Equal parts enigmatic and prolific, Carson represents a shift in melodic rap. On X, the 21-year-old continues to carve out his own space in the rager lane, showcasing more versatility than ever before while honing the signature sound that propelled him to prominence. Carson’s artistic growth is on full display across the album, especially on highlights like “New,” which feature the artist’s silky vocals gliding over glitchy beats.

On X, the spotlight stays on Carson, with the only features coming from his Opium labelmates Destroy Lonely and Homixide Gang. The breakout rapper is coming off the success of his 2021 mixtape Project X, a hedonistic trip that embodies the spirit of youthful nihilism. On July 12th, 2022, YouTube music reviewer Anthony Fantano posted a review for Ken Carson's album X, ultimately giving it a "0/10." Over the course of two months, the video received roughly 281,400 views (shown below, left). About a month later, on August 16th, 2022, Fantano posted a review for Destroy Lonely's album No Stylist, giving it a "1/10." In one month, the video received roughly 192,700 views (shown below, right).https://www.tiktok.com/embed/v2/7139562747167051054 https://www.tiktok.com/embed/v2/7170541456216706346