Popular rapper XXXTentacion is under fire for his latest music video, which depicts him "lynching" a white child.
The video for XXXTentacion's song "Look at Me!" debuted on Tuesday and so far has nearly eight million views on YouTube.
Early in the video, the 19-year-old rapper, born Jahseh Dwayne Onfroy, is shown striking a white teacher in the face with a sex toy. Various scenes follow that portray politically charged and controversial incidents. These scenes include the 2014 riots in Ferguson, Mo., the 1991 beating of Rodney King, and the 2016 fatal shooting of Philando Castile, among others.
The video continues with a depiction of Onfroy leading two children—one black and one white—onto a stage before putting a noose around the neck of the white child. XXXTentacion then hangs the child, whose feet are shown dangling in the air. XXXTentacion concludes the video by reading a spoken-word poem.
After widespread media backlash, XXXTentacion appeared to remain defiant. He retweeted a Fox News article on the outrage. The tweet has since been deleted.
He also retweeted two comments by a man sympathetic to the rapper's political perspective.
"I totally understand that you have rage and I respect you for trying to do something about it," the man wrote. "I think we all hold racism in our hearts to some degree— the difference it that your's [sic] is justified. Mine stems from fear."
https://twitter.com/mocando/status/908330887309295616
XXXTentacion has recently faced an onslaught of criticism for allegations of domestic abuse against a pregnant girlfriend. A Pitchfork report published last week outlined the woman's claims in graphic detail. The rapper responded to the criticism with a profanity-laced series of clips on Instagram.
He was released from jail on bail in March and has been charged with a wide range of criminal offenses, including aggravated battery of a pregnant woman, false imprisonment, witness-tampering, and domestic battery by strangulation. XXXTentacion has denied all charges and pleaded not guilty. His trial is set to begin on Oct. 5.
Watch the "Look at Me!" music video below: