Diego Leanos, better known by his stage of Lil' Xan, rose to fame on the strength of his single "Betrayed." He was recently featured on Nardwuar vs., where he speaks on several topics including his descent, a name change, and his love for Big L. Xan even gives his XANARCHY crew some screen time.
On the topic of his name change, Xan stated: "I'm still Lil Xan. You can call me Diego if you want. My second album, I'm going to be full Diego."
His reason for the name change reflects his struggle with the drug Xanax. His name is derived from the prescription drug, but the rapper has been clean for years and supports the drug-free movement. Xan's old music is filled with lyrics about drugs that he has since quit using, so his name change reveals his intention to start fresh.
Xan's choice to use his real name highlights his ethnicity as well. During the interview, Xan states that he is of "Mexican descent," and that, "most people think I'm caucasian."
During the interview, Xan expresses his love for Harlem legend Big L, who was murdered in 1999. He also introduces his crew, which includes veteran rapper Stat Quo.
Watch above.
Source: youtu.be
