17
2017“A brief, raw acoustic album about depression and isolation”
17 is the most focused thing he made. At just under twenty-two minutes, with no song longer than three minutes, it trades the distorted bass of his Florida scene for piano, acoustic guitar and samples of Shiloh Dynasty. "Jocelyn Flores" and "Everybody Dies in Their Nightmares" are hushed and haunting, and the album's openness about suicidal thoughts and heartbreak is what connected. Its brevity is also its limit: several songs feel like sketches.
Why it ranks here
17 is the most focused thing he made. At just under twenty-two minutes, with no song longer than three minutes, it trades the distorted bass of his Florida scene for piano, acoustic guitar and samples of Shiloh Dynasty. "Jocelyn Flores" and "Everybody Dies in Their Nightmares" are hushed and haunting, and the album's openness about suicidal thoughts and heartbreak is what connected. Its brevity is also its limit: several songs feel like sketches.
Context
His debut studio album, released August 25, 2017 through Bad Vibes Forever and Empire. It debuted at No. 2 on the Billboard 200 with 87,000 units, and seven of its songs entered the Hot 100. Trippie Redd is the only guest. It has been certified double platinum.
Highlights
- Jocelyn Flores
- Everybody Dies in Their Nightmares
- Depression & Obsession
- Revenge
- Save Me
Weak Spots
- Many songs end before they develop
- The spoken intro and outro add little
Production
XXXTentacion · Potsu · John Cunningham · Natra Average · Tobias Jesso Jr.
Influence
Helped define the sound and subject matter of late-2010s emo rap and showed how large an audience existed for it.
Replay Value
High — short enough to play straight through.