When TOTAL XANARCHY arrived in 2018, Lil Xan, born Nicholas Diego Leanos, was a rising star with a major-label deal. By 2024, he was an independent artist grinding to earn back the goodwill fans had trouble mustering after significant album delays, false starts, and broken promises. On Diego, the now-veteran MC sounds grateful and optimistic, thankful that the tribulations he bravely battled didn’t take him away before his time. On opener “Not Ready,” Xan raps, “No, I'm not ready to die today/They think I'm dead but I'm wide awake.” Despite the optimistic perspective, Xan occasionally sheds light on some of the issues that plagued him in the six years between studio records. On the emo-pop-leaning “Misery,” Xan threatens to run away, hoping that abandoning his problems will alleviate his heartbreak. Alas, the pain lingers. “My life is still a misery, she told me that shе needed me,” he raps, before adding, “Was evеry day deceiving me, I wish that she believed in me.”