Lil Xan American rapper, singer and songwriter Date of Birth: 06.09.1996 Country: USA

1. Early Life and Musical Influences
2. Breakthrough and Total Xanarchy
3. Controversy and Personal Life
4. Struggles with Addiction and Recovery
5. Musical Style and Critical Reception
6. Later Career and Legacy

Early Life and Musical Influences

Diego Leanos, better known by his stage name Lil Xan, was born in Redlands, California on September 6, 1996. Raised in poverty, he faced financial struggles and moved frequently with his family. Xan dropped out of school in ninth grade and spent several years unemployed. He eventually resorted to street cleaning and drug dealing.

"I wasn't rapping or freestyling when I was in school," Xan recalled. "As a kid, I never said I was going to be a rapper." Initially pursuing photography to promote his friends' rap careers, Xan's camera was stolen during a performance. Needing money and facing an expensive replacement cost, he opted to give recording a try.

With encouragement from those same friends, Xan slowly gained recognition through platforms like SoundCloud and YouTube. His popularity surged with the release of the video for "Betrayed" in August 2017.

Breakthrough and Total Xanarchy

"Betrayed" became a platinum-selling hit, peaking at number 64 on the Billboard Hot 100. Xan's debut album, "Total Xanarchy," followed in April 2018 and featured collaborations with Diplo and Swae Lee. A supporting tour for the album sold out within five hours, according to Billboard.

Controversy and Personal Life

In 2018, Xan made headlines for disparaging Tupac Shakur's music. Fellow rapper Waka Flocka Flame labeled him an "outcast in hip-hop" for the comments. Xan later paid homage to Shakur by performing "California Love."

Xan also began dating singer-actress Noah Cyrus in June 2018. The couple released a collaboration, "Live or Die," in August 2018. The relationship ended in September 2018 after Cyrus jokingly sent Xan a photoshopped nude image of singer Charlie Puth.

Struggles with Addiction and Recovery

Xan has publicly struggled with addiction to Xanax, opioids, and benzodiazepines. He has since become an outspoken advocate for sobriety.

"There's a whole national movement against Xanax right now," Xan said in an interview with Pigeons & Planes. "We're unstoppable at this point, and I'm so glad I could create something so positive, and people are taking it so well."

Musical Style and Critical Reception

Xan's music has been described as a blend of traditional trap and "haunting, ethereal sonics" by Pigeons & Planes. The New Yorker has categorized him as part of the "sad rap" movement.

Xan's debut album, "Total Xanarchy," received mixed reviews from critics. Ben Beaumont-Thomas of The Guardian praised the album's "beautifully gloomy" sound but criticized Xan's "underdeveloped" songwriting and "Post Malone/XXXTentacion cosplay." Meaghan Garvey of Pitchfork wrote that "the supposed leader of sad rap refuses to actually express any emotion on his debut album beyond a sullen, churlish intransigence."

Later Career and Legacy

After considering retiring from music, Xan has continued to release music and promote awareness about addiction. He has also become known for his distinctive tattoo of No Face from the animated film "Spirited Away."

Lil Xan's journey from street hustler to chart-topping rapper is a testament to both the transformative power of music and the challenges faced by young artists navigating the complexities of fame and addiction.