Jahseh Dwayne Ricardo Onfroy, known professionally as XXXTentacion, was an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. He was born on January 23, 1998, in Plantation, Florida, and died on June 18, 2018, at 20 years old.
His music blended hip-hop, emo, punk rock, and R&B in a way that earned him tens of billions of global streams.
Who is XXXTentacion?
XXXTentacion was one of the most talked-about artists of the late 2010s. He built a massive following on SoundCloud before breaking into the mainstream with two Billboard-charting studio albums.
His music often explored themes of depression, emotional pain, and inner conflict. Fans responded to the rawness of his songs, which sat somewhere between rap, emo, and alternative rock.
He was a member of the music collective Members Only, which also featured Ski Mask the Slump God. His THENX-era collaborations with Ski Mask helped bring SoundCloud rap to a wider audience.
His stage name reflects the Spanish word “tentación,” meaning “temptation,” combined with the triple “X” prefix he adopted early in his career. Even after his death, his catalog continued to grow through posthumous releases managed by his estate.
Early Life of XXXTentacion
XXXTentacion was born in Plantation, Florida, to Jamaican parents, Dwayne Ricardo Onfroy and Cleopatra Eretha Dreena Bernard.
His father named him Jahseh after the Bob Marley song “So Jah Seh.” Both his father and grandfather followed Rastafarian traditions.
His parents raised him in difficult circumstances, and his mother’s financial struggles led to him spending much of his childhood in Lauderhill and Pompano Beach, Florida, primarily under the care of his grandmother, Collette Jones.
He attended Margate Middle School, where he was expelled for multiple physical altercations with other students. His childhood included early contact with the legal system and time spent in youth correctional facilities.
It was during a stint in juvenile detention that he reportedly met Stokeley Goulbourne, later known as Ski Mask the Slump God. The two began freestyling together, sparking the collaboration that would define XXXTentacion’s early career.
XXXTentacion Age
XXXTentacion was 20 years old at the time of his death on June 18, 2018, born on January 23, 1998. His zodiac sign was Aquarius. Had he lived, he would have turned 28 in January 2026.
His career lasted only about five years, from his first SoundCloud upload in 2013 to his death in 2018. In that brief window, he produced four studio albums and accumulated tens of billions of streams globally.
XXXTentacion Ethnicity and Nationality
XXXTentacion was an American national, born and raised in Florida. His parents were both Jamaican, giving him Caribbean heritage.
In a 2017 interview on The Beat, he also mentioned Egyptian, Syrian, and Indian ancestry, though this was not independently confirmed. His mixed background was a topic he discussed in various interviews throughout his career.
His Jamaican roots were reflected in his father’s Rastafarian beliefs and in his given name, Jahseh, drawn from a Bob Marley song.
XXXTentacion Height and Weight
XXXTentacion stood at approximately 5 feet 6 inches tall, which is around 1.68 meters. His weight at the time of his death was not publicly confirmed.
His slight build was part of his distinctive stage presence, one that contrasted sharply with the intensity of his music and live performances. He often appeared on stage in dark, layered clothing that reflected the emotional tone of his songs.
XXXTentacion Musical Style and Influences
XXXTentacion drew from a wide range of genres, including trap, emo, nu-metal, punk rock, and indie rock. His early SoundCloud tracks featured distorted 808s and lo-fi production, while his debut album 17 shifted toward stripped-down acoustic and piano-driven arrangements.
He cited Tupac Shakur and Papa Roach as early influences. Third-wave emo music also shaped his approach to songwriting, particularly the emotionally raw lyrical style that made tracks like “Jocelyn Flores” and “SAD!” connect with millions of listeners.
His genre-blending approach was largely self-taught and unconventional. He actively resisted fitting into a single musical category, moving between styles from one project to the next.
XXXTentacion Career
XXXTentacion’s career began on SoundCloud and ended with back-to-back number-one albums on the Billboard 200. His rise happened quickly, over roughly five years of prolific output and growing controversy.
Early Career and the First Song
XXXTentacion’s first song, “News/Flock,” appeared on SoundCloud in June 2013. He released it shortly after being introduced to recording through his friendship with Ski Mask the Slump God. After purchasing a Blue Snowball microphone, he began uploading tracks consistently.
In 2014, he uploaded “Vice City,” the track that many consider his first fully formed solo statement and the one that established his SoundCloud identity under the XXXTentacion name. He followed it with several independent EPs and collaborative projects throughout 2014 and 2015.
He also recorded two projects with Ski Mask the Slump God under the Members Only collective: Members Only Vol. 1 and Members Only Vol. 2. These projects built a dedicated underground following on SoundCloud before the mainstream paid attention.
Breakthrough: “Look at Me!” and the Album 17
On December 31, 2015, XXXTentacion uploaded “Look at Me!” to SoundCloud. The track used lo-fi distortion and a blown-out beat that set it apart from anything on mainstream radio. It debuted commercially on iTunes in January 2016 before receiving an official re-release through Empire Records in February 2017.
“Look at Me!” became his first big single. It charted in the top 40 of the Billboard Hot 100 and introduced him to millions of listeners outside the SoundCloud community. An interview with the No Jumper podcast in April 2016 also raised his profile significantly.
His debut studio album, 17, arrived in August 2017. It charted at number two on the US Billboard 200 and reached number one in Norway.
The album earned double platinum certification from the RIAA. At the 2018 American Music Awards, XXXTentacion posthumously won Favourite Soul/R&B Album for 17.
Second Album, Death, and Posthumous Releases
His second studio album, ?, released on March 16, 2018, debuted at number one on the Billboard 200. The single “SAD!” entered the chart at number seven.
After his death in June 2018, “SAD!” climbed to number one, making it his first chart-topping single. The song later earned Diamond certification from the RIAA, signifying over 10 million units sold in the US alone.
XXXTentacion died on June 18, 2018, when he was shot during a robbery at RIVA Motorsports in Deerfield Beach, Florida. Four men were arrested: Michael Boatwright, Dedrick Williams, Trayvon Newsome, and Robert Allen.
In March 2023, three of the men, Boatwright, Williams, and Newsome, were found guilty and sentenced to life in prison.
His estate released the posthumous album Skins in December 2018, followed by Bad Vibes Forever in 2019. Both debuted in the top five of the Billboard 200.
In June 2022, the estate released Look at Me: The Album, a 25-track compilation including early SoundCloud recordings and the single “True Love” featuring Kanye West.
XXXTentacion Discography
Studio albums released during his lifetime:
- 17 (2017)
- ? (2018)
Posthumous studio albums released by his estate:
- Skins (2018)
- Bad Vibes Forever (2019)
He also released the mixtape Revenge in 2017 and collaborated on the Members Only series with Ski Mask the Slump God. The 2022 compilation Look at Me: The Album collected 25 tracks spanning his full career.
XXXTentacion Awards and Recognition
XXXTentacion won Favourite Soul/R&B Album at the 2018 American Music Awards for his debut album 17. The award arrived posthumously, just months after his death in June of that year.
His song “SAD!” earned RIAA Diamond certification in August 2021, representing over 10 million units sold in the United States. “Moonlight” reached 7x platinum certification, and “Fuck Love” reached 6x platinum.
Sony Music Canada reported that he sold over 60 million records in the United States during his brief career. By October 2020, he had accumulated 49 million certified digital song sales globally, placing him among the top 20 best-selling artists for digital singles at that time.
Artists including Billie Eilish and Juice WRLD publicly cited XXXTentacion as a musical influence. In 2021, “SAD!” also hit Diamond status in the UK.
XXXTentacion Children
XXXTentacion’s son, Gekyume Onfroy, was born on January 26, 2019, seven months after his father’s death.
His mother is Jenesis Sanchez, who was two months pregnant at the time of XXXTentacion’s murder. The birth was announced on Instagram by XXXTentacion’s mother, Cleopatra Bernard.
The name Gekyume came from a word XXXTentacion himself created before his death, defined by his family as meaning “a different state” or “next universe of thought.” The rapper had specifically chosen the name for his first-born son.
Jenesis Sanchez has raised Gekyume since his birth and has spoken about her intention to share everything about his father with him when he comes of age.
XXXTentacion Net Worth
XXXTentacion’s estimated net worth is $5 million as of 2026, reflecting the value of his catalog at the time of his death and the continuing revenue generated by his estate.
His estate purchased four properties in South Florida in 2018, spending a total of $1.7 million on homes intended for family members. These real estate holdings added to the overall value of his estate at the time of his passing.
Streaming royalties continue to generate significant revenue through his YouTube channel, which carries over 43 million subscribers, and through major streaming platforms where his catalog remains active.
His posthumous releases, including Bad Vibes Forever and Look at Me: The Album, also contributed additional commercial income to his estate after his death.
XXXTentacion Social Media
XXXTentacion’s official YouTube channel, @xxxtentacion, remains active and continues to accumulate views through his music videos and audio tracks. His Instagram presence is maintained by his estate and family at @xxxtentacion.
XXXTentacion’s YouTube channel reached over 43 million subscribers. His music videos and songs have combined for over 12 billion views on the platform, making him one of the most-watched posthumous artists in the world.
The Bottom Line
XXXTentacion released his debut studio album 17 in August 2017, and it reached number two on the US Billboard 200 before earning double platinum certification. His follow-up album ? debuted at number one in March 2018, and “SAD!” reached Diamond status in the US.
He grew up in South Florida, raised largely by his grandmother in Lauderhill, and built his career almost entirely through SoundCloud before any record label took notice. His blend of trap, emo, and punk rock drew a generation of listeners who found his emotional honesty in songs relatable.
His estate continues to manage his catalog, which includes four studio albums and the 2022 compilation Look at Me: The Album featuring a collaboration with Kanye West.
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