Lil Xan

While the stage name nods to Xanax and early verses chronicled dependence on the medication, Lil Xan now centers his rhymes on recovery, sobriety, and the daily challenges of personal growth. His initial output, shaped by hedonistic themes, occupied a stylistic space akin to Lil Uzi Vert and Lil Peep, a connection made clear by the platinum-certified “Betrayed,” drawn from the Top Ten-charting debut album Total Xanarchy (2018). After issuing multiple EPs and dozens of singles, he delivered the follow-up Diego (2024), an independently released collection marked by an optimistic outlook and his characteristically clear yet relaxed delivery.

Born Nicholas Diego Leanos in Redlands, the rapper first surfaced in 2016 via tracks such as “Sorry” and “Center Fold,” which helped cultivate an online audience that expanded sharply in 2017 with releases including “Been Bout It,” “Slingshot,” and “Who Are You.” That year also brought the brief EP Xanarchy. His Total Xanarchy tour, which sold out within five hours, began in January 2018; the album of the same name followed in April and included appearances by 2 Chainz, Charli xcx, and Diplo, the last of whom had recently joined him on “Color Blind.” Total Xanarchy entered the Billboard 200 at number ten and featured the platinum single “Betrayed.”

Although a full-length successor took six years to arrive, Lil Xan issued a steady stream of standalone recordings in the interim, among them the EPs Fireworks and the Chris Miles collaboration have a nice day. His second LP, Diego, reached listeners in September 2024, preceded by forthright singles such as “NODA,” “Used To,” and “Won’t Overdose.”