XXL Freshman Class Revealed: The Breakdown

8.11.20

*XXL 2020 Freshman Class Magazine Cover*

The day is finally here, that XXL announces their 2020 Freshman Class list. A bit delayed due to the coronavirus, the drop of the magazine cover comes as a surprise to many, but instantly floods the social media streams. It is tradition to look at the list and commentate whether XXL got it right or not. Did they leave anyone off, are you questioning who someone even is? It is such a fun thing in hip-hop, even when it does not turn out exactly how you envisioned it.

The cover this year is super colorful and interesting. I had been pondering the ways that XXL would carry their photoshoots, how the artists would go about the cyphers, and what the production for their freestyles would be like, due to the current state of the world. This execution of the cover definitely looks like the talent either sent in their own photos, or each did their photoshoots separately, and XXL then mashed them all together. The creative treatment looks like a scrapbook, and different pieces of paper ripped out of the binding and glued together. We are talking about the Freshman Class right around back to school timing, so I love this idea. Not to mention, nostalgia from the old school times when artists used to scribble their rhymes on lined notebook paper and rip out what they wanted to scrap.

I always like to guess around February who is going to make the list this year. Earlier this year, I wrote a piece for For the SoUle suggesting my top nine to automatically make the list, who I thought deserved the 10th spot, and where all the other nominees stood on my scale. Most of the list was anticipated, but I do have a few call outs and misses. Still to come are the interviews, freestyles and cyphers, but let’s break down the list and who was missing.

In March, my ten included: NLE Choppa, Calboy, Don Toliver, Fivio Foreign, Lil Tecca, Polo G, Rod Wave, Tyla Yahweh and Jack Harlow, with Key Glock as the 10th Spot Winner. Looks like a got a fifty percent, which is not terrible since there are bound to always be some upsets.

I am surprised that Don Toliver did not make the list, because it just seems like R&B has been on him so much lately. Maybe since you had Rod Wave from the south you did not need both, in which case, they made the right cut.

I am shocked about Lil Tecca, I am just waiting for him to Tweet saying that he made the cut, but he mom would not let him out the house because of the coronavirus, so he had to sit this one out. At least give the kid an honorable mention!

Tyla Yahweh was on my list because he has been touring and dropping constant music with the help of Post Malone. Does he fit with this crowd? Not at all. But good for him for latching onto someone who knows their way around the space. He will have his own fan group of hip-hop mosh-pit kids.

The fact that Key Glock did not make the list is absolutely absurd. He has put out two really dope projects this year, followed up right after his project Dumb and Dumber with Young Dolph in 2019. The two have been touring, making music videos and plenty of money moves. Key Glock dropping these last two projects have shown what he can be as an artist on his own, and I see him taking over the south, which is a hott spot for hip-hop right now. The list could use just a bit more of an old school southern rapper, and Key Glock was that artist.

Not mentioned here, but in my previous list, 42 Dugg is the one that got away. I knew he would not get picked, because the world would not be ready, but I knew he deserved it. Now, I think he does even more. Dugg dropped Young & Turn Vol. 2, plus a deluxe. Mr. Woody was my favorite, but the world is still going crazy for his hit with Lil Baby, We Paid.

Overall, XXL chose twelve artists this year, to be on the XXL 2020 Freshman Class. I think this definitely missed out on 42 Dugg, Key Glock, and I will say Lil Tecca. Next year, will be far too late. From the list below, I do not hate any of the moves, but to make room for these three, I would take away Baby Keem (one hit wonder), Calboy (too late) and 42k Goldn (one hit wonder). If I could not take away the 10th spot, I would personally take away Chika but after learning more about her, I think she deserves to stay. In which case, Lil TJay, your time is up.

Enjoy the rest of the review.

Polo G

*@polo.capalot for XXL 2020 Freshman Class*

Polo G was a no brainer on the list. He makes the list on his single Pop Out alone, but has put in serious work since, including his sophomore album, The Goat. Many give a stigma to young kids referring to themselves the goat … or maybe that is just New York City Kids? Polo G is from Chicago, and his city is riding heavy for him. From an outsider looking in, if he keeps his mind right and continues to hustle the way he has been this past, he continues to glow up from here. A street background, but a pretty voice, he is able to hang with a variety of names in the industry. He already has features with plenty of the others his age like Calboy, Lil Gotit, NLE Choppa, Stunna 4 Vegas, etc. But his hits with others like Lil Baby, Gunna, Mustard, Murda Beatz and Ty Dolla $ign, those are bound to bring him plenty more opportunities which their associates catch on.

Jack Harlow

Jack Harlow absolutely deserves to be here. I had him in automatic to the cover group, as a wild card, because quite frankly, he does look a bit out of place. However, he has put in the necessary work and is getting a lot of attention. Before he even blew up big, Jack Harlow got himself a New Balance deal. Yeah, it no Jordan Basketball deal, but this kid that is making music videos on his friends porch just signed with a major footwear company, that is doing it’s thing to remain relevant in streetwear. Jack Harlow is the perfect ambassador for New Balance, where you may look at him and think he is a bit nerdy, but he actually has all the swag and confidence in the world.

On to the music, Jack dropped his EP Sweet Action, earlier this March. The EP gets a ton of traction, of course especially with the top song being What’s Poppin. Not only does everyone know all the words to the entire song, but Jack Harlow gets three legends on the remix. DaBaby, today’s hip-hop/pop favorite, Tory Lanez, king of r&b/quarantine radio, and non other than Lil Wayne, who some may say, is the greatest rapper alive. I personally think having him on this song must have been life changing for Jack, and think the verse what great and exciting no matter what anyone else thinks. On top of all this, Jack was nominated for Best New Artist at this years’ VMAs. Really, you could not, not put Jack on this list.

NLE Choppa

NLE Choppa is another that was making the list, no doubt. He might not be your favorite, or someone you choose to listen to, but the amount of work he has been putting in is above most his age. There are also probably plenty of songs you bump to and do not even realize he had a part in it. NLE also just dropped his twenty-song sophomore album Shotta Flow which is named after his single that is 2x certified platinum.

Personally, I do not think NLE has what it takes to continue on this path on his own. But I do think anytime he gets the chance to lay a verse on a song with a bunch of artists, it will be a smash.

Baby Keem

If you are unsure of who Baby Keem is, he sings that Orange Soda song. That one that tells you and your best friend to shut the f*** up. Over and over again. The song is ridiculous, foul, but so, so catchy.

I did see that Baby Keem was a nominee for the 10th spot, but he did not even pitch. Without the pitch, I did dismiss him. I like the song, but it is the only one I have heard and I did not think that consumers would put the song to the name on this one. Obviously, this one was picked by the XXL team themselves, so maybe they still don’t! I do not hate the move, but I also do not believe that Keem has dropped anything since Orange Soda. If you look back to one of his songs, Honest, that was dropped a year ago, it is a whole different and vibe. One that I am not personally a fan of. But maybe they saw something in his versatility, and the way that he can speak to the youth and their emotions. Kind of like XXX, but more of a Kung Fu Kenny voice with it.

Fivio Foreign

I absolutely love Fivio Foreign for the Freshman Class this year. Sure you have Lil TJay on the list, but what is a hip-hop magazine cover without some gutter hip-hop from New York? Fivio’s sound is super cool and deep. It makes you want to boss up, party, get things done. Each single has been a hit, and he also put out his own project, 800 BC, earlier this year. I would say that Fivio is the closest thing we have seen to Pop Smoke. In an interview after the passing of Pop, Fivio mentioned he learned everything he knows from Pop Smoke.

I learned everything [from him]. I learnt how to deal with this shit and not to get hyped over the now. Once you find yourself hyped or comfortable with the shit that is happening, you won’t really go further. It’s the bigger things you got to work on.

Just earlier this week, the news suggested Fivio Foreign himself had been shot, and rushed to the hospital. His close friends say he is fine, maybe that it is even fake news. Either way, he has been on social and seems to be fine. But, we need to protect him at all costs.

Chika

I had not heard of Chika until I wrote my review on the XXL 2020 Freshman 10th Spot nominees. I put Chika in “The Laughable” section, and gave her a terrible review. I did not know who she was and her pitch confused me. I literally had no idea if she was being genuine, joking around, or what. I can admit when I am wrong, because now that she made the list, I mad it appoint to listen to a number of her songs. She is not the type of artist you would think, by looking at her, by where she comes from, or the generation she is excelling in. She has a beautiful singing melody, and makes music with a purpose. Even when she went of Funk Flex to freestyle, she was preaching knowledge. Quite honestly, she sounds like a female Chance The Rapper, which is interesting because she is from Alabama. I definitely see Chika getting some dope features after the world see her cypher and freestyle.

Calboy

I did have Calboy on my list to make the class, though now if feels a little late and lost. At the time, Calboy had just dropped his album Long Live The Kings, which he also did a deluxe for. This project was just as dope as Wildboy, which he had dropped the year prior. Calboy is such a Chicago artist. He has that melody and that voice girls love to sing along to while they are playing their favorite ghetto, violent, hood love rap music. Calboy could smash any chorus, and he does well on his own. Though, I am not sure if there are just too many coming out now for him to stick around. He needs to link with the big guys in Chicago and Detroit, and really make them remember.

Mulatto

Mulatto is the second of the two female artists who made the list. Earlier when I picking out my lists, I was trying to figure out who the next female was going to be. Last year we had so many, and it had seemed to be the opposite this year. I would love to know when Mulatto got this phone call. She has been doing her thing for a minute, but she has seriously made some waves in the past couple of weeks. From singing her deal earlier this year, to remixing one of Gucci' Mane’s most legendary hits, to getting a cameo in Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion’s new summer anthem, the girl is on fire.

Mulatto comes from a reality television show, looking for the next top artist. In 2016, she actually was the winner of The Rap Game, produced by Jermaine Dupri and Queen Latifah. She has been tip-toeing around the industry ever since, but 2020 is for sure her year. I definitely hope we get an album soon, and maybe she gets a verse on the next Cardi track.

Lil Keed

XXL absolutely made the right choice by including Lil Keed on the Freshman cover. Originally, I had him in the “almost” category, just because I did not think the people would catch on. However, Keed has the right team and has been making some decent moves since.

I am super into the Zaytoven project A-Team, that mainly features Lil Keed, Lil Yachty and Lil Gotit. I classified Keed and Gotit together saying they should be up there, but the world might not be ready. His project Long Live Mexico prior to this was a decent hit as well.

Since then, Lil Keed did Fox 5 with Gunna. Not only did they go viral for a fake shooting on their video set, but once you roll with Slime, you are set for life.

Rod Wave

Okay, our list right now is looking a little aggressive right now, so here is Rod Wave. Obviously Rod Wave was going to make the list. He has basically been putting out new music every single week. Though hip-hop, he brings this spiritual, soothing sound to your ears when you are trying to gangster through your feelings. Having someone like Rod Wave, being his size, where he is from, what he has been through, being a black man in America, and being able to share music like he does is huge for the industry, and equal standards overall. Lots of artists from the south make music for the south. But Rod Wave is different, I do believe he can appeal to anybody. Congrats, Rod Wave, extremely well deserved.

Lil TJay

Ahhh … Lil TJay. Bottom half of 2019 and first few months of 2020, Lil TJay was hott. I had him missing out on the list due to his issues with the police and continuously getting into fights. There was the drama between multiple females, calling them out of their names and airing their dirty laundry on social media, the issues with the Highbridge crew, allegedly robbing, getting pulled over by the police, etc. The list seemed like it was never ending, and I wondered where this man’s career was headed. However, it looks like nothing too serious happened with the law, so ultimately, he remains in the running.

Lil TJay has a number of fun hits with the new kids in class, and also just dropped his album State of Emergency, including a few hits with Fivio Foreign. Overall, I do think he deserves to be here. Though, he will need to straighten up if he wants to stick around.

24k Goldn

24k Goldn was the winner of the 10th Spot. Though it may be shocking to some, I think it does make sense. In my initial review, 24k Goldn was who I chose as “the surprisingly well spoken one.” Now, does XXL really count up all the views, or if they do not hit a certain number, or if they already had the winner, they just decide who they think the 10th spot winner should be? It is the things that they do not want you to know, but artists have split over the years because of some wonky things that have happened.

I suggest this, because, if you actually went through and watched all the pitch videos, you would have to vote for 24k Goldn. There is no one else whose pitch even came close. In his pitch, he spoke about his accomplishments with his music, and then said “but what really sets me apart from other artists, is who I am as a person.” He talks about interacting with his fans, and how he wants to be a role model to others, and help them accomplish their dreams, rather than glorifying drugs and degrading women. Seriously he probably should have won a humanitarian award while he was at it.

His song Valentino did go platinum, and it is a smash record. I have seen him live in concert, and no one knew who he was until he played that song at the very end of his set. For this reason, I did not think the kids knew who he was and suggested he would be here next year with more hits. However, maybe with his name right there and a button that easily allows you to play their music, everyone thought, oh yeah, this is my jam.

I hope to hear more from this kid, but quite frankly, I am not convinced.

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