Lil Xan on Sobriety, That Name Change and Working with Tekashi 6ix9ine (Exclusive)

He may be named after a drug — but that's not how he rolls anymore.

On the night of his 24th birthday, the now sober rapper warned others against the dangers of drugs, compounded by the isolation of Covid.

"Crazy ride man," he said outside the Saddle Ranch in LA. "I'm so happy to be completely sober, and proud of it," adding that musically he's been holding back — promising that his next output is going to be "incredible".

Reacting to the news influencer Ethanisupreme died of an apparent overdose last weekend, Xan — whose party had among it a friend of the late 17-year-old — pleaded with fans to steer clear of narcotics.

"I've definitely been there in that dark place... drugs don't help out one bit with that," he said. "It's sad, the pandemic is definitely not helping none of this, depression... I just came out of a whole depression too, with the drugs and stuff. It's sad to see that."

"My advice is drugs are not the way. Drugs are definitely not the way. It only sends you down a darker path."

"Just get help," he added. "I know it's hard to get help, I know it's really hard, coming from being there; but just try your hardest to reach out. If you feel alone, talk to a friend, just talk to somebody. Never feel like you are alone — you're never alone."

"It's 2020; and I know where I came from, drug culture — I'm Lil Xan, obviously — I feel like that time is past now. We're all getting older."

Lil Xan famously derives his name from Xanax, a drug he was formerly addicted to; he has previously hinted that he would change his stage name to his real middle one: Diego. But he admits he is still having trouble letting it go.

"Maybe one day," he said. "I thought about doing that for a while but... I just wanna see where Lil Xan can still go."

The rapper also revealed he would "definitely" like to collaborate with Tekashi 6ix9ine in the future.

"I like what he's doing," he said. "I know he gets a lot of hate, but he's super successful, and I'm not one to hate on success."

The rainbow haired-rapper, who shares Lil Xan's penchant for face tattoos, was handed a two-year sentence for conspiracy to commit murder and armed robbery in February 2019, but was allowed to serve the remainder of his sentence under house arrest due to Covid from April of this year. His sentence could have been 47 years, had he not agreed to testify against fellow gang members as part of a plea deal.

"I know he did a lot of stuff that people don't necessarily like... but that's not really part of what my culture is. I'm not in the street, I'm not in a gang — and I respect that, I respect what they do."

"But I just see success. And he's doing really well, and I can't hate on that, I'd be a hater... I'd just feel like a hater if I was hating on that."

"Maybe I don't agree with what he did, but... I like him. I would definitely do that. I would definitely team up with 6ix9ine."

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