Well here it is. The 6th annual freshmen edition of XXL magazine. One of the most anticipated things in hip hop every year. It's so crazy how popular this list has gotten amongst both fans and the artists. The XXL freshman list since 2008 has done a lot for artists. For some it help their name get out there thus giving them a little more notariety and/or popularity. But for some, it...might not be such a good look, which is why a few rappers have turned it down in the past. Still there's no denying the lists popularity and hype every year. Last years class which consisted of Kid Ink, Machine Gun Kelly, French Montana, Don Trip, Future, Iggy Azalea, Danny Brown, Hopsin, Macklemore and Roscoe Dash got plenty of mixed reactions. But this years class seems much more interesting. Here's my break down of each freshman of the 2013 class:
Ab-Soul
- Carson, CA
Hands down my favorite MC of this year's class. To some people, including myself, Ab-Soul was pretty much guaranteed a spot on this list after gaining some notariety last year due to his ties with Black Hippy. I first took notice of him as a guest feature on Kendrick Lamar's 2011 mixtape Section.80. Then went on to listening to his solo project Longterm Mentality which dropped that same year. But I wanted something more. So then he comes with his 2012 album Control System which got plenty of great praise. Probably in my top 5 favorite albums from last year. His intelligent word play and his dark toned story telling of life in LA makes him a stand out. Not traits you normally see from a typical west coast rapper. He deserves a spot on the list and I can't wait to see what he does in 2013.
Action Bronson
- Queens, NY
Another MC I was very happy to see make the cut. Reppin' Queens, New York, and armed with a throwback and somewhat Ghostface Killah-like flow and sound, it's so easy to see why he stands out and why he made the list. I was put on to him through a friend and ended up getting his sophomore album Well-Done in 2011. Which featured excellent production from Statik Selektah. Most recently I downloaded his latest mixtape Rare Chandeliers which released in November of last year. His clever, funny and witty lyrics made me a instant fan. With upcoming releases like his next mixtape Blue Chips 2 and his third album Mr. Wonderful, 2013 should be very intersting for "Bronsolini".
Angel Haze
- Detroit, MI
She's only the second female rapper ever to make the freshman list (the first was Iggy Azalea last year). The 21 year old Detroit femcee is armed with a aggresive, fiery and raspy-voiced flow. Something you would expect from your typical D-Town battle rapper. Though last year she dropped 3 mixtapes, most recently Classick back in October, I have yet to hear a full project from her. I've only heard verses and guest features. Like on the Dizzy Wright track "Can't Trust 'Em (remix)". But myself and most people took real notice of her when she participated in the 2012 BET Hip Hop Awards Cypher. She spit a dope verse there. Hopefully she makes major moves this year because I'm slowly becoming a fan.
Chief Keef
- Chicago, IL
Voted by the fans as the 11th freshman and/or "bonus" freshman, he is probably the most controversial new artist not only in this freshman class but in hip hop period. His violent gang life image, wild and rambunctious music, recent arrests and his overall "I-don't-give-a-fuck" attitude have many people in a uproar about his belonging in hip hop. But then again, these are typical actions you would expect from a 17 year old kid born and raised on the crime infested streets of Chicago. Last year his name became big once he called upon Kanye West (who gives him major co-sign), Jadakiss, Pusha T and Big Sean for the remix to his hype track "I Don't Like". It was featured on his March 2012 mixtape Back From The Dead. In December he dropped his debut album Finally Rich which featured that song as well as his much bigger hit "Love Sosa". Me personally, I'm not a fan. Nor did I enjoy his album. But his fan base is quickly rising. Thus the reason he was voted on this list by fans. Hopefully he can stay out of prison the rest of this year.
Dizzy Wright
- Las Vegas, NV
"Tell XXL I want the motherfuckin' cover". That's what the 22 year old Las Vegas MC yelled out on his 2012 mixtape Smoke Out Conversations. Well...ask and you shall receive. As a member of the up and coming rap group Funk Volume (which also consists of Hopsin, SwizZz, Jarren Benton and DJ Hoppa), he's a new artist that I personally have been keeping a sharp eye on since early 2012. In fact, it may be because of his affiliation with Hopsin, who's now gotten popular, that Dizzy is now getting a little notariety and popularity. He's very talented. With an arsenal of different flows and sounds. I think he may be the one member of Funk Volume that I could see making it mainstream because of his sound. Let's see how that will go in 2013.
Joey Bada$$
- Brooklyn, NY
Probably the most intriguing artist to me of this year's class. Last year after I heard his mixtape 1999, I was blown away. Joey is bringing a style of rap to the table we haven't seen in a long time. His lyrics, flow, production and overall sound is identical to the classic 90's New York sound. The boom-bap era of rap. Hence the title of his mixtape. You don't see too many 17 year old rappers with this kind of a sound if not at all. It's why for the most part he has gained tons of recognition. He and his group Pro Era deliver cool and relaxed throwback lyrics that takes you back. Well takes me back anyway. I'm sure Joey is poised for big things in 2013.
Kirko Bangz
- Houston, TX
Honestly, I've never heard any projects from him. Not a mixtape, album nothing. But the Houston native had by far one of the biggest if not THE biggest club record of 2012 in "Drank In My Cup". That lone song is what gained him notariety and more than likely it's what landed him on this years freshman list. The song was featured on his 2012 mixtape Progression 2: A Young Texas Playa. At first listen I got confused as to who he is. Is he a rapper? A singer? A rapping singer? A singing rapper? I still don't know. But whatever case he's becoming very popular. I think he has to grow on me some more. Hopefully he drops a bigger project this year.
Logic
- Gaithersburg, MD
Again, another one who I never heard an album or a mixtape from. Just a couple verses here and there. But based off of what people have said about him and from what I have heard, he's very talented. Plus he's representin' my home state of Maryland so he gets cool points for that. It was his two mixtapes in 2011's Young Sinatra and 2012's Young Sinatra: Undenieable that gained him all this praise from lyrical hip hop heads. In fact, some of his co-signer's are raging that he's JUST making the freshman list after being a finalist for it since 2010. Well...he's here now and let's hope that's this pushes his name out there even more. He's scheduled to drop his fourth mixtape Young Sinatra: Welcome To Forever this year. Let's hope this year is good to him.
ScHoolboy Q
Los Angeles, CA
After I listened to his second independent album Habits & Contradictions, I was immediately hooked. Like Ab-Soul, he too is a member of the west coast clique Black Hippy. Althought I didn't get to hear his debut independent album Setbacks, the second one was enough to tell me everything about him. With a very gritty voice, he speaks of mostly addictions that plague him. Drugs, sex, money etc. But talks of it in a more grimey and "haunting" like tone and attitude. The album was enough for people to take notice of Q and land him on this list. This year he's scheduled to drop his major label debut Oxymoron which is on my most anticipated list. 2013 is shaping up to be good for the Schoolboy.
Travi$ Scott
- Houston, TX
Out of every freshman in this year's class, I know absolutely nothing about Travi$ Scott. Never heard a mixtape, an album, a song, not even a verse. In fact, this is my first time even hearing about him. So I really don't have much to say on him. Hopefully him being on this list will gain him some more notoriety and open me up to looking up some of his music.
Trinidad Jame$
Atlanta, GA
Well....I gotta admit, I saw this one coming. It really shouldn't be a surprise to no one else either that he made the freshman list. When I was told that James had only been rapping for ten months (which basically means he started this time last year), I was in disbelief. It's quite a head scratcher as to how he got signed so quickly. But with aruguably one of the biggest records on the radio right now in "All Gold Everything", it makes sense why XXL took notice. The video in which he shows his outlandish character, bizarre taste in fashion, and well...not so lyrical lyrics also made folks turn heads to say "who the hell is this". Which probably was followed by lots of laughter. Still nonetheless, that and his debut independent album Don't Be S.A.F.E. was enough to land him a spot with this class. 2013 should indeed be huge for Trinidad James. Don't believe me...just watch.
Overall, I would grade this class with a B-. Good luck to all of them in 2013.
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