Around this time every year, we get what some of us still look forward to and deem as credible - the XXL Freshman List. Now, before I get in my bag, I want to say this. I’m not hating on anyone that has made the list, they deserve it. I’ll never discredit someone for working on their craft. I think everyone’s frustration is more towards the XXL staff as a mother fucking crew.
It’s like every year, they make the same mistake over and over again and never learn.The first thing is that rappers such as Lil Baby, Gunna, YBN Namir are missing from the cover. Save the “rappers turn it down every year” excuse, because there’s at least 2-3 rappers who can replace someone who turned down the cover. XXL says that they’re “for the culture,” but they’re pushing people that aren’t at the forefront. Again, we’re not bashing the rappers individually but some of the rappers on the cover I’ve never heard a song from in my life. Maybe that’s my ignorance, but if you put this cover out every year to shine light on the next biggest stars, some of these people just not it and I’m sorry.
Me personally, my freshman cover would be:Trippie Redd, YNW Melly, J.I.D, Gunna, Lil Baby, Bandhunta Izzy, NBA Youngboy, YBN Nahmir, Key Glock & Rico Nasty. There’s a valid reason for all of them, not just throw on the list “to fill up space.”
The reason why XXL deserves the prestigious title of Sucka of the Week is because they obviously don’t have the right people doing this cover like they think they do. If you’re honestly “for the culture” and looking to make some type of impact “for the culture,” you must have the right people on the job. Alot of this “microwave music” ain’t going to last forever, and if you’re paying attention like you think you are, you’d know that a lot of these rappers aren’t connecting to the people really invested in “this culture.”
XXL, you have to do better. You really have to dig in and see who we’re listening to these days because a lot of the shit you think we’re listening to, we’re really not. So for that, XXL, you are the Sucka of the Week.
Listen to my picks for this year’s freshman class below:
Apple Music: listen here
Spotify: listen here
Tidal: listen here
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