Home Music Events No Empathy for the Loss: XXXTentacion (01/23/98 – 06/18/18)

No Empathy for the Loss: XXXTentacion (01/23/98 – 06/18/18)

by Pooh Bailey

On June 18th, 2018, rapper XXXTentacion aka Jahseh Onfroy was gunned down in Miami by masked gunmen. The 20-year-old rapper, who recently celebrated his first number one album on the Billboard charts, will be mourned by fans and family. But who will not be mourning his death are the victims of his heinous crimes. No, this isn’t a ‘glad he’s dead’ article but more of the ‘no empathy for the wicked.’ His crimes outweighed his musical talent. I’m sure he was a talented guy, but I refuse to give unapologetic abusers my streams. So, no this article won’t be about him, but his victims and victims like them.

Black Lives Matter. Beautiful statement isn’t it? Black Lives Matter. Well, that’s until you read the fine print. The only Black lives that seem to matter are those of a heterosexual male. Black heterosexual women and members of the LBGTQ community seem not to matter when it comes to crimes or everyday life. XXXTentacion had abused both his pregnant girlfriend as well as a gay man. Not years ago, remember he was 20yrs old when he passed. He was awaiting trial for beating his girlfriend blind then kidnapping her, before his untimely death. During one of his jail stints, he beat a fellow prisoner almost to death because he was staring at him, which to him meant he was gay. What a guy!! The same guy whose fans harassed his girlfriend so bad, she couldn’t leave the house. And you want me to show empathy? You know who I show empathy for? Those young black girls on the Southside of Chicago, who are being kidnapped and murdered, and no one is doing anything about it. In fact, some of your peers are making jokes. But Black Lives Matter.

Homophobia. No one batted an eye when the charming XXXTentacion described in detail what he did to that inmate. Just like no one batted an eye when Offset said he couldn’t ‘vibe with no queers, ’while decked out in the finest fabrics that a queer person had put together. No matter how progressive we think Hip-Hop is, when events like this happen, problematic entertainers remind us of how homophobic they really are. So, remember that next time when a catastrophe like the Pulse Night Club shooting occurs, just because these rappers are name dropping Gianni Versace, they still don’t vibe with you queers.

Empathy. The leading tagline that’s being used by XXX supporters is, ‘He was only 20. We all did dumb shit at 20. He was just turning his life around.’ You know what I did at 20? I mixed brown and white liquor. I got a credit card I knew I couldn’t afford. You know what I didn’t do? Kidnap and beat my significant other and beat up gay people. My favorite thing I seen was people comparing him to Maya Angelou at 20. At 20 years old, Maya Angelou was a single mother and a sex worker. A mother trying to provide for her child and an unremorseful abuser are not the same. So, miss me with that bull you losers are trying to sell. If XXXTentacion really was changing his life around, he would’ve showed some remorse. But he didn’t. You know when Malcolm X decided to change his life? In jail. For the people in the back, that means he had to face the consequences of his actions and rethink his life. XXXTentacion had yet to face his consequences, so no there is no empathy here.

I will leave you guys with this: just because you die doesn’t mean the affects of your sins do. No, don’t nobody ‘deserve’ to die. But if you want people to show you respect in death, you must give them something to respect in life. Rest in Peace to Jahseh Onfroy, may his soul find the guidance that he was looking for while on earth. But also, to the victims at the hands of Onfroy or any other abuser, may you too, find peace and guidance. And always remember, weeping may endure for a night, but a shout of joy comes in the morning. – Pooh Bailey

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