like “I don’t even speak spanish lol” and “Hope” (which begins with a shout out to the Parkland shooting), they muddle X’s hasty attempts to address his behavior and make his aggression seem even more startling in comparison.

X’s failure to adequately articulate the inner workings of his “mind, insanity, genius, and energy” makes for not only a chaotic album but a problematic one. “?” is as disjointed as it is superficial, and other than abrasive screaming, its short 18 tracks have few unifying threads. It’s still his most emotional work to date, but his attempt to wear his heart on his sleeve fails because that sleeve hides an abusive hand, one that has also been blindly given a mic.

— Staff writer Kaylee S. Kim can be reached at kaylee.kim@thecrimson.com.