The legitimacy of making a posthumous album falls on issues on consent, and even in those instances where an artist's determined spirit is respected, the bitter pill of death blindingly present. But XXXTentacion's "new" posthumous project manages to avoid many of those pitfalls, by staying relatively true to his character the whole way through.
"Guardian angel," the 2nd track off SKINS, employs harmonic overtones from "Jocelyn Flores," spun backward for effect. It's only until you see the lyrics written on paper that X's tribute to his one-time lover becomes discernible to the ear. For those who don't know, Jocelyn Flores was a woman who committed suicide in 2017, after XXXTentacion chose to end their vague romantic liaison. Between this and the original sample, XXXTentacion and Jocelyn will be forever connected by the same public eulogy.
Quotable Lyrics:
Llew os uoy wonk I
—ytterp neeb ev'I
Nac eh naht retteb od nac I, naem I
Lrig, uoy wonk I, llew os uoy wonk I
Llew, llew, llew
Bmun os m'I, emas eht leef t'nod I dna
No dloh ot tsuj niap 'nileef eb ll'I, niap 'nileef eb ll'I
Bmun os m'I, emas eht leef t'nod I dna
No dloh ot tsuj niap 'nileef eb ll'I, niap 'nileef eb ll'I.
-X