Jahseh Dwayne Onfroy, known to many as XxxTentacion, was shot and killed on June 18th after leaving a motorcycle dealership in Deerfield Beach, Florida. Reportedly a robbery, Onfroy was shot by two assailants while in his BMW i8. Witnesses reported the two suspects took a Louis Vuitton bag from the BMW i8 as they left.
A Florida native, Onfroy first rose to the scene via SoundCloud in 2014, where his releases at the mere age of 16 under his XxxTentacion moniker gathered a buzz. ‘Look At Me!‘ became his breakout hit in December 2015 – a single that invaded SoundCloud and Spotify, along with most people’s playlists. XxxTentacion was beloved by fans and critics alike for his lack of genre / genre-bending uniqueness.
Although a musical prodigy, Onfroy had a troubled personal life – in October 2016 he was arrested on charges of aggravated battery of a pregnant woman, domestic battery by strangulation, and false imprisonment, and was released from prison in March 2016, receiving probation and a withheld conviction after pleading no contest to charges of armed home invasion robbery and aggravated battery with a firearm. Having time free from incarceration, XxxTentacion embarked on a tour that summer (although it was cancelled shortly after) to promote his mixtape, ‘Revenge‘. His first studio LP, ‘17‘ was released in August to rave reviews and his second full-length, ‘?‘, was released March of this year, debuting at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 albums chart. Artists such as Kanye West, J. Cole, Diplo, Diddy, YBN Nahmir, and more spoke out on social media upon the death of XxxTentacion, and rapper Juice WRLD released a two-song tribute EP to Onfroy and recently deceased peer Lil Peep, which you can listen to below.
J. Cole via Twitter: “This got me f—ed up. RIP X. Enormous talent and limitless potential and a strong desire to be a better person. God bless his family, friends and fans.”
Kanye West wrote on Twitter as well, “Rest in peace I never told you how much you inspired me when you were here thank you for existing.”
Lil Yachty said on Instagram: “Wow… you were such a positive individual. You loved to laugh.. and your one of the most talented musicians i know. everybody makes mistakes in life. nobody deserves an early death. You will live forever through your music. May you Rest In Peace. X.”
The day after Onfroy’s death, his publicist released this statement: “In deference to his family, friends, and loved ones and in light of further investigation, we ask that their privacy be respected at this time. XxxTentacion touched the lives of millions around the globe and will forever reside in the hearts of countless fans who listened to his music, attended his concerts, and felt the glow of his uncontainable, undeniable, and unique spirit. News about memorial services to be issued forthcoming.”
Sarah Medeiros