XXXTentacion’s posthumous album, SKINS, was released today. On “Guardian angel,” the late Florida rapper hearkens back to one of his biggest hits. Production is handled by potsu, who samples his own beat from “Jocelyn Flores.”
As Genius contributor cateyesxo points out, the intro of “Guardian angel” features a reversed sample of Shiloh Dynasty’s vocals as well as X’s chorus from “Jocelyn Flores.” The latter track borrows from potsu’s “I’m Closing My Eyes,” which in turn features a sample of Shiloh’s “I Knew You So Well.”
“Guardian angel” kicks off with a backwards sample of Shiloh’s outro on “Jocelyn Flores,” when he sings:
I know you so well (I know you, girl)
I mean, I can do better than he can
I’ve been pretty—
I know you so well
It continues with a reversed sample of the “Jocelyn Flores” chorus, when X sings:
I’ll be feelin' pain, I’ll be feelin' pain just to hold on
And I don’t feel the same, I’m so numb
I’ll be feelin' pain, I’ll be feelin' pain just to hold on
And I don’t feel the same, I’m so numb
Elsewhere on “Guardian Angel,” X covers familiar topics such as heartbreak. He also appears to reference Jocelyn Flores herself when he raps:
Never lonely when you flowin' through my mind, girl
I apologize, ‘cause I couldn’t see the pain in your damn eyes
'Cause a nigga made you leave with your heart in between different pains
Couldn’t see ya when ya ain’t cry
“Jocelyn Flores” appears on X’s 2017 album titled 17. The track is dedicated and named after a friend and fan of X who committed suicide while visiting him in Florida, and peaked at No. 19 on the Billboard Hot 100.
On the first verse of “Jocelyn Flores,” X describes his reaction to Flores' suicide:
Picture this, in bed, get a phone call
Girl that you fucked with killed herself
That was this summer and nobody helped
And ever since then, man, I hate myself
Wanna fuckin' end it, pessimistic
In September, The Daily Beast reported that Flores' family wasn’t notified about “Jocelyn Flores” before the track’s release and have mixed feelings about how X used her story without permission.
X was shot and killed in a June robbery before the resolution of a disturbing domestic violence case which continues to make headlines after his death.
John Cunningham, one of his closest friends and collaborators, told Genius in an interview that SKINS was largely completed before X’s death.
Read all the lyrics to XXXTentacion’s “Guardian angel” and “Jocelyn Flores” on Genius now.
