The 20-year-old rapper, whose real name was Jahseh Onfroy, was leaving a motorsports store shortly before 4 p.m. when two men in a dark colored SUV shot and killed him.
At the time of his death, he was awaiting trial for a domestic violence incident involving his pregnant girlfriend, according to court documents. He had been under house arrest for a time while he awaited trial on battery and harassment charges. He also sparked backlash for staging a scene depicting himself lynching a young white boy in his September 2017 music video for the viral hit “Look at Me”.
Following the news of his death, social media users shared posts and memes making mockery of his death. Singer, Jidenna, addressed the issue, criticizing people for their lack of empathy.
Jidenna posits that no one can be so self-righteous that they are happy when a youth dies.
“R.I.P @xxxtentacion No one can be so self-righteous that they are happy when a youth dies. The young still have the capability to reform. God bless the kids.
“For the record, I was never in support of his ways, especially his domestic abuse which I found to be horrific. But I will never demonize an individual without criticizing the society and/or circumstance in which they were raised. Especially someone under 21.
“For those who are so woke that their compassion is asleep, remember this…if Malcolm X was killed at the age of 20, he would have died an abuser, a thief, an addict, and a narrow-minded depressed & violent criminal. So, I believe in change for the young.
“My point here is not to equate Malcolm with XXX, but to point out that a young lost kid can evolve into something greater. I do believe kharma was at work, however, so I pray that men heed this warning and that we revere women more than any generation b4 us.
“As I’m watching people make @xxxtentacion a martyr, I pray that we recognize the women enduring sexual assault & domestic abuse around the world. They are the true martyrs & heroes. While I‘ve expressed compassion for troubled youth, I salute women worldwide.”
