The 2018 XXL Freshman List in Review

Another June has come and with it follows another edition of XXL Magazine’s freshman list. Throughout the eleven years it has been around, this list has acted as the launch point for many influential careers (Lil B, Kendrick Lamar, Kid Cudi, etc.) and also some flashes in the pan (remember Fashawn?). This year’s edition will likely be no exception in hosting an assortment of hits and misses; and because I’ll be referencing SoundCloud rap in an upcoming piece for this blog, I felt it fitting to discuss this year’s SoundCloud entangled list in detail. I’ll be giving my opinions on the artists, XXL’s choice to include them, a few artists I think should have made it, and the overall strength of this list in relation to previous years. I will assign a score to each pick based on the strength of the pick as a representation of the artist’s future potential. This means even if I personally like an artist but I feel they’re either not famous enough to be on the list or too famous to benefit, I will rate them lower. Note: This list is in the order of the artists listed on XXL’s site, not by my particular preference.Wifisfuneral: This should really come as no surprise to anyone who has been following hip-hop for the last year. He’s among the category of artists included every year that are basically shoo-ins. Along with Ski Mask and Lil Pump, you really should have seen this coming. He’s not my personal favorite on the list but he certainly deserves the appearance. Overall 8/10 pick by XXL.Smokepurrp: Now this an interesting one. It could be said that selecting both Lil Pump and another member of funeral service is a tad redundant. However, Smokepurrp has managed to emerge from Lil Pump’s Gucci tinted shadow, establishing himself as a decent rapper in his own right. Lil Pump may still have him beat for now, but he’s one strong album away from a breakthrough. Overall 7/10.Lil Pump: Easiest pick of the list. It’s honestly more surprising that he didn’t appear last year. He may receive a lot of hate for his “anti-lyrical” style, but you’d have to be a total fun hater to not at least get a little excited when you hear the chant “Gucci gang” ricocheting for the twentieth time. Overall 9/10.Blocboy JB: Not exactly an outsider, but not necessarily a sure thing, Blocboy JB falls somewhere in the middle. When I saw he was on the list my first thought wasn’t as much “Who,” or “Of course,” but instead “Hm, that makes sense.” This is the kind of pick XXL should probably make more of, as he’s not at the point in his career where he’s too big to need exposure, nor so small that he doesn’t deserve a spot. He’s not my favorite artist, but I think he’s more than deserving of a spot. Overall 9/10.Trippie Redd: I’m not a huge fan of Trippie Redd’s music, but he’s been steadily gaining traction over the past year since the previous XXL bunch. I was aware of him this time last year but I didn’t think he was really big enough for a spot yet. However, a lot has changed in a year (but not my opinion of him). He has the right amount of potential, but I seriously question his ability to stay relevant. Overall 5/10.J.I.D.: This is the only artist on this list I hadn’t heard of prior to its release. I have since listened to a few songs off of each of his releases. This pick is one of the more underground one’s XXL makes every year and for that it deserves some props. Personally, I found his music interesting but not necessarily groundbreaking. His use of hard-hitting 808s and minimalist beats is reminiscent of early Kanye while maintaining a unique flow. Overall 6/10.Stefflon Don: The sole woman artist on this year’s list, Don’s appearance here is anything but tokenism. Her music flares with Caribbean and dancehall influences, a very diverse breath-of-fresh-air in an otherwise trap and SoundCloud heavy list. She already has received wide exposure after working with multiple notable artists, producing plenty of quality music, and yet she still presents plenty of room for growth. Overall 9/10.Ski Mask the Slump God: While already being pretty big around the time of last year’s list, Ski Mask has shown a lot of growth since his split from the other artists who appeared on last year’s list. He has the potential to keep growing and so far his music stands out from most other members on this list for it’s sublimely dark and gritty vibe. Overall 10/10.YBN Nahmir: Certainly one of the more traditional rappers on this list, YBN Nahmir has plenty of flow and the potential for mass appeal with longevity. That being said he also needs a more defined style and perhaps a feature with a bigger artist to truly break through. He is on the lower end of star power on this list currently, but certainly has a strong core to grow from. Overall 7/10.Noticeably, this list lacks the tenth spot as it was originally going to be awarded to Lil Skies, but he declined for reasons not entirely specified. He claimed the list was “rigged” in a genius video and stated that he had no desire to a part of it. His addition to the list would have made sense as he is growing in fame right now and has a loyal following. That said, there are a couple of artists that I believe could have been awarded his spot rather than oddly leaving the spot blank. Ghostemane has been growing significantly since the release of last year’s list and the continued rise of emo rap. His addition would have certainly warranted an interesting cipher. Another artist that would’ve made sense as a tenth pick would be Juice WRLD, who has been making moves in the emo rap sphere recently and holds the potential to still make next year’s list.In summary, this list has a fair amount of potential. Maybe even more than last year. Ski Mask and Lil Pump haven’t burned out yet, Smokepurrp and Stefflon Don are still on the way up. Unlike last year’s list which I feel relied too much on internet appeal and humor, this list can be taken more seriously. In total, the list’s scores average out to a 77 out of 100, but I’m subtracting seven points for putting “We got clout,” on the cover. 7/10.