X
Standard cover. In the deluxe version, the background is black.
Studio album by Ken Carson
Released	July 8, 2022 (2022-07-08)
Recorded	2021–2022
Genre	Hip hop trap[1] rage rap
Length	48:08
Label	Opium Interscope
Producer	4vrlit AM Bart How Dxrksiiide Earl on the Beat Esko F1lthy Gab3 Gl1tch Jhux Jonah Abraham Lil 88 Loesoe Lucian Lukrative Outtatown Rok Slowburnz Ssort Star Boy
Ken Carson chronology
Project X (2021) X (2022) Lost Files 4 (2023)
Singles from X
"The End" Released: July 5, 2022 "Go" Released: July 8, 2022

X is the second studio album by American rapper Ken Carson. It was released through Opium and Interscope Records on July 8, 2022.^[2] The album features guest appearances from his Opium labelmates Destroy Lonely and Homixide Gang. Production was handled by Ken's frequent collaborators F1lthy and Lil 88, among others. It is a follow-up to his debut studio album Project X (2021). The deluxe version, titled Xtended, was released three months later, on October 31, 2022, containing 5 additional tracks.^[3]

X received mixed reviews from music critics. The album entered at number 115 on the Billboard 200.^[4]

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
HipHopDX	[5]
Pitchfork	4.7/10[6]
AllMusic	[7]

X was met with mixed to negative reviews. Anthony Malone of HipHopDX stated that Carson was full of identity and creativity, saying, "Lacking variety from the beats and any real force from the artist himself, X is a repetitive listening experience. There are moments of fun: the short and succulent 'Money Hunt'; the energetic flexing in 'Get Rich or Die'; and Destroy Lonely's verse on 'MDMA'. But it's not enough to justify the 20-track output."^[5] Pitchfork reviewer Alphonse Pierre said that "Carson lacks the curiosity, imagination, and irreverence to do anything more than lay down the same glazed Auto-Tune raps, with only rare attempts to liven them up", and that "X is such a slog that the smallest signs of taste are cause for celebration. The pitch change at the end of 'Get Rich or Die' is something! When he's listing off his drugs on 'PDBMH', the Auto-Tune is turned up and in that instant the sped-up flow is slightly (emphasis on 'slightly') reminiscent of [Young] Thug!" but that overall the album was "forgettable".^[6]

AllMusic said that, "This repetitive production taken in tandem with Carson's often listless and uninspired lyricism (and flows that sometimes struggle to even stay on beat) makes X a largely hollow and forgettable affair."^[7]

Commercial performance

In the United States, the album entered at number 115 on the Billboard 200.^[4]

Track listing

Charts

References