The day has arrived. XXXTENTACION’s second posthumous album Bad Vibes Forever dropped on Friday (Dec. 6) and it doesn’t disappoint.
What is being deemed the late rapper’s “last” album contains 57 minutes of deep-cutting poetry and vibrant eclectic sounds that X was known for.
Bad Vibes Forever sounds like the X his fans remember. The topics covered in his music range from school shooters to jealous enemies, work in progress relationships to the desire to live. The 25-track album covers every angle.
The energy that X’s album delivers reminds us that he was that dude. X plays the guitar, sings a cappella, and christens his music with unmatchable cadence. There’s no doubt that his ability to easily maneuver through different music genres, singing and rapping, and not sound like any other rapper out, makes him arguably one of the G.O.A.T.S of this generation.
Yet, the sentiment is bittersweet because fans are also reminded that his untimely demise was too soon. X had a lot of potential. Even with almost 10 albums in his discography, X was just getting started. No wonder why some people were intimidated by his presence in the music industry.
What’s even more phenomenal is that Bad Vibes Forever was created using rough snippets of X’s voice. Entire songs were curated from short drafts of songs X was working on before his death in 2018.
While every song on the album are standouts, the hard bangers include “NorthStar” featuring Joyner Lucas, “I Changed Her Life” featuring Rick Ross, “Kill My Vibe” featuring Tom G, “THE ONLY TIME I FEEL ALIVE” featuring Craig Xen, and “Voss” featuring Sauce Walka & Carnage.
Lil Wayne sounds like his old self again and a little bit like Young Thug on the menacing “School Shooters”. Plus, the screaming, rockstar X makes an appearance near the end of the song.
X even gives a shoutout to The Breakfast Club’s Charlamagne on the bass heavy “ATTENTION!”, saying “I’m an a**hole, like Charlamagne.”
As is expected from a Florida rapper, Bad Vibes Forever delivers some dancehall songs with “Hot Gyal” featuring Tory Lanez & Mavado and “Royalty” featuring Ky-Mani Marley, Stefflon Don & Vybz Kartel.
Then, there are the songs that seem to seep from the dark crevices of X’s inner thoughts. The very reason why X’s fans gravitated to him was because of his ability to be vulnerable in the world of Hip Hop that makes it challenging for an artist to be true to self.
It’s been a very long time since Hip Hop has seen the likes of this type of rapper, since the days of Tupac. Of course, there are some exceptions, but no one is as quite convincing as Jahseh Onfroy.
He proves this on tracks like “UGLY”, “Bad Vibes Forever” featuring PnB Rock & Trippie Redd, “Triumph”, “before i realize”, “Daemons” featuring Joey Bada$$ & Kemba (who sounds like Kendrick Lamar), and “numb the pain”.
“wanna grow old (i won’t let go)” featuring Jimmy Levy was evidence that X wanted to live, despite the feelings of insignificance and pain he suffered during his 20 years on earth.
Bad Vibes Forever is a reflection of the youth today and the hearts of the stone-faced individuals we encounter everyday who have an inner pain that relentlessly pester their souls, yet in public, they put on their masks and smile until it cracks their faces.
X’s final love letter to the world solidifies his legacy. More than just a rapper who talks about jewelry, hoes, and egos, X had something to say. For that, The MouthSoap is forever appreciative. LLJ
“And it was just like, like as a kid of confusion. Confusion, thrown into this array. It’s like I really want to amount to something great. I ain’t trying…but in the same sense, I’m trying to go there off energy, I’m trying to go there off effort. I’m not trying to go there off hardships and all that b*llsh**, bro. I felt hardships. I’m tired of that s**t, I’m good bro. I’m trying to tell the world to f*****g relax, bro. Relax, let me be me. Let me be a prince, let me be a king, n***a. Off the sense of my mind…My mind is different, you feel me. I’m not with that torturing s**t. I’m not with that, bro. To be appreciated and to be loved, bro. Let a n***a assert himself, bro. Let a n***a be who he want to be. If I make my mistakes, make my mistakes along the road, then that’s my fault. You feel me. But, I know, I know. I be feeling, there’s something watching. There’s something watching. I know.”
-XXXTENTACION “introduction”
Contributing Writer: Betty Bema
