An artist can have their own sound and make their own lane, but regardless of the genre, it’s certain that they’re going to be compared to someone else. It’s something that comes with being in the music industry, and Kehlani recently touched on the subject while speaking with Teen Vogue for her cover feature. The singer is still riding high from her freshly released project It Was Good Until It Wasn’t and she spoke with the outlet about being connected to other female artists as people try to rope them all in together. 

“Fans put so much pressure on artists, sometimes more than the industry,” said Kehlani. “I’ve never been compared more in my life than last year and this year, and now it seems like every day I see a ‘SZA, Kehlani, H.E.R., or Summer Walker — one of them has to go.’” Not all fans feel that way, of course, but the pressure can be a bit daunting for artists who just want to create music.

Kehlani also spoke about three of her close friends who have all passed away in recent years: Mac Miller, Lexii Alijai, and Chynna Rogers. She and Mac were scheduled to have lunch together the day he died and Kehlani had planned on not only taking Lexii on tour but signing her to a deal. “Chynna, I had brought her out at my shows. She slept in my house all the time in Brooklyn and we would talk about how we can do this.”

“We have to start appreciating multiple people at the same time,” she added. “I’m sure if [Mac, Lexii, and Chynna] felt a little bit more successful, a little bit more loved, things might have gone a little different. Life might have been in a better place.”

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We’ve lost a number of artists recently to drug-related deaths including Lil Peep, Mac Miller, Lexii Alijai, and reportedly Juice WRLD. The growing list has caused rap artists to take a long, hard look at their lyrical content as it pertains to drug use. Some have even pledged to stop rapping about popping pills and drinking lean, while others have vocalized that while they don’t promote drug use, they still intend to talk about it in their songs.

When Fredo Bang, who once regularly drank lean, sat down with Vlad TV, he shared his thoughts on his generation of artists’ addiction issues. “I feel like a lot of us need help out here,” Fredo said. “Therapy. A lot of us have disorders and stuff that we don’t know of. I feel like everybody should be evaluated at some point in they life. Early on. Especially if you go through something.”

“The Juice WLRD thing, it’s real sensitive because it was like, a bad way,” he added. “I feel like a lotta people… It’s the way… I took it as he took it to get rid of them because the police was there.” Vlad interjected to share the circumstances around Juice WRLD’s death once again. “It’s sad,” the rapper said. Even though Fredo Bang had never met the Chicago rapper, he still admitted that “Juice WRLD was one of my favorite artists.”

“That’s what makes it a hurtful situation because it wasn’t like, I think dude was supposed to have got clean,” Fredo said. “I don’t know. It wasn’t like he was just taking them and getting loaded. He did it to not go to jail.” Fredo Bang added that “[President] Trump doing the opioid stuff” has caused there to be “a lotta fake pills” to be manufactured and distributed on the streets.

He said that people support Trump wanting to tackle the opioid crisis, “but they don’t know that it’s causing the reaction of fake pills people worse than the actual pills.” Check out the rapper with Vlad TV below.

Kehlani and an unknown special guest will give a tribute performance at a benefit show for the late Lexii Alijah on Wednesday evening in Minneapolis. The R&B singer shared a poster for the event on Instagram Tuesday evening, featuring an image of her fallen friend.

"Minnesota I'm OMW," Kehlani wrote. "Love u @lexiialijaii." Lexii was a budding rapper from Minnesota, who tragically passed away on New Year's day this year at 21 years old. It was later revealed by the Hennepin County Medical Examiner that she died of an accidental overdose.

Gregg DeGuire/Getty Images

Kehlani expressed how heartbroken she was over social media after the news broke that Lexii had passed away. "i’m angry i’m confused i’m heartbroken i’m angry i’m confused," Kehlani tweeted. "i love you lexii. my baby was 21!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" Lexii first started making waves on the music scene when she was featured on Kehlani's track, "Jealous," back in 2015 at just 17 years old.

Loved ones of Lexii Alijai started off the new year grieving. It was on January 1 when news circulated that the 21-year-old artist was found dead at a hotel in Minnesota. Exact details surrounding her death are unknown, but according to E!, the Hennepin County Medical Examiner has determined a cause of death.

Lexii reportedly died of a mixture of fentanyl and ethanol. The medical examiner ruled the young rapper's rapper's death to be accidental. Lexii's name is added to a growing list of artists who have died of overdoses in recent years including Lil Peep, Mac Miller, and Juice WRLD. When news of Lexii's death was shared, many of her fellow artists took to social media to display their grief. 

Russ, Wale, and Bas were just a few people who spoke out about how stunned they were to hear of the rapper's passing, but Kehlani didn't hold back in sharing just how devastated she was. "Weakest saddest way to start a new year – i’m off this happy new year please please please please be safe out here – love on your people -please," Kehlani wrote in a tweet. "It’s hard to have so much faith in god and that everything happen for a reason cuz it’s sh*t i can’t imagine there ever being a reason for – why bro.” We send our condolences to her loved ones during this difficult time.

The hip-hop community is shocked after the death of Lexii Alijai, a rising rapper out of Minnesota. The star reportedly passed away on New Year’s Day, affecting her peers greatly and leading many to share their grieving processes online. Kehlani has been taking this hard, featuring the rapper on several of her songs and helping her breakout as an artist. She has been dedicating the last couple of days to honor the life of Lexii and today, she shared information on how to attend her Celebration of Life ceremony, posting all the details on social media.

Fans of Lexii Alijai are invited to celebrate the late 21-year-old’s life with her family and friends in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Taking place tonight and this weekend, there will be several chances to say goodbye to the rapper. A statement was shared by her management.

Gregg DeGuire/Getty Images

“Lexii was an extraordinary talent who left an incredible mark on the music industry in just a short period of time. She was a true lyricist and an exceptional storyteller with an authentic sound full of energy and curiosity. She had a deep love and devotion to music but more than anything, was a generous and kind soul, with an infectious spirit. Lexii was inspired by J. Cole and the time she spent with the many Dreamvile artists and was enthusiastic about the future and eager to see the world. Her debut album ‘Come Back Soon’ was set to release this year. 

The entire 1AM family is heartbroken and deeply saddened by her passing. Our deepest condolences to her friends, fans and everyone who was touched by her. Her family appreciates privacy during this difficult time.”

Rest in peace, Lexii. All of us at HNHH are sending love and light to her loved ones.

Budding rapper Lexii Alijai, born Alexis Alijai Lynch, has passed away.

NEw os f the 21-year-old's sudden death broke on Wednesday just as the new year had gotten underway. The young emcee first hopped on radars with her appearance on Kehlani's "Jealous" track years ago. Since then, the upstart has been building a considerable fanbase and left behind an industry of collaborators who mourned her loss, Kehlani included.

"Weakest saddest way to start a new year – i’m off this happy new year please please please please be safe out here – love on your people -please," penned Kehlani in a tweet. "It’s hard to have so much faith in god and that everything happen for a reason cuz it’s sh** i can’t imagine there ever being a reason for – why bro.”

It was Lynch's blood cousin who confirmed news of her passing Facebook: “You’re a real legend. If you know or heard her music you’d feel chills. Rest in paradise you’ll never be forgotten!?? I’m so lost for words…my beautiful cousin with so much talent & Unique soul Lexii Alijai It’s too soon.”

Others who have spoken out about the rapper's death include Wale and Russ. They're joined by a legion of fans who can all attest to the bright future that Lexii Alijai had before here.