Lil Xan’s net worth of $300 thousand seems modest for an artist whose single “Betrayed” reached number 64 on the Billboard Hot 100. His fortune may be smaller than other rap stars, but his music has left a lasting effect on the scene. “Betrayed” music video alone got over 230 million views on YouTube, adding to his channel’s impressive 1.6 billion total views.
Today’s Lil Xan started as a SoundCloud and YouTube artist before achieving mainstream success. The “CITGO” EP marked his career’s official start in 2016, but “Betrayed” became his true breakthrough hit in 2017. On top of that, his debut album “Total Xanarchy” climbed to number ten on the Billboard 200 and secured his position in hip-hop. This SoundCloud rapper, who drew inspiration from Drake and Mac Miller, has become a recognized name in the music industry.
From Redlands to Rap: Lil Xan’s Early Life
Nicholas Diego Leanos, who later became a controversial figure in hip-hop, was born on September 6, 1996, in Redlands, California. His early life in this Southern California city was nowhere near the flashy lifestyle that rap stars usually lead.
Music wasn’t part of Nicholas’s original plan. He dropped out of high school as a freshman, and this decision changed his life path by a lot. The next few years saw him working various odd jobs to survive. He worked as a street cleaner for almost three years – a modest start that looks very different from his later success.
Nicholas faced some tough personal battles during this time. His addiction problems started early in his teens when he became dependent on Xanax and opiates. These substance abuse issues later shaped his stage name and music themes.
Life got really tough for Nicholas at one point – he had to live in his car while trying to get back on his feet. He started with photography instead of music during these hard times. The rap scene first knew him as someone behind the camera, not in front of it. He took photos for other Southern California rappers until his career took an unexpected turn.
His music career started almost accidentally. Nicholas let a friend use his laptop after their recording equipment was stolen. He spent more time around recording studios and slowly moved from taking pictures to making music. The name “Lil Xan” came from Xanax, the prescription drug that once controlled his life.
Lil Xan started building his fanbase around 2016 by putting his tracks on SoundCloud and YouTube. His unique style of mumble rap with Auto-Tuned vocals and trap beats caught attention in underground circles. This grassroots approach ended up launching the career that brought him mainstream success and financial stability in the music industry.
The Rise to Fame: Career Milestones and Music Success
Lil Xan shot to fame in July 2017 when he released “Betrayed,” a song that told his story of battling Xanax addiction. The track connected with audiences and climbed to number 64 on the Billboard Hot 100. His music video came out on August 28, 2017, through Lyrical Lemonade and went viral with more than 297 million views.
The story behind “Betrayed” is pretty straightforward. “I probably wrote that song in 20 minutes,” Lil Xan said about recording it in what he called a “ghetto, bougie garage”. Fans related to his honest portrayal of his two-year battle with Xanax addiction.
Columbia Records noticed his rising star power and signed him. His popularity soared when his Total Xanarchy Tour tickets sold out in just five hours in December 2017.
His first studio album “Total Xanarchy” landed on April 6, 2018. The album featured big names like Diplo, YG, 2 Chainz, Charli XCX, and Rae Sremmurd. Critics weren’t kind to the album, but it still performed well on the charts. It debuted at number 10 on the Billboard 200 and moved 28,000 copies in its first week.
Building on his original success, Lil Xan dropped the mixtape “Heartbreak Soldiers” in July 2018. He branched out musically with “Live Or Die,” a collaboration with Noah Cyrus that showed his interest in exploring beyond rap.
His YouTube channel kept growing and racked up 574.7 million views. Singles like “Slingshot,” “Wake Up,” and “Far” each pulled in tens of millions of views, boosting his online presence.
He made his mark at major events like Rolling Loud Miami in 2018. This rapid rise from SoundCloud artist to mainstream trap music star proved his impact on modern hip-hop, even though challenges would come later.
Money, Struggles, and Lil Xan Now
Lil Xan’s early success hasn’t translated into financial wealth. His net worth sits at around $300,000, though some sources claim it could be as high as $3 million. These modest numbers tell the story of his rocky career since his original breakthrough.
Substance abuse has shaped Lil Xan’s life story deeply. His dependence on benzodiazepines and opiates almost destroyed everything. “I don’t know how I’m still alive,” he revealed in an honest interview. “My mom doesn’t know how I’m still alive. A lot of people don’t know it was that bad”. His first attempt at quitting cold turkey led to several seizures, which he called a “near death experience” that opened his eyes.
Mac Miller’s tragic overdose death pushed Lil Xan to enter rehab in December 2018. “Mac Miller hit too close to home. I know we both struggle with the same problems,” he shared after starting treatment. His recovery included multiple stays at rehab facilities, including The Heavenly Center, a “weed-friendly” facility that producer Scott Storch owns.
Lil Xan marked three years of sobriety in February 2025. “Three years sober—that’s important,” he announced at a celebration dinner in Los Angeles. His girlfriend, parents, and new music team at 3rd Eye Recordings under Universal Music Group have helped him stay clean.
His legal issues haven’t gone away. He lost a $28,000 judgment in 2020 after allegedly pulling a gun on someone at a gas station who criticized his Tupac comments. He also faced assault charges in 2023 from a Boston concert incident and pleaded not guilty.
The music industry has seen Lil Xan’s comeback efforts. He took a year off when “people thought I died,” but came back stronger. His first full album in six years, “Diego,” dropped in August 2024. He now enjoys performing sober: “I finally get to add production value to this, which I didn’t get to do before… I just wasn’t focused on it”.
The artist who took his name from Xanax now uses his influence to fight drug use. “My whole movement is anti-drug,” he says, turning his stage name into a tool for positive change.
Conclusion
Lil Xan went from being a homeless photographer to becoming a mainstream rap artist, which shows both the opportunities and pitfalls of quick fame in the digital world. His $300,000 net worth might look small next to other hip-hop stars, but his story exceeds simple money metrics. He’s one of the few artists who completely changed his message – from a name about addiction to becoming someone who speaks against substance abuse.
His life has been rough without doubt. Seizures and multiple rehab visits almost destroyed his career and threatened his life. Notwithstanding that, reaching three years of sobriety marks a personal win that means more than any chart rankings or streaming numbers.
This stark development makes Lil Xan’s story powerful. The artist who once represented SoundCloud rap’s drug-glorifying culture now warns people against the substances that gave him his name. His transformation and his 2024 album “Diego” point to a comeback that nobody could have predicted during his original rise.
Today’s Lil Xan looks very different from his 2017 breakthrough, showing how keeping fame is nowhere near as easy as getting it. Nicholas Leanos’s strength suggests he’ll be remembered not for “Betrayed” or controversies, but for his honest battle with personal demons while rebuilding his life and career on solid ground.
