By Howard Campbell
LAUDERHILL – A Jamaican music producer who worked with slain rapper XXXTentacion plans new releases of songs he recorded with the troubled artist who was murdered on June 18 by gunmen.
John ‘Jon FX’ Crawford, who produced one of the songs from ?, XXXTentacion’s second album, said he recorded a number of tracks with him including Forever, a collaboration with jailed Jamaican dancehall act Vybez Kartel.
He also plans to release Royalty, an Afrobeat song he did with Ky-Mani Marley. Crawford did not give a timeline of when the XXXtentacion new releases will be available.
“What I really want to do is show a different side to X, of him singing, doing acoustic stuff. I have to find a way to let the world see his versatility,” said Crawford.
Broward County Police report that XXXtentacion, whose real name was Jahsey Onfroy, was shot and killed by one of two gunmen at a Deerfield Beach auto dealership. The 20-year-old entertainer was gunned down while in the driver’s seat of a BMW sports car.
No arrests have been made.
Crawford was a mentor to the rapper whose parents are Jamaican. They first met six years ago when he was preparing to launch his recording career. One of their initial projects was I’m Yours, a song Crawford produced with he and Sizzla.
?, debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 Album Chart in March. It includes the song I Don’t Even Speak Spanish LOL. The song is co-produced and co-written by Crawford.
XXXTentacion had several run-ins with the law including aggravated battery and false imprisonment charges stemming from a 2016 incident with his pregnant girlfriend. He pleaded not guilty to the charges but spent six months in jail.
XXXTentacion’s dark side
Crawford said it is a pity his dark side overshadowed his music.
“It’s very rare when you meet an artist who knows what they want. He went against music industry standards and did things differently.”
XXXtentacion earned admiration from heavyweight rappers like Kendrick Lamar and Drake for his 2017 album, 17, which contained the hit song Jocelyn Flores.
His other hits include Revenge and Look at Me!
