Xavier Review

Jerk, internet rap, whatever you want to call it, you can’t lie–it is the next big thing. With artists like Fakemink, EsdeeKid, Nettspend blowing up overnight over the past year, it is slowly creeping its way into the foreground of popular culture. When thinking about the genre’s genesis, one name comes to mind: xaviersobased. His newest (and first) release under a major label, Xavier, sees him at his most refined, explosive, and fun throughout what feels like a lightning-in-a-bottle of a record.

Raised in New York in a Dominican household, he grew up around lots of “Spanish music of all cultures”, as well as house music from the ‘80s and ‘90s, which is evident in his music today. He started releasing music in 2020, but only gained traction in 2022 with the release of his mixtape, Install. It included songs like “patchmade,” which went viral for its offputting flow and a tight looped piano instrumental featuring high-pitched sound effects interrupting it. His seemingly off-key rapping and slightly off-beat flow might make one miss the absurd, aggressive, yet at times thoughtful lyrics. He goes from threatening to castrate anyone who tries to test him to asking those listening “How you living life with no passion?” The semi-melodic, off-kilter rapping along with the distorted and bouncy production separates him from the rest of his peers in the underground rap scene. In an interview Xavier did with The Fader magazine, he makes it a point to be himself unapologetically: “I was just doing whatever the fuck—but that's what made them so fire.” At the same time, he wears his influences on his sleeve, as his name is a reference to west coast legend Lil B the Based God, and his sound is at times reminiscent of the mid-2010s Drain Gang era of rap, drowned in autotune and electronic, semi-discordant production. With this newest release, his ode to the past and vision for the future is in full force. Amidst the tsunami of 808s and rage, it is quite the breath of fresh air.

Coming off a successful run for the past three years with mixtapes like Keep It Goin Xav and With2, which featured more palatable songs like “Love Hate” and “Need Me”, Xavier decided to slow down for a little bit. After dropping With 2 in June of 2024, he only released one EP, , leading up to the release of Xavier, suggesting a more methodical approach to his releases. itself was a sneak peek into the energy he was channeling for this new era with experimentation in vocal effects, samples, and collection of genres. The recording quality and production value has greatly improved now that he, along with his , are signed to Atlantic Record. Even with a boost in budget and more tools at his disposal, his DIY, unhinged style still manages to shine through.

“iPhone 16”, the first taste of the album, was a strange one on first listen. You’re greeted with a sort of dissonant accordion-like instrumental that persists through most of the almost-4-minute runtime. It is hard to settle into, but when paired with Xavier’s autotune, they end up meshing well. The only interruption is a brief period of silence where the previous instrumental fades out to Xavier’s falsetto singing about being “in the trap”. Regardless of popularity, Xavier always seems to subvert expectations. The rest of the project has a similar tone with his signature goofy, absurd lyrics paired with the occasional earnest plea. Xavier makes it a point not to take himself too seriously; at the same time, this record feels like a milestone for how far he has come.

He starts the album with “I Don’t Gotta Say It”, rapping about how “This rap shit stress me out, but n****, I don’t hate it” and follows it up with “hoes on my dick ‘cause I got self hatred”. This juxtaposition between confidence and doubt is a throughline as the album progresses, with songs like “Minute” and “Wrk Wrk” emphasizing Xavier’s ability to easily switch between the two. As the beat bumps, you can’t help but bust down a move or, at the very least, nod your head along to the entrancing Dominican-influenced drum pattern. At the same time, there are some concepts that fall flat, in songs like “Wheel Man” and “Seen A Lot Of Things” featuring ksuuvi, a frequent collaborator and 1C member. In these cases, the songs are mixed extremely quietly, but with similar annoying loops of high-pitched beeps that can cause anyone a headache. Maybe this is the point, though; Xavier’s vocals are mostly drowned in the waves of sound cacophony for better and for worse across the project. It feels hazy, almost as if you are stumbling through a party, fog flowing through as the lights barely penetrate.

Towards the back end of the album, we can find all of the collaborators and a mix of hits and misses: Flint rapper Rio Da Yung OG flowing over a groovy, Detroit-style beat, Zaytoven showing off his ringing production, and Osamason offering a lofty flow over a joyful melody that doesn’t really inspire anything new. Among the more flowy songs, we find songs like “Skrap” where the instrumental drills itself into your skull in a common trap fashion. Xavier raps about only keeping real ones around him, showing a different side to his emotions. Finally, he ends the album with two of my highlights. One caught my eye the first time I saw the tracklist: “Negative Canthal Tilt”. The title refers to a viral concept on the internet associated with the ever-growing “looksmaxxing” community that pride themselves on their incel culture and their strange will to gain “scientifically perfect looks” (and directed towards Xavier himself). “Fat n**** in the hallway talking ‘bout where my hug?” is the opening line, which really sets the spirit and levity for the rest of the track. The instrumental is some of the best off the album, with a -esque xylophone that blooms into what feels like bees swarming around a speaker. The final song of the album was added to the album some days later after its release.“Party At My Place”, produced by Skrillex and Dylan Brady of 100 gecs, sounds like something straight out of a Skrillex Boiler Room session. This song brings together some of the biggest talents of electronic music to make a club banger. The breakdown at the end with Xavier’s voice chopping up with the beat and his aloof tone of voice as he’s telling us to “just run it” makes this song addictive—something you would find on a scrapped (and slightly cursed) Charli xcx record.

Xaviersobased brings something completely fresh to the scene of rap, especially in a day where it takes many superstars five or more years to drop one mediocre album. His work ethic, his earnestness, and his sense of humor all contribute to his rise as the king of the underground and a promising force in New York rap. Xavier’s music continues to push boundaries for what rap is and can be, while leaving any haughtiness his peers might have at the door. Though his music might not be for everybody, and it certainly has its flaws, you can’t help but respect the innovation, the silliness, and his genuine love for music. If nothing else, that should be enough to keep an eye on him in the future.