XXXTentacion is still riding the success of his most recent album, 17, which continues to do well in terms of sales and streaming numbers. As of this writing, the LP sits in the Top 20 of the Billboard 200 chart and is in the Top 10 of the Hip-Hop/R&B album chart. Further to that, two tracks from 17, "Jocelyn Flores" and "F**k Love," are holding strong inside the Hot 100. However, XXX is doing anything but standing pat - in fact, based on a video that was shared by the young rapper last night, he could have some brand-new material dropping really soon.
In a short clip that has since made the rounds on social media, XXXTentacion teased a brief snippet from what sounds like an upcoming single. For all intents and purposes, it's a departure from the sound that his current listeners know him for, with a retro-sounding beat that sounds like it could've been pulled from the very best of 90's-era rap music. Think J. Dilla or The Abstract, with the glittering piano keys gliding effortlessly over top of the strong rhythm section backbone. X's rapping is relatively quiet in the mix, getting lost a couple of times underneath what is a really catchy beat. However, that's not to say that it's bad either, with his flow also upping its game from much of the music that was included on 17. It may be too early to pass proper judgement, but if and when this track does see the light of day, XXXTentacion might have a hit on his hands.
The combining of old-school samples and the voices of young up-and-coming emcees has been a pattern we've seen a lot of this year. Perhaps the easiest comparison is one of X's closest contemporaries, Kodak Black, sampled the Geto Boys' "Mind Playin' Tricks On Me" to great effect with his really strong single "Transportin'." It's a formula that hooks listeners with the nostalgia factor but can introduce hip-hop enthusiasts to some fresh talent. There has been no release date or additional information about this mystery song detailed by XXXTentacion or his team.