Album: XXXTENTACION Presents: Members Only, Vol. 4
Artist: XXXTENTACION
Record Label: EMPIRE Distribution
Recommended Tracks: 3- “Sauce”, 21- “Over the Rainbow”, 23- “Empty”, 24- “Rebirth”
The artist XXXTENTACION’s second posthumous album was released on January 23, 2019 in celebration of his life. Before X’s death this past summer of 2018, he had been working on tracks and albums which is the outcome of this album, Members Only, Vol. 4. There is a total of 24 songs with a variation of featured artists such as Corey, Cooliecut Xen & Killstation, Flyboy Tarantino, Kid Trunks, Bass Santana & Kin$oul,Robb Bank$, Tankhead & Ikabod Veins, Ski Mask the Slump God and many, many more artists. As you can tell, this album is very diverse, in terms of the featured artists that were chosen to take part in this album.
The word “sauce” is often used by young people to compliment confident, talented, or attractive people, or it is used the same way bad is used to mean “good”. In track 3, the song “Sauce” is about how X, himself has “sauce” but also uses this word in other ways metaphorically, such as when the song says, “sauce on ya, n**a, got the sauce on me (like I f***’n killed)”, which may interpret to the “sauce” in this instance, being referred to as blood. Throughout this song, there are more explicit figures of speech such as the one mentioned previously but this song specifically, is one of many few in this album where it is just him featured in the song.
In track 21, “Over the Rainbow”, this song has featured artists such as Cooliecut, Kin$oul & rawhool mane. Based off of the lyrics in this song, the message interprets to how this one specific person is not being protected by anyone and how they have gone through a lot of hard endeavors in their life while being terrified and alone. In one part of the song where it says “one million mirrors reflecting me, all over the sky, but where am I?” this may interpret into how they are lost personally, with who they are as an individual.
When it comes to listening to new albums, it is essential that when you first play a song, it catches your attention, especially with its beat. In track 23, “Empty” that is exactly what it did, catch my attention. “Empty” is basically about a person feeling emotionally empty contemplating life due to the loss of their brother. The song also mentions “I hope my end is my start” which may ean that even though this individual is dealing with grief and this may feel like a dead end to them, they feel like they can actually move on and grow as a person.
“Rebirth”, which is track 24, is not really a song but more of a motivational message of XXXTENTACION. He is basically talking about how whatever happens to you, happens for a reason and if you are a good person and you work really hard, you will get what you deserve. He says “everyone will get a death that is deserving and everyone will get a life that is deserving”. With this track being the last one in the album, I feel like it really sends a strong message about the music X tried to make and all of the aspects he tried to incorporate into all of his work.
All together with this album being XXXTENTACION’s second posthumous album, it was interesting how there were a lot of featured artists throughout this whole album, however it added a special element. If you are a fan of X’s music and the message he tries to send with his music, I believe you will enjoy this album and all of the diverse artists it has to offer.
