I’ll be the first to admit that XXXTentacion has done a lot of bad things. Before his 19th birthday, the kid had already been charged with assault, false imprisonment, domestic abuse, aggravated battery and witness-tampering. In fact, he is currently celebrating the release of this album while on home detention. Often we debate with ourselves whether or not the behaviour of an artist should influence the way we view their work. I’ll expand on this topic in a more comprehensive article later in the month, but right now I just want to focus on this album. If you don’t want to support him with your money feel free to torrent the album instead.
I don’t doubt there will be a lot of people out there who will hate ‘?’. Whether it be because of his fluctuating attitudes, unique singing style or his eclectic genre shifting, XXXTentacion (X) is a natural magnet for polarising reactions, but I question anyone who cannot find a song they like on this album. Aside from a few speaking tracks, I counted eight distinct musical styles on it, including Pop, trap, cloud, RnB and screamo. There are songs here that will appeal to Nirvana and Justin Bieber Fans alike. X jumps between styles like a Chameleon jumps between colours, and it seems he is no longer trapped in the aggressive style that made him famous with tracks like Look at me and What in XXXTarnation. His last solo album, 17, cleared a path for his more emotional music and this album is walking it with ease.
However, in natural XXXTentacion style, he manages to throw in a number of lines that remind you he is still chained to his shady past. The transition from ‘the remedy for a broken heart’ to ‘floor 555’ is a metaphor for how unpredictably aggressive he can be and I don’t think schizophrenia has a place on the album at all, especially between such contrasting songs. I also hate the way he opens the album with a corny introduction. Good music speaks for itself, and it’s tempting to slap on an explanation at the start of your albums, but it doesn’t come off well with music like this.
When listening to this album, you need to understand you’re dealing with a 19 year-old star who rose to fame for his distinct brand of aggressive rap. He’s had to deal with this reputation for a long time and has often noted his desire to depart from it and his past indiscretions. I appreciate that his success has come with personal growth and maturation, but it’s a constant process and we shouldn’t let that distract us from his unnacceptable behaviour. He still resorts to misogynistic lyrics and immature quips, and I think he will for a long time. Is this a reason to discredit an album with so many good tracks? I don’t think so. As he has stated with ‘17’ and ‘?’ XXXTentacion is giving us a glimpse into his mind, and anyone who makes music will know that sentiment. Music bridges the gap between the things we think and the things we say. It allows others to feel some of the complex emotions we do, but is our work independent of our actions outside of it? Maybe. I don’t know, but for now, I’ll give him a chance.
Rate: Moonlight, I don’t even speak spanish lol, Hope, SAD!, Infinity (888)
Hate: schizophrenia, $$$, Introduction (instructions), Floor 555
