XXL has revealed their Freshman Class cover for 2013. The cover features ScHoolboy Q, Ab-Soul and Action Bronson, among others. They join a list of emcees to be on the Freshman Class list over the years that includes Kendrick Lamar, Mac Miller and more.
Fellow Top Dawg Entertainment emcees ScHoolboy Q and Ab-Soul made the list after grinding it out in the West Coast underground. The two members of Black Hippy would later make a name for themselves and their group with solo projects and collaborations that would catapult them out of the underground scene. Both dropped critically acclaimed efforts last year with Q’s Habits & Contradictions and Ab’s #controlsystem.
Three emcees with dollar signs in their names also made the list. Trinidad Jame$ hit the scene with last year’s “All Gold Everything.” Joey Bada$$ did the same with “1999” and has garnered praise for his individual work as well as his work alongside Pro Era. Travi$ Scott also gained notoriety last year. He generated his buzz and was signed to G.O.O.D. Music.
Logic also made the list. The Gaithersburg, Maryland rapper, also known as Young Sinatra, has generated some buzz through his various mixtapes including last year’s “Undeniable.”
Kirko Bangz’s inclusion on the list comes after hustling through the Houston, Texas scene. In 2011, Bangz earned success on the charts with “Drank in my Cup” making it onto the Billboard Hot 100 and he’s continued releasing his “Procrastination Kills” mixtapes.
Funk Volume’s presence is also found on this year’s list. With Hopsin being a former Freshman, it’s Dizzy Wright’s turn to be featured here. Dizzy’s own work through Las Vegas, Nevada has helped him climb to more exposure with FV and last year’s SmokeOut Conversations helped that buzz become stronger. One of the artists featured on SmokeOut Conversations is also on this list, with Angel Haze making it through after releasing two mixtapes last year, “Reservation” and “Classick.”
Action Bronson rounds out the list after an impressive 2012. He released mixtapes like “Blue Chips” with Party Supplies and “Rare Chandeliers” with The Alchemist to great critical praise. Before that, he was building his own buzz in and out of Queens, New York, with efforts like “The Program EP” and Well-Done with Statik Selektah.
Chief Keef does not appear in the cover picture but was named the 11th Freshman. His photo appears as a small addition to the cover. He made his name last year with the release of Finally Rich and the success and controversy surrounding “I Don’t Like.”
As noted, the list has featured many notable emcees in the past. Kendrick Lamar, French Montana, Macklemore, Wiz Khalifa and Iggy Azalea have been on past lists.
RELATED: French Montana, Iggy Azalea, Future & More Cover XXL Magazine’s Freshman 2012 Issue
they should have brought in a stylist
Solid list overall… Just so people know this list isnt based off talent, but who can make a impact in the industry or created a significant buzz. Still, some real nice choices…
Kirko Bangz sucks
i dont like to judge dudes fashion but i miss the days when it was fresh throwbacks, baggy pants and even cam’ron rockin the purp and pink
smh to smh to smh comment’s on smh
your madd dumb everyone like their own styles. stop being a racist and go put on ur skinny jeans or man dress or watever you sheep are currently into.
racist? haha what?
No Rittz!? Absurd
i know its good for exposure and all but if i was ab-soul and schoolboy Q i would be like fck this cover. they put in too much work to be called “freshman”
should have replaced chief keef or kirko bang bangs with rittz
no rittz though?
ScHoolboy Q has two albums. Ab-Soul has two albums. Kirko Bangz is not a fucking rapper. Another bullshit list as usual
wheres rittz?
No Rittz or Phreshy Duzit? Dudes have straight fire..
Logic is that nigga!
YES!! Hopefully he’ll now start getting the hype he deserves.
I CAN’T FIND JOEY BADA$$ ON THAT COVER…
NOBODY TALKS ABOUT ANGEL HAZE…THEY JUST FELT THE NEED TO INCLUDE A WOMAN.
WHO THE FUCK IS THIS WHITE DUDE???
He’s on the left with Glasses on
He’s on the left rocking the bucket cap and glasses. Yall blind!
The Freshman class gets worse and worse every year. XXL should just stop doing this. A few on the list aren’t even rookies. Some shouldn’t be on there at all.
Disagree, most of the dudes on this list can actually spit.
I know all of them except that pale, square forehead, white boy on the end. And where the fuck is Azealia Banks?
yeah whos the white kid
Logic… His mixtape is nice… Undeniable: Young Sinatra
Where is Hoodie Allen? Wow.
never heard oh him.
The Dentaldamboy will make the list in 2015. I spit a a few bars for my boss, Birdman, recently and he was quite impressed. He had no idea that one of his accountants was so talented. So he’s gonna have Noah make a few beats for me and see what I can do with them. It’s always been my dream to rap with Wayne while counting Birdman’s money!!!! YMCMB, we got the game by the clit!
Finally School boy q and Ab-soul getting some recognition. You already know its going to be a big year for schoolboy and Ab soul. I also like Dizzy Wright. The only thing that I don’t understand is why did they put Kirko Bangz on here? He already has a major label debut.
He does?!? Kirko has a major single on iTunes, but his Warner Bros. debut is not released. He got a shitload load of mixtapes… But anyways, what’s his major debut?
I am officially over XXL…no Rittz? Out of them all up for vote he deff was my favorite. And as far as I’m concerned, only half of them can come close to him. people who disagree prolly never listened to him and only heard the song…maybe XXL just needa play his songs half speed cuz theyre too slow to take in his lyrical game. FOH XXL.
100% AGREE
Wheres Joey BadA$$???
Only female on there should be Dynasty.
You must be blind
right next to action bronson with the camo pants
i didnt recognize him at first cause of the glasses
Joey Badass is on there you dumbass…Do you not know what he looks like?
He’s on the left with Glasses on with the bucket hat
No Rittz, but you have Wacklemore on there. This is a fucking joke. I’ve never seen so many wack rappers aside from Bronson assembled on one cover. Fuck XXL it’s their loss. Shouts out to Riff Raff though. WHITE JESUS!!!!! YUH-UH-YEAH
Trinidad James is the best! Tha rest are just irrelevant fucks.
stfu fool
wheres schoolboy q ?
are you trolling? how could you miss him hes the biggest one there next to bronsolinio
I didn’t know Superfly Snuka was on the cover
Joey badass is nice but he’s a gimmick! His sound doesn’t turned a lot of heads heard it before no hate.
and trinidad james aint a gimmick? kirko bangz aint a gimmick? chief keef aint a gimmick? Nicca please.
Earl Sweatshirt should have been on this.
I maintain Travi$ Scott is the most worthless human being ever – and I’ll be releasing new music by him shortly. Without his permission. Just to prove a point.
Also, I’d like to issue a preemptive middle fingers to the lawyers at Epic Records.
STAY indie …
lol Im just looking at this picture and cracking up. Its like cool to be corny nowadays. Joey Badass has a bright future but I cant handle this shit anymore.
ScHoolboy Q
Ab-Soul
Joey BADA$$
Logic
Action Bronson
Angel Haze
5 out of 10 worthy MCs ain’t bad.. better than last year’s list
my bad… 6 MCs… before u hoe ass nikkaz try to correct me lol
chief keef is bigger than the rest of these lame irrelevent niggas and probably has a bigger fanbase.
That was the stupidest thing you ever coulda said… Joey Bada$$ > Chief Keef by MILES.
“Do you listen to music or do you just skim through it?”
album sold 150k in like 4 months. hes not as big as you think
theirs nothing original about joey bas a$$ atleast chief keef brought new adlibs new flow and revived gangsta rap
“new adlibs new flow”
bang bang, thats real fucking original, kid sounds like hes rapping with a handful of marbles in his mouth. revived gangsta rap and then cried when sentenced to 60 days in juvenile detention
“atleast chief keef brought new adlibs new flow and revived gangsta rap”
LMAO
Who is that dude looking like hell rell in red and who’s that dude praying scared of the white boy next to him?
Hell Rell Red would be Dizzy Wright, the dude signed under Hopsin. Dude praying next to Logic would be Travis $cott signed to G.O.O.D. Music
Damn this is the future of hip hop. Glad I already experienced the best of it way before this trash
tru dat
real talk….this list has a better success ratio than than the past…4/11…………. you all are getting there
Where the FUCK is A$AP Ferg?
No RiFF but they got Cobains garbage bum ass on here?????
whos cobain?
NOOO A$AP FERG ???????????????? SUCKAS ………
damn hiphop aint what it use to be!
100% COsign.
it’s a joke ting, now!
This cover lite is hell the worst in the last 10 years!
the sad thing is this group of clowns is the best freshman class they’ve put out yet. and yea I know I need to stop going on hiphopdx, but its bomb at work when I’m bored
schoolboy q the best there
hope he stays tru
man this is such a great list this year, schoolboy and ab soul are two of the dopest singers on rocafella records, in fact when kendrick lamar released illmatic i knew these guys would end up being very sucessful, joey bada$$ still needs to modernize his down south g-funk vibe but when he finds that right sound he will go down as one of the best, and its so good that chief keef does everything in his power to do good for his community and thats why hes so deserving to make the list
sometimes your trolling is funny, this one is just a major fail.
give it up nicca you not funny any more
action bronson better than q
HELL NAW
this list is an obvious joke. I wonder what XXL will say about “MCs” (i use this term loosely now days) like Trinidad James and Chief Keef oh my. “Elementary rhymes provide these artists with big followings since everyone can understand their simplistic rhyme schemes and lack of metaphors” hip hop people!
BTW where da fuck is SPACEGHOSTPURRP. At least he aint a media pawn like SOME of these jokes. A few can actually spit but damn i aint gonna waste my time with these gimmicks
I’ma dude but it be nice to suck they dicks. NO HOMO!
4 out of six people are bisexual according to kinsey.
so most of yall claiming straight at least think about sucking dick lolllll
Trinidad James made that shit?
Hip hop is dead.
but only one gonna blow up and it gonna be Trinidad James
bronson is the only dude i listen to out of those.
cuz you’re well known racist.
no cory gunz? dude is a spitter.
no lil poopy either… smh
Cory Gunz made the 09-10 list with Wale, B.o.B, Cudi, etc.
Dizzy Wright made it…FunkVolume2013#TurnItUp !!!
Just look @ Trinidad, that nigga looks like a FOOL, worse than a fool. He’s in his own Category.
If you like Macklemore, Trinidad, Chief Gay Keef. PLEASE LEAVE THIS EARTH!
Some of you “hip hop heads” just love to complain about everything. This is actually a pretty good list — I just wish they would’ve put Jon Connor and Casey Veggies over Trinidad and Kirko.
jon connor for sure shouldve been there
Jon Connor is that dude, no doubt
LOl!!! Where alley boy at? He the only real new nigga out here. You kids can have this corny shit. Imma stay bumpin Juicy j, e40, dogg pound, master p, 8 ball, scarface, devin… All the old cats that’s still droppin new shit. Imma take o.g.s over these studio clowns
Juicy J is garbage.
Agreed anon. Gotta say that I can’t stand any of E40’s solo shit either.
hold up juicy j is a legend. three 6 mafia shit is classic. also e-40 is dope too his old shit is tight and even the new stuff. some of his music is shit but there are good songs too. look up “catch a fade”
Don’t really get where anyone is coming from saying this is trash…Trinidad James tape was actually pretty creative musically. Only people I don’t really fuck with are Kirko, Keef, and Angel Haze. Smh, there could definitely be worse lists put together
the freshman list is never on point but they did a solid job this year at least they got action bronson, ab-soul and logic right
All of you are fools Schoolboy Q, Ab-Soul, Action Bronson, Logic are the future especially schoolboy Q and Ab-Soul…Black Hippy T.D.E all day real music real lyrics
why of all Funk Volume got ugly niggas doe?
Unless you a bitch the there is something wrong with your comment.
So glad Action Bronson made the list. Dude has mad skill, that old New York sound. Glad Dizzy, SBQ, and Ab-Soul made it too.
Isn’t Logic’s dad black!? He’s a very pale half-cast, especially considering Drake’s half-cast as well.
His dad is light skinned black.
outside of missing rittz not bad
action and the tde fam the rest is ass
You know it is what it is, there is always gonna be good picks and bad picks. Everyone keeps talking about Rittz and I didn’t even know who that was so I went and checked him out and damn yeah he should be on here.
Oh and I would have really liked to see Jon Connor on there. He’s not anything too amazing but he sure is better than Trinidad James and Chief Keef, and being from Michigan I am a huge fan and supporter of his music.
Not familiar with some of the 2013 freshman? Watch their best music videos all in one spot! – http://comatosemag.com/2013/03/xxl-magazines-2013-freshman-class-music-videos/
WHERES SNOW THA PRODUCT?
apparently taken off the shelf…Get it? Product? Yaaaay, you got it!
she melted
Where’s Riff?! Guy had James Franco playing him in a movie.
Why do people keep asking about this ritz dude? There’s enough white people on the cover already….We let you have two… In all tv shows and mags and media you put one black dude and an all white cast…You guys really want it all don’t you? STop trying to gentrify all our shit.
I kept looking for the second white guy and then realized it was Bronson. Dude’s so real I don’t consider him white.
So if you’re white you’re not “real”? Wtf does that even mean??
Fair list. much more fair than that joke, mtv’s hottest. Glad Dizzy is on it. Some of these artists have alot to prove still. kirko, and trinidad still need more than one hit. The TDE dudes def. top of the class. in my opinion
P.s. macklemore is a 2nd year freshmen? cuz he def. was in last years list. Also FUTURE IS WACK. whos cousin is he? cuz i know he can’t get on, by his own skills. he had to be someones fam. Same goes to French montana. French, When we gon’ hear a song with no features? I doubt, it would have anything catchy or artistic in it anyway.
Macklemore, Future, and etc are the heading of what’s included in the issue. Nobody wants to read a book anymore, but we’re really fucked if we don’t know how to comprehend a fucking magazine.
dumb ass just looks at the picture and dont even read the article LOL
XXL loafed by not including Fat Trel on this list.
cunninlyguists
there better than tech n9ne
lol what? why bring up tech n9ne? they are not even really in the same genre of rap as tech n9ne.
^^ tech n9ne is in a genre called “garbage”
Bronson > Everyone else on this list
Co-sign…Brononlino, Joey Badass, and sometimes AB-Soul…everybody else is straight up trash!
absoul>bronson
Soul and Schoolboy
I know this has nothing to do with this particular album, but has anyone noticed that DX did not review “The Nacirema Dream” from Papoose that came out yesterday? Ive been waitin on that for like 7 years lol. But let me tell yall, its solid. Like easily a 4/5. Again i know its irrelevant here, but I think its crazy to talk about albums that are already out and re-releases and all that, even a Justin Timberlake album, but nothing on one of the most sought after MC’s in the last decade with his album finally dropping.
It’s only been out for a day, they’ll probably getto it. But then again, they’re really random about that shit. They’ll leave albums that people are looking for out and review some really obscure dumb shit. But yeah, curious to see about that Papoose album as well.
it will be up within a week or so i guarantee
As of yesterday, Papoose’s CD wasn’t even in stock at the either of the Best Buys or the Target in DC…
being in stock has nothing to do with it. they reviewed waynes album before it hit stores.
Exactly. They review most albums before they even come out. I bought mine on itunes, and its serious.
they only do like one a day its coming trust me
stop commenting about pappoose nobodys gives a fuck….nobodys checking for him!..get that thru ur head….hes fucking trash…he drops alphabet slaughter backwards 8 years later..lol
some of these cats are passed the freshman class age. they got like an album out. is the game so deprived that this is the case?
Joey Bada$$, TDE Group, And Action Bronson. Chief Keef Is Betta Then Trinidad And Kirko In My Opinion!! #ProEra
Chief keef doesn’t make it to his own video shoot,and now freshman cover. smh. how did he make the class anyway?
I hate Chief Keef niglet ass but wasn’t he in jail?
Good Lookin out on adding Kirko to the list. He been doing his thang down here in H-Town. We stay tru to the local scene in Houston, so it’s hard to get the credit where it’s due. Ab-Soul is mad nice too!!! Respect to all the artists!
LOOKS LIKE A CIRCUS AD NO WONDER ALL THE REAL VETS WANTA LEAVE…….
wheres sha stimuli david bars or skyzoo or females like LA OR JAZ THE MC…………………………
1st Sha Stimuli & Skyzoo arent’t freshman. IDK why they’d put them on their FRESHMAN COVER. That’s like putting Big Daddy Kane on there. 2nd are any of those 3 other MC’s making a buzz for themselves? Because until you brought them up. I had no idea who they were.
LMAO @ comparing skyzoo to big daddy kane
i agree they aint freshmen but they not veterans either
SHA stimuli has been round for yeeeaarssss youngins..
Sha Stimuli has released two albums…one of the stipulations to get on the list is you can’t have a legit album out yet (mixtapes, street albums don’t count)
Well Dizzy Wright has an album, Ab-Soul has an album, Schoolboy Q has an album, and Chief Keef has an album. So obviously not.
ab-soul no doubt the best on this list.
CO SIGN! Ab Soul the realest nigga to do it in a looooong time.
Be paid weekly and earn like a boss. I just bought a great Chrysler, from earning $9844 this last 4 weeks and $10k last month. Its by far the easiest and without any doubt the most financially rewarding job I’ve ever had. I actually started ten months ago, and practically, straight away got at least $81p/h! This is what I do – Epic2.com_
Why they gotta put Angel Haze’s raggedy ass on the front of the article tho? Her face would give small children nightmares
i know you’d rather look at chief keefs bum ass but putting a fine woman as the image will probably bring more hits
If you like skinny dykes with living creatures for eyebrows then sure, she’s a real fine woman.
Who gives a fuck what the bitch look like nigga, get a woman and stop jerking off. She can rap hard as hell and that’s what matters dumb fuck.
No, she really can’t. She’s wack as fuck. Maybe you take your own advice, get a girl, so you can quit gettin offended over people talkin shit bout your creature lookin girl on the internet. Lmao fuck out my face
Why wasnt Kevin Gates added to the cover?
CAUSE NO ONE HAS EVER HEARD OF HIM
IT’S HARD TO TAKE XXL SERIOUS WHEN RITTZ ISN’T ON THE COVER.
no one gives a fuck about rittz. he not that hot or popular. tell him to get his buzz up and he might make it in 2 years if yelawolf helps him
i felt the same way. maybe because him n bronson are twins xxl thought itd be confusing
This cover looks like a group of wrestlers instead of emcees, lol
it usually does LOL
No RiFF RaFF?!?!?!?!?!!???
Does anyone remember last year when ScHoolboy said he wouldn’t do the XXL freshman list because it was too corny???
There he is now.
No hate, love dude’s music. It’s just funny!
i kinda recall that. he a sellout fo sho
Are any of these new bum worth listening to or on the level of school boy Q or ab soul
joey badass and action bronson for sure. check them out
Flatbush Zombies are pretty nice too.
been fuckin with bronson for a minute, he not really a new comer. He is like a 90’s spitter, check out well done album, all produced by statik selektah, shit would’ve went plat in the 90’s. and his other mixtapes are nice. Logic is probably somebody a lot of people don’t know about, he has bars.
wasn’t feelin bronson last effort prob bc he bit GFK style.. didnt he say he didnt want anyone sounding like him or biting him on the purple tape? im going to give him another try tho. joey is kool & ima check that flatbushzombies & logic too this freshman issue sucks yall telling me 5 out of 11 are good
they usually put a bunch of weak artists on the list
Dizzy Wright is nice with it. Listen to his music.
this is the worst cover of them all ..really frm here on out raps tooking a turn for the worst..cover with yelawolf was the last good freshamen class
really all of these cats have been putting in work how are you going to hate on these niggas that have been building world wide buzz
the truth, Yelawolf and Kendrick Lamar are amazing rappers. Kendrick has his acclaim, but Yelawolf is truly underrated.
Control System > The rest of the freshman class
i$ it ju$t me or are rapper$ doing thi$ $hit again… $$$$
$0 Im n0t th3 0nly 1 wh0 $33n th!$ $h!t and th0ught $hit$ $0 b3y0nd r3d!culou$ it$ n0t 3v3n funny n 3 m0r3
I have to get used to this freshman class. Trinidad James is the truth.
LOL. You’re joking, right?
Trinidad is the truth only if someone is lying.
phil ade
He is alright but he didn’t drop anything notable in 2012.
im happy my nigga logic is finally getting some recognition. i been bumpin his shit for years. and they need to take trinidad james’ wack ass off
Trinidad James makes me see things that I formerly believed to be unseeable. Listen to his mix-tape. Super cool tunes!
WHERE THE FUCK IS A$AP FERG !? FUCK XXL, BULLSHIT ASS MAG. HOW THE FUCK YOU GONE PUT THEM FAGGOTS KIRKO BANGZ AND TRINIDAD JAMES ON IT AND NOT THE TRAP LORD ? HE GONE TAKE OVER THE GAME IN 2013, YALL ARE FUCKING STUPID ASS MOTHERFUCKERS. Q, SOUL AND JOEY DESERVE TO BE HERE THO.
A$AP MOB all wack except for Rocky, get over it, bitch
ain’t no one looking for sing-song wannabe bone thugs Asap Ferg nigga…
This shit like the Madden cover, by the end of the year all these motherfuckers gonna be on the reserve list.
Yeah I said it
Not really its usually a couple that don’t make noise but look at last yr. No one knew who Macklemore was now he had the #1 song in the country
Good to see Joey Bada$$ on here.
lmao…
looks like a special-ed class
ja rule should kill all these niggaz
ja rule is the freshest nigga in the universe, the fuck is this?
You can’t really hate on this years cover, there’s something for everybody and everybody on here put in work and built up buzz in 2012
MOST OF THEM ARE EITHER IRRELEVANT OR TRASH RAPPERS. KIRKO BANGZ IS A GOOD RAPPER THOUGH. I HOPE THE NEXT YEAR WILL BRING MORE TALENTS, (NEW) HIP-HOP IS ALREADY DEAD AND THIS CHIEF KEEF COVER JUST PUSH MORE CLAY ONTO THE GRAVE. FUCK IT WHY ON EARTH IS CHIEF KEEF ON IT? HE IS THE WORST RAPPER SINCE 50 CENT, FUCK HIM. ANYWAY, WE DON’T WANT NO FUCKING SNITCHES IN HIP-HOP.
Most of these niggas that made it on the list look like some wierdos i cant this rap shit serious
no Chance The Rapper? :/
Logic is the dopest on there without a doubt. Been bumpin him for nearly 3 years.
BM AT SONERI BANK LTD
MAIN BR GAWADAR BR 0075
BALUCHATISTN PAKISTAN