XV - Artist Profile

Real name: Donavan LaMond Johnson
Born: July 9, 1985
City: Wichita, KS
Groups: Squarians
Labels: Warner Bros. Records
Influences and favorite artists: Andre 3000, Rivers Cuomo, Jay-Z, John Mayer, Kanye West, Lupe Fiasco

Image source: HotNewHipHop

XV grew up in Wichita, KS, far from being a hip hop hotbed. He began making music at the age of 15 (his moniker references this, as XV is the Roman numeral 15), becoming more serious about his craft following the death of a close friend. After graduating from Wichita Southeast High School in 2003, he began recording music with Kansas City producer, Seven (of Strange Music fame). XV released a slew of mixtapes, and received his first share of fame when his twelfth tape, Everybody's Nobody, was spotlighted by DJBooth, among other prominent music blogs, which led to him signing a contract with Warner Bros. Records in 2010. He released more mixtapes and appeared on BET's Hip Hop Awards in an online edition of their cypher segment, alongside Chris Sutton, Gilbere Forte, and Jay Rock. Following his signing with WB, he announced a debut album, The Kid With the Green Backpack, to be executive produced by Just Blaze and released in 2013, but the album has languished in development hell ever since. He had a falling out with Seven around this time, as the label drove a wedge between them, insisting that he shouldn't bring Seven along with him to start his major career. Additionally, the label tried to force unnatural music from XV, such as trying to get him to make a viral song for Vine and comedy raps.

XV released more mixtapes, but fell away from recording music around 2014. It would take him several years and several false starts to get his career back on track. He reconnected with Seven in 2015, and is said to be working on new music currently. He posted on his Instagram in February 2018 announcing his return to his fans, citing a battle with his own self-confidence and doubt as the reasons behind his disappearance. He hasn't yet announced a new release date for his debut album, but he is coming back to music and bringing Seven with him.

Solo Discography (Note: A few tracklists are currently incomplete)

Complex, 2006

The Definition (mixtape), 2006

The Definition 2 (mixtape), 2006

The Complex Experiment: Vol. 1 (mixtape), 2006

The Definition III (mixtape), 2007

The Complex Experiment Vol. 2 (mixtape), 2007

The Complex Experiment Vol. 3 (mixtape), 2007

The Definition IV (mixtape), 2007

Recycle Bin (mixtape), 2008

Planet Squaria: The Square In the Circle (mixtape), 2008

40 Days/40 Nights (mixtape), 2008

Please Hold (mixtape), 2009

Everybody's Nobody (mixtape), 2009

30 Minute Layover (mixtape), 2010

Vizzy Zone (mixtape), 2010

Thanks For the Donuts (mixtape), 2011

Zero Heroes (mixtape), 2011
Awesome! (EP), 2012

Popular Culture (mixtape), 2012

Madness Begins (mixtape), 2014

Sweet Sixteens (mixtape), 2014

Elite Eight (mixtape), 2014

Final IV (mixtape), 2014

GUEST APPEARANCES

• 
  2008
• "Ricky Vaughn (The Major Leagues)," Fresh Daily feat. XV (Winter Fresh)
  2009
• "VIP In Heaven," Jabee & Mick Boogie feat. XV (Must Be Nice)
• "Mirror's Edge (Benzi Remix)," Mike Posner feat. Bun B, GLC, and XV (One Foot Out the Door)
• "Dopeman," Tek feat. Kool G Rap, Pusha T, and XV (I Did It My Way: The G-Mix Collection)
  2010
• "Doin Me," JC Flow feat. XV (Verb Noun Vibe)
• "Ima Go Hard," JC Flow feat. Mr. E and XV (Verb Noun Vibe)
• "Got To Go," Klassik Frescobar feat. XV (Sleep When I Die)
  2011
• "Holla At Somebody Real," Consequence feat. XV (Movies On Demand 2)
• "Move On," Donnis feat. XV (Southern Lights)
• "'87 Corvette Wishes," Gerald Walker feat. Phil Ade, Skeme, and XV (Believers Never Die)
• "Theme Music For My Real...," Gerald Walker feat. XV (Believers Never Die)
• "Escalators, Elevators & Skyscrapers," Juan Hunter feat. XV (Game: Necessary Roughness)
• "Get It," King Los feat. XV (The Crown Aint Safe)
• "Benjamin Button," MaydayMashMusic & Chris Reg feat. XV (Slamm)
• "Lush Life," Outasight feat. XV (Get It Together)
• "Sam Jack," Statik Selektah feat. Jon Connor, Kid Daytona, and XV (Population Control)
  2012
• "Skateboard Shoes," Bukshot feat. Dirtball, Mixed Magic, and XV (Helter Skelter)
• "Inside Your Mind," JC Flow feat. J. Martin and XV (Identity Crisis)
• "Head In the Clouds," Nowdaze feat. XV (Who the F#@k Is Irv da Phenom?)
• "Shake the Ground," Sam Scott feat. XV (Stuck Dreaming)
• "Make a Killin'," Talent Couture feat. XV (single)
  2015
• "Kindness For Weakness," Paul Marz feat. XV (Sword of Sound)
  2016
• "100 Percent," Lucid feat. XV (...What About Now)
• "All Good," Mr. O2tha feat. XV (Familiar Company)
• "Here We Go," Sakukill feat. XV (single)
• "I'm Good," Yonas feat. XV (Every Day Like It's Friday)
  2017
• "Top of the World," Isaac Castor feat. Jon Connor, Statik Selektah, and XV (A Collection of Oldies)
  2018
• "Whiskey & Patron," Murs feat. XV (A Strange Journey Into the Unimaginable)

COMPLEX

Released: 2006

Label: Royalty Recordz

TRACK LIST
1. Feels Like the First Time
2. You Got Me
3. Give You Everything
4. Cruise
5. X To the (V To the)
6. Dream Killers
7. King of the City
8. Other Side of Town (feat. Bling)
9. Stare & Whisper
10. Boy From Kansas
11. Song For You
12. Well, Hello
13. When I Dream

THE DEFINITION
Released: 2006

TRACK LIST
1. Intro
2. Energy
3. Wouldn't You Like To Ride
4. All or Nothing
5. The Future
6. Answer Machine (Interlude)
7. Stutter (Watchu Wanna Hear)
8. Throw It Back (feat. Franchise and Jay da Block)
9. I Know U Gon Love Me
10. What's the Difference
11. Drop It Like It's Hot
12. Here Comes the Pain
13. Whoa Freestyle
14. Faster Than This (Interlude)
15. Double Time Freestyle
16. King of the City
17. Real G's Freestyle
18. Don't Need Your Love
19. Everybody Get Up
20. We Got That
21. Rude Boy
22. I'm the Definition
23. Sing For Me (Interlude)
24. Highway
25. On My Mind
26. Talk Like a Pimp
27. Gorillaz
28. The Bizness
29. Dat Food
30. A.m. To the p.m.
31. Gametime
32. Dear Summer
33. Stare & Whisper

THE DEFINITION 2
Released: 2006

TRACK LIST
1. Complex
2. I'm Back
3. It's Nothin'
4. Logos
5. Royalty Tabernacle
6. Vizzy & Scram
7. We're Going To Make It



THE COMPLEX EXPERIMENT: VOL. 1
Released: 2006

TRACK LIST
1. At Last (Intro)
2. That's Why I'm Here
3. Duce-One
4. I'm Going In (Check)
5. Interlude
6. Give You Everything
7. Spend the Night
8. My Only Girl (feat. Seven)
9. Jazmine Cashmere Interlude
10. My Favorite Pornstar
11. Look How They Wave
12. Hypeman
13. Split Personality
14. Go Hard or Go Home
15. Head In the Clouds
16. I Still Love H.E.R.
17. We All Get High
18. Wake Me Up
19. Tears
20. Anchorman
21. Outro
22. X To the (V To the)

THE DEFINITION III
Released: 2007

TRACK LIST CURRENTLY UNAVAILABLE

THE COMPLEX EXPERIMENT: VOL. 2: BOY FROM KANSAS
Released: 2007

TRACK LIST
1. Bitter
2. Mixtapes Are Dead
3. We Comin' Up
4. Welcome Back
5. You're the Man







THE COMPLEX EXPERIMENT VOL: 3: SNEAKERBOXXX
Released: 2007

TRACK LIST
1. Get Acquainted
2. Til Next Time
3. Unravel the Nottz
4. V For Vendetta
5. Walk In Closet
6. Walk Thru Closet
7. Y'een Got These



THE DEFINITION 4
Released: 2007

TRACK LIST
1. 80s Baby
2. Let 'Em Breathe
3. Momma Loved Me
4. Natural Born Hustla
5. Straightjacket Flow
6. Whattup Swizzy
7. Yerrrdiggg!!!
8. Young, Fresh & New






RECYCLE BIN
Released: 2008

TRACK LIST
1. Intro
2. Hey There
3. The Return (feat. Bling)
4. All These Foolish Things
5. Get Grown
6. Do Ya Thang (feat. Nisha)
7. Mama's Momma's Boy
8. What's Eating Gilbert Grape
9. Penitentiary On Fire (feat. Citizen Cope)
10. Punk
11. La, La, La
12. The One
13. Young & Successful (feat. RocStar)
14. American Dream
15. Empty Recycle Bin
16. Bonus Track

PLANET SQUARIA: THE SQUARE IN THE CIRCLE
Released: 2008

TRACK LIST
1. Intro
2. Everything Is Cool
3. Party Lights
4. 1997
5. Would U Dance With Me
6. U Got It (feat. Lil Wayne)
7. Controller
8. S.U.P.E.R.
9. Catching Z's
10. Loser Mind
11. Please Forget Me
12. Life On Mars
13. Lean 45"
14. Whatever
15. 3x5's & Postcards
16. Battle For Squaria
17. Well, Come To Earth
18. Farewell
19. Space
20. Plastic Stars

40 DAYS & 40 NIGHTS
Released: 2008

TRACK LIST CURRENTLY UNAVAILABLE

PLEASE, HOLD
Released: 2009

TRACK LIST
1. Intro
2. Please, Hold (feat. El Prez)
3. Cooler Than Yo Boyfriend
4. Last Cause (Remix) (feat. Colin Munroe)
5. E.T. (feat. Harlems Cash and Mickey Factz)
6. This Is It
7. VIP In Heaven (feat. Jabee)
8. Final Fantasy XV
9. Flyborg Android
10. Incredible
11. Freak In the Backseat (feat. FKi)
12. Fly, Fresh, Forever (Remix Snippet) (feat. Henok Achido)
13. Carmen Sandiego (Gov't Remix) (feat. Harlems Cash)
14. Prom Queen (Remix) (feat. Lil Wayne)
15. I Want You (feat. Hatch and PDA)
16. I Told You
17. Harlem River Drive (feat. Cocoa Sarai, P. Casso, and Print)
18. Vizzy In the House
19. Going Endless

EVERYBODY'S NOBODY
Released: 2009

TRACK LIST
1. Intro
2. Everybody's Nobody
3. Awesome
4. Vizzy, Vizzy, Vizzy
5. A.D.D.
6. Come Back Down
7. Gobstopper (feat. Wiz Khalifa)
8. Mirror's Edge
9. Blinded (feat. Harlems Cash)
10. Start a War (feat. Colin Munroe)
11. Used To (feat. Ne-Yo)
12. Life Vs. Livin' (feat. Big Sean)
13. Now Look
14. Fall Out the Sky
15. Me, You
16. The Rabbit Hole
17. Ending Credits (Interlude)
18. Undeniable
19. Bad News (Nobody's Somebody)
20. In Due Time

30 MINUTE LAYOVER
Released: 2010

TRACK LIST
1. Intro
2. Warmup Freestyle
3. Top of the World
4. Championship
5. Nothing On You
6. Xxplosive
7. Lift the Game
8. I'm Vizzy
9. One Thing
10. This Plane
11. Friendly Skies



VIZZY ZONE
Released: 2010

TRACK LIST
1. Theme To Vizzy Zone
2. The Flying V
3. Tunnel Vision
4. Gettin' Bizzy
5. We Zonin'
6. Reset Button (feat. Talib Kweli)
7. Nevermind
8. She Go, I Go (feat. Chiddy Bang)
9. Falling Awake
10. Mirror's Edge (feat. Mike Posner)
11. Vizzy Zone (feat. Kid Cudi)
12. Passport
13. Isn't It Awesome
14. May the Force Be With You (feat. Killer Mike and Mac Miller)
15. Familiar
16. Best Is Yet To Come (feat. Colin Munroe)
17. Ending Credits (Interlude)
18. Talk My Shit
19. Mirror's Edge (Remix) (feat. Bun B, GLC, and Mike Posner)

THANKS FOR THE DONUTS
Released: 2011

TRACK LIST
1. G.O.O.D. (feat. Really Doe)
2. New-New
3. Light Work (feat. Theo Martins)
4. The Process
5. Doo Rag
6. Silver Surfer





ZERO HEROES
Released: 2011

TRACK LIST
1. Wichita
2. Heroes Eventually Die Interlude
3. When We're Done
4. Smallville
5. That's Just Me
6. Awesome (feat. Pusha T)
7. Pictures On My Wall
8. Textbook Stuff (feat. Kendrick Lamar)
9. All For Me (feat. Cyhi the Prynce, Erin Christine, and Vado)
10. UFC (feat. Kristina Rose)
11. Foreign Exchange Student
12. Swervin'
13. Best Days of Lives (feat. Donnis)
14. Ending Credits Interlude
15. The Last Hero (feat. Patrick Stump)

AWESOME!
Released: May 15, 2012
Label: Warner Bros. Records

TRACK LIST
1. Awesome (feat. Pusha T)
2. Chains, Whips & Bars
3. Bang, Bang, Bang
4. Swervin'
5. The Most





POPULAR CULTURE
Released: 2012

TRACK LIST
1. Intro
2. Andy Warhol (feat. Slim the Mobster)
3. Breaking Bad (feat. Raja)
4. Be There, Be Square
5. Her Favorite Song (feat. Raja)
6. The Kick
7. Interlude
8. Go On Without Me
9. Wonkavator (feat. Emilio Rojas)
10. Mary Kate & Ashley (feat. Freddy High and Sez Batters)
11. Interlude
12. Jedi Night
13. Aaahh! Real Monsters (feat. B.o.B. and Schoolboy Q)
14. Hi, Life
15. Zombieland Rule 32 (feat. Nowdaze)
16. Ending Credits
17. One of One

MADNESS BEGINS
Released: 2014

TRACK LIST
1. What's New
2. My Town
3. Canned Laughter (Freestyle)
4. Melrose Refresher
5. Everyday Life
6. Never Noticed
7. Barry Sanders
8. Guess Who's Bizack (Freestyle)







SWEET SIXTEENS
Released: 2014

TRACK LIST
1. The Bait
2. Instagrammin'
3. Hippie
4. Dreams, Places and Faces
5. U Happy
6. The Learning Tree
7. One Gang
8. Watch Us
9. Real I Am
10. Another Illusion
11. It Can Go Down
12. Round Me
13. Everything Go
14. All About Me
15. Big
16. Look

ELITE EIGHT
Released: 2014

TRACK LIST
1. High Everybody
2. Enuff Freestyle
3. Wicked Witches (feat. Bruce Meanz and Chris Barnett II)
4. All Over You (feat. CrushBoys)
5. Tell-All
6. Noise In the Basement
7. OverDope
8. 2 Regrets





FINAL IV
Released: 2014

TRACK LIST
1. Rocky
2. Mo Money Mo Options (feat. Bruce Meanz)
3. Wish U Were Here
4. One Thing (Might Not Know)











For XV's work with Squarians, see the page for that group.