N
Star Prestige Review

What happened to Xxxtentacion? A Journey Through Life, Music, and Tragedy

Author

Andrew Walker

Updated on March 24, 2026

XXXTENTACION, whose real name was Jahseh Dwayne Ricardo Onfroy, was a prominent American rapper and performer known for his versatile musical style and emotional lyrics.

He grew up facing personal challenges and had a tumultuous journey in the music industry. Read on to find out how things got down for him:

Jahseh Dwayne Ricardo Onfroy

XXXTENTACION was a professional rapper and performer from the United States. His real name was Jahseh Dwayne Ricardo Onfroy.

Dwayne Ricardo Onfroy and Cleopatra Eretha Dreena Bernard, both of Jamaican descent, were the parents of Jahseh Dwayne Ricardo Onfroy when he was born on January 23, 1998, in Plantation, Florida.

Xxxtentacion
Xxxtentacion (Source: Instagram)

His father gave him the name So Jah Seh after the Bob Marley song that interpolates Ezekiel 34. 

Onfroy was born with a “hole in the heart,” or ventricular septal defect. He never reached a height of more than 5 feet 6 inches due to his illness.

Where and how did xxxtentacion grow up? 

Onfroy was primarily raised by his grandmother, Collette Jones, in Pompano Beach, Florida, and Lauderhill, Florida, due to his mother’s personal issues.

Onfroy allegedly attempted to stab a man who was attempting to attack his mother when he was six years old. He was eventually placed in a youth program before living with his grandmother. 

Career beginning as a music artist

After his song “News/Flock” was released in June 2013, Onfroy’s career as a musician officially got underway. 

Onfroy posted his first un-deleted song, “Vice City,” on SoundCloud after taking the stage name XXXTentacion.

Onfroy said that his girlfriend, Geneva Ayala, was the one who made him realize that he should give up a life of crime for music.

Then, he would keep posting brief excerpts of his songs, which he would either soon release or leave unreleased. 

What happened to Xxxtentacion?

XXXtentacion was fatally shot on June 18, 2018, inside his car. The American rapper, who was only 20 years old at the time, died.

Four people followed XXXTentaction when he went to the motorcycle shop on that particular day. They demanded payment and shot him when they had a good chance.

What happened to Xxxtentacion
Xxxtentacion (Source: Instagram)

Xxxtentacion is well-known thanks to the band “Bad Vibes Forever.” He created music to comfort and make people feel less alone when they are suicidal or depressed.

Musical style of xxxtentacion

In addition to hip-hop, XXXTentacion’s music also included emo, trap, lo-fi, indie rock, punk rock, nu-metal, and other genres.

XXXTentacion stated that he is “really into multi-genre things that are not just based around rapping itself” when describing his influences. I find more inspiration from musicians in genres besides rap. 

As a musician, XXXTentacion is regarded as being adaptable, and his music is characterized as having a “lo-fi” aesthetic, being influenced by heavy metal.

Additionally, his music frequently exhibits an “intentional lack of polish” and distorted bass.

XXXTentacion discussed this and claimed that his tracks’ purposefully poor mixing makes them sound “genuine.”

Some fans have also noted how his music has influenced a lot of upcoming musicians, including Juice Wrld and Trippie Redd, who dedicated their song “Legends” to XXXTentacion after the rapper passed away.

Legal issues

Onfroy was detained in late 2012 for possessing 21 grams of marijuana, which is considered a felony under Florida law.

He received a sentence of six months in a behavioral correction facility and one month in juvenile detention. He was arrested for stealing a laptop to make music.

In 2014, Onfroy was charged with gun possession and sentenced to a year in a juvenile detention facility.

Onfroy claims that the district attorney attempted to have him tried as an adult for gun possession while he was in custody, which would have resulted in a sentence of 5–10 years in prison. 

Onfroy made an attempt at suicide in August 2015 by darting into oncoming traffic. He was taken to the hospital for treatment of his wounds, and the incident resulted in an $86.50 fine.

How did Xxxtentacion get famous?

He founded the underground group Members in 2014, and he quickly rose to prominence in the SoundCloud rap scene, a type of trap music that incorporates harsh 808s and lo-fi music. XXXTentacion became well-known thanks to the song “Look at Me.”

Just a few months before his untimely death, this artist released “Hope,” his last song.

His struggles with mental illness are reflected in the song, as is his desire to encourage others to find hope in a world that frequently seems dark and hopeless.