Freshman Class

XXL Freshman Class Catches Flack For “Not Like Us” Slogan With No West Coast Artists Included

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The 2024 XXL Freshman Class is finally here, and it’s a pretty exciting roster of names that has people engaging in a lot of debate, discussion, and hot takes online. However, one aspect of this conversation so far online doesn’t really concern the featured artists, but rather the slogan that the publication chose to attribute to them: “Not Like Us.” This prompted many fans to do a quick scan and posit that this misses the point about what Kendrick Lamar’s song is partially about. After all, this new Freshman Class includes no West Coast artists, so some folks online have an issue with using that region’s current big hit.

Of course, the hype behind this Drake diss track is so massive across various corners of hip-hop that it’s easy to understand why this 2024 XXL Freshman Class rollout would want to cement this moment within its coverage. In fact, Kendrick Lamar recently filmed the music video for “Not Like Us” in Compton, which makes this contrast caused by no West Coast artists all the more present in people’s minds right now. Still, there’s so much to talk about with the list either way that this backlash might fizzle out eventually. But the West will likely never forget.

Read More: Kendrick Lamar’s “Not Like Us” Is Officially Eligible For The Grammys

2024’s XXL Freshman Class

Regardless of all that, XXL‘s Freshman Class this year is going to show off their skills soon, and they’ll prove fans’ adoration or skepticism soon enough. BigXthaPlug, Maiya The Don, Hunxho, Rich Amiri, Cash Cobain, Lay Bankz, That Mexican OT, 4batz, Skilla Baby, Bossman Dlow, and ScarLip have fans ready to see what they’ve got. We all know how infamous or legendary some of these freestyles and cyphers can be, so it’s going to be fun to watch it all go down. They already did a video series responding to hate comments, so they kicked off the content right away.

Fans React To The “Not Like Us” Slogan

Meanwhile, this has still been a phenomenal year for the West Coast, with or without XXL Freshman Class representation. Maybe the publication should consider an all-West Coast cypher much like they did with femcees not too long ago. Either way, there’s a lot to be excited about, and much more to look forward to from California and company. As for the XXL list, we can’t wait for those conversations.

Read More: Kendrick Lamar Really Popped Out: The West Coast Is Back On Top

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XXL Freshman Class Of 2024 Includes BigXthaPlug, ScarLip, Cash Cobain & More

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It’s time to find out who part of the hip-hop industry thinks will lead the genre into the future (however controversially), as XXL‘s Freshman Class of 2024 is here. Moreover, for those unaware, the publication does a yearly round-up of the hottest new names in rap right now, whether they’re just getting started, are getting long-overdue recognition, or already rose to the art form’s upper echelons. We won’t tease it any further: this year’s picks are 4batz, Hunxho, Scar Lip, Rich Amiri, BigXthaPlug, Cash Cobain, Maiya The Don, Skilla Baby, That Mexican OT, Lay Bankz, and Bossman Dlow. Southside will provide the beats. Folks are very excited to see what they bring to the freestyles and cyphers, and we’re sure that will be a pretty cool content farm to witness.

Furthermore, many of these artists have big 2024 hits, or are following up on a breakout 2023. In addition, many MCs here have been putting in work for far longer, and it’s great to see this deserved, albeit late praise. That’s always part of the contradiction and tough balance that a XXL Freshman Class strives to achieve, and no list is perfect. After all, folks may remember how Ice Spice joined the rank of musicians that turned down the cover opportunity, so the stars don’t always align.

Read More: Russ Roasts XXL For Forgetting He Performed At The Pyramids

XXL‘s Freshman Class Of 2024

However, we also want to take this time to point fans to other initiatives by XXL to showcase talent beyond this Freshman Class rollout. For example, the publication hosted an all-femcee cypher boasting fiery verses from Latto, Flo Milli, Monaleo, new freshwoman Maiya The Don, and Mello Buckzz. It was a great moment to witness, and one that they might want to indulge in further since the Freshman Classes haven’t garnered as much hype as they used to. Maybe more cyphers and freestyle showcases could revive some of that hype and set better standards.

All that aside, we all know how infamously some XXL Freshman Class moments live on within Internet circles. In fact, Steve Lacy proved this very recently with his comical reimagining of Ty Dolla $ign’s Freshman freestyle. If this new group of MCs don’t all stun lyrically in 2024, then fans at least expect some fun moments and viral showcases to assess the state of the art form this year. While hip-hop is much bigger than any one group of newcomers, it’s nonetheless very exciting to focus on the new guard and witness what could be historic benchmarks.

Read More: Lil Durk Calls Out XXL Magazine For Coverage Of “Old Days”

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