In X’s new album, 17, he dumps his hard 808s for a slower acoustic sound. He gives us an explanation with the first skit in the album about how he wants this album to be an outreach to listeners who can relate with the struggles of depression. He clearly states that listeners of this album will be entering his state of mind and if we are not fully willing to accept his thoughts and ideas, we should just not listen.
His second track is titled “Jocelyn Flores” after one of his close friends committed suicide while she was visiting him in Florida over the summer. He goes in depth about what he was feeling at the time and what he feels like at the moment as he states he’s “in pain, wanna put 10 shots in my brain.” This is the second song he dedicated to her, the first being “Revenge”, and is the more in depth.
The album's artwork shows how Jocelyn Flores was the only person that he could really confide in as his family “is dead to me.” It goes on to say that he still loves his family even though they pushed his depression to the side and told him it was all in his head. He does eventually state how the loss of his friends led to his eventual success.
His second track is titled “Jocelyn Flores” after one of his close friends committed suicide while she was visiting him in Florida over the summer. He goes in depth about what he was feeling at the time and what he feels like at the moment as he states he’s “in pain, wanna put 10 shots in my brain.” This is the second song he dedicated to her, the first being “Revenge”, and is the more in depth.
The album's artwork shows how Jocelyn Flores was the only person that he could really confide in as his family “is dead to me.” It goes on to say that he still loves his family even though they pushed his depression to the side and told him it was all in his head. He does eventually state how the loss of his friends led to his eventual success.
In his ninth track he talks about his ex-girlfriend, Geneva Ayala, and it's a heavier break-up song than we’re used to hearing. X talks about hating her as she falsely accused him of beating her. He speaks about how he without having her around in his lyrics, “Now the fact that I’m alone is f*****g comforting.” He goes on to say that she hurt him by giving him a cold shoulder and that “her fingers in all my stab wounds” saying that she is the reason he’s feeling all this pain. The sad part comes towards the middle of the song where he states “I f*****g hate that I love you still,” showing that even through the pain that she put him through she still holds a place in his heart.
I think that overall the album deserves a lot more credit than it’s given. Most of his fan base dislikes the album because they’re used to his hard beats, mumble rapping and they don’t listen to the lyrics or to the meaning. I thoroughly enjoyed the album because it gives us a break from the mainstream rap where all you hear is a hard beat and drowned out lyrics.
X makes it obvious that this album is about the meaning not creating “bangers” for the radio. I respect the fact that he was able to put himself out there and make himself vulnerable to all kinds of attacks and was still able to make a chart topping album in a completely different genre than he's used to.
I think that overall the album deserves a lot more credit than it’s given. Most of his fan base dislikes the album because they’re used to his hard beats, mumble rapping and they don’t listen to the lyrics or to the meaning. I thoroughly enjoyed the album because it gives us a break from the mainstream rap where all you hear is a hard beat and drowned out lyrics.
X makes it obvious that this album is about the meaning not creating “bangers” for the radio. I respect the fact that he was able to put himself out there and make himself vulnerable to all kinds of attacks and was still able to make a chart topping album in a completely different genre than he's used to.