One year after XXXTentacion was shot dead in Florida, other rappers and artists took to social media to honour him.
In particular, Lil Pump, who posted an emotional video of himself listening to a song by XXXTentacion – real name Jahseh Dwayne Onfroy – while wiping away tears.
The Florida rapper also used his platform to praise X’s talent, making direct comparisons between his late friend and Tupac Shakur.
Pump, otherwise known as Gazzy Garcia, made the controversial claim on an Instagram story which has since expired past its 24 hour limit.
The 18-year-old said:
Deadass though, X is the 2Pac of our generation. No cap.
Although the Gucci Gang rapper’s claim would understandably be a significant compliment to most, Onfroy previously asked not to be compared to the iconic rap legend just months before his death.
In an interview with DJ Akademiks in January last year, X was asked if he wanted to make his way into acting like Tupac did.
As soon as the media personality made the comparison, Onfroy immediately dismissed it, stating he was superior to Tupac in many ways.
The rapper said, as per Complex:
I’m better than Tupac, bro. Please don’t compare me to him. Please don’t. Tupac can’t make rock music. Tupac couldn’t do that. Tupac didn’t do that. Tupac was a dancer and a poet and a rapper.
Lil Pump wasn’t the only artist to pay tribute to the late rapper; Billie Eilish also honoured Onfroy on the first anniversary of his death, with the singer previously telling the New York Times she doesn’t want to be ‘shamed’ for grieving her late friend, adding: ‘I don’t think I deserve getting hate for loving someone that passed.’
The Bad Guy singer wrote on her Instagram story:
Miss you. Hope you’re okay up there. Long live you.
Although Eilish didn’t identify X in either of her three posts, the pair were close friends and the pop star has spoken about his death in the past.
The 20-year-old rapper was fatally shot outside a motorcycle dealership in Fort Lauderale on Monday, June 18 last year. Just three days after what would have been his 21st birthday, Onfroy’s girlfriend gave birth to their baby boy, named Gekyume Onfroy.
Before his death, Onfroy had faced a number of charges – including gun possession, robbery, assault with a deadly weapon, and aggravated battery of a pregnant victim.
Gekyume is said to be derived from a word Onfroy created, which according to Complex, means ‘a different state’, or ‘the next universe of thought’. It is reported the rapper chose the name for his son before he died.
In a statement, Onfroy’s family said:
Gekyume’s name is derived from a word X created prior to his passing, which means ‘a different state’ or ‘next’ universe of thought.
XXXTentacion specifically chose this name for his first-born son; his family is honored to fulfill his wish and shower baby Gekyume with love.
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A Broadcast Journalism Masters graduate who went on to achieve an NCTJ level 3 Diploma in Journalism, Lucy has done stints at ITV, BBC Inside Out and Key 103. While working as a journalist for UNILAD, Lucy has reported on breaking news stories while also writing features about mental health, cervical screening awareness, and Little Mix (who she is unapologetically obsessed with).