Like clockwork, XXL magazine has revealed its annual Freshman Class list for 2017, which features XXXTENTACION, PnB Rock, Kamaiyah, A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, Playboi Carti, Madeintyo, Aminé, Ugly God, Kap G and Kyle. Of course, the internet had plenty of things to say about the group of rappers chosen to grace the cover of XXL’s new print issue — and it wasn’t pretty. Many claimed Detroit rapper Tee Grizzley was snubbed, including DJ Akademiks who said he “got a energy the game missing in terms of new acts.”
People also pointed out several breakout artists such as Young M.A, 6Lack, Cardi B and Rich The Kid were noticeably absent from the list, but overall, the majority of those chiming in on the trending Twitter topic weren’t happy with the results whatsoever. Naturally, the profound disappointment spawned some hilarious memes.
Ferrari Sheppard, who is one half of Dec 99th with Yasiin Bey (Mos Def), wrote: “The XXL freshman cover is depressing to me. Hot for the moment. In retrospect: ‘where are they now?’ New products.”
Others spoke out about their disgust that the most controversial artist on the cover, XXXTENTACION, made the cut.
While of course there were a few that were pleased with the current roundup, the sense of utter disappointment across social media was palpable. Check out some of the reactions below.
the only reason i even know who XXX is cause he got beat up
i mean klye really who are these lames and who listens to them?
I feel you. Trust.
Its like if Adam22 picked half of this list.
Who??
All these people on Twitter… Watch how these clowns be the same people saying how dope these rappers are/ how hot their singles are in late 17 early 2018 smh.
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Another pathetic publication w that fat bitch calling shots for the cover pathetic. Tee Grizzley and Millyz got snubbed some BS.
Hats off to XXLoL for having the balls to try to convince us to accept this nonsense. It’s like they let their “slow” janitor make a list for fun and published it.
nin9 fa66ots and iz dat a hizzzoe???? Pac ain’t git kilt fa diz chit. Real spit doe. Diz list iz liek who look da fa66otest doe.
I don’t know what the fuck this idiot just wrote but I think he hates the cover and I concur
PNB Rock up in there …Philly in the building…
No Conway and WestsideGunn?
The “hip hop” station in buffalo dont even play them regularly. Its the same bullshit thats on the fuckin xxl cover. I wouldnt even know who they were if my sis hadn’t told me about em. And i live in buffalo. I swear its like the stations get paid to play bullshit.
I present hip-hop’s 2017 pallbearers; may the culture…
How does Nick Grant not get any love, or is this list only for wack rappers who put out “hot” singles that these kids love.
man XXL uses the freshman shit to bring in new talent, like throwing darts to a
Dart board. Let these people live. For every diamond you get a bunch of pins. When has a yearly cover ever chose someone who you personally was like “daaaaaamn they ready”? Let the chips fall and figure shit out later.
RAP MUSIC IS TRASH!!!! HIP-HOP IS WACK!!!! THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU LET WHITE NERD EXECS TAKE OVER BLACK CULTURED MUSIC!!!! YOU GET A MOSH OF UNTALENTED PRODUCT!!!!
Sad. Hip hop already died, but the entire game as we know it will be dead in a decade. Everybody wanna be the same. No separation anymore
this is list of mentally challenged crappers? awww. i hope they dont perform at the special olympics. or anywhere, anymore, for that matter.
The amount of effort needed to hear the music of anybody remotely talented is what killed hip hop. I cant go a day without hearing this bullshit on the radio. For 8 hrs they play the same 14 shitty songs repeatedly. I wouldn’t care if i could hear diversity on radio stations but that aint the fuckin case
Tee grizzly. Jimmy wapo! CmonXxl
Hip hop ain’t dead…..stop looking to mainstream to find it.
if it aint dead its on life support with this wack ass shit
why do we have to stop looking at mainstream to find it? biggie, pac, jay, nas, wu tang, mobb deep, warren g, naughty by nature, snoop, ice cube, dre etc etc were all mainstream artists in the 90s. thats why hip hop was strong. das efx, camp lo, onyx, gangstarr werent even fully underground artists. they had hits aswell. back then the best music sold. capone n noreaga didnt make commercial music but they sold records.
hip hop is dead when you need to search for it. you never needed to search and study what was good. it was all good. big pun features on a fat joe record you like it you go buy his album. AZ features on a nas record you like it you go buy it.
hip hop just aint the same anymore
i agree with your comment 100%.. good examples listed
come on blaze you can’t cop an attitude like that… old does not necessarily equal good and a lot of those artists are looked at through a nostalgia filter. artists like a boogie and kamiayah may one day be looked at in the same way dre and warren g are looked at today, besides, not looking at the freshman class, there are definitely modern rappers which will be considered some of the greatest ever in 10 years (kendrick lamar, kanye west, j cole, maybe even big sean)
6Lack, Millyz, A Boogie, Emilio Rojas, Jef Jon Sin, are hands down better then everyone on this list and never get any shine with A Boogie being the one exception and I don’t even care for his voice that much but still better then everyone on the cover. Im seriously tired of an industry that continues to put out and back some of the worst musicians. They ALL sound the same and its truly straight garbage! Its the reason I stopped listening to the radio years ago unless its sports talk radio and thats it, period. Go check out dudes i just listed and hear some good music cause these other cats are trash, real talk.
Xtra Xtra Lame! Cot damn, asides from Anime who had a hit with Caroline, this list is weak
It’s like a line up of Crack babies, retards and missing links and their “music” is all horrible trash!!!
OMG, crackbabies en black gothics are hiphop now ????????? This utter trash!!!!!!!!
So its safe to say its cool nowadays to already come presmoked and doped out something retarded fresh out of the womb huh? Guess when i want to know the up and coming future junkies ill check in on the freshman XXL cover each year or if i know someone looking to get there dick sucked for a hit of rock just ask one of these dipshits within the next 3 years after there broke which we all know they will be
Wow! Wtf? Those clowns on tha list don’t even looks like their are celebrity, they should get tha fuck outta my way before i get my cali brrrrr
I recognize no one.
This is worse than last year.
a Boogie, (Was Don Q on it last year??) Anime, Kyle, PNB,and madeinto, Kap G are 6 cats that deserved to be on the cover. and I guess Playboi Carti or ugly god
Anime – Has Caroline
Kyle – Has I spy
A Boogie – Has My shit and Drowning
Madeinto – Has UBer and Skateboard P
Kap G – Has Your Girlfriend and Freekin n GeEking
PNB- Been around and is a Hook Man for a lot of the new artist
Ugly God- Had his name outthere on Youtube and Soundcloud.. Vladtv
Russ should be here
Cringeworthy
Gotta be the lamest Freshmen list ever. That chick on the bottom left looks more manly than everyone else combined.
Gay