Hip Hop News

Earlier today, XXL dropped the latest edition of their annual Freshman cover in which they highlight an assortment of rising artists who they believe will have a long-lasting impact on the music industry, and as expected, the magazine also prompted an intense internet debate in the process.

Following in the footsteps of the 2020 XXL Freshman Class — which included stars such as Mulatto, Polo G, Rod Wave, Fivio Foreign, and Jack Harlow — the 2021 XXL Freshman class shines a light on 42 Dugg, Pooh Shiesty, Coi Leray, DDG, Rubi Rose, Iann Dior, Lakeyah, Morray, Toosii, Blxst, and Flo Milli. The team over at XXL has called its latest freshman class “out of this world,” but a quick scroll through Twitter will show you that a vast amount of Hip-Hop fans don’t quite think so.

Many fans are outright calling the 2021 XXL Freshman Class one of the worst in the history of the annual cover, citing a lack of lyrical skill from a majority of the artists featured on the list. Other fans are celebrating the fact that this year’s cover sets the record for the most female rappers ever featured on a XXL Freshman Cover, which is admittedly incredible.

In a since-deleted tweet, Fredo Bang — who has enjoyed plenty of success over the past year thanks to his single “Top” — commented on this year’s Freshman list, saying, “How much it cost to get on this XXL cover,” with plenty of laughing emojis.

Several Hip-Hop fans seem to have taken Fredo Bang’s approach to this year’s freshman class by finding humor in XXL’s newly unveiled cover, with many people directing their shots at the on-and-off couple Rubi Rose and DDG. Furthermore, the common consensus appears to be that fans think that Flo Milli was one of the most deserving artists on this year’s cover.

Check out some of Twitter users’ best reactions to the 2021 XXL Freshman Class below.

Now that the initial shock has worn off, has the 2021 XXL Freshman Class grown on you?

Quavo and Saweetie’s romance came to an end in early Spring. Taking to social media to announce the split, Quavo suggested the Icy Girl was not the person he thought she was. In response, she delivered her memorable one-liner “Take Care,” which spawned numerous viral memes across platforms. 

While the reason for their split was never truly confirmed, some speculated Saweetie’s interview with Justin LaBoy for REVOLT where she was asked about threesomes. Life was further breathed into this rumor after more gossip suggested that Migos had beat up LaBoy following the interview. In a new appearance, the trio finally touched on the speculation and addressed whether or not they really put hands on him.

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“So I wanna talk about straightening…when yall first came out there was speculation about some guy on Instagram that’s kind of popular I guess, Justin LaBoy. So they said y’all beat him up, did that happen?” asked Lore’l, the co-host of The Morning Hustle Show. 

“Nothing but a little bit of straightening, we call that straightening,” said Quavo as he laughed alongside Takeoff and Offset. Takeoff added, “Yeah, we don’t know nothing bout that.”

“Yeah, nothing but a bit of straightening,” repeated Quavo, although he denied referencing the situation with LaBoy shortly after, instead insisting he was simply speaking about the music. “Yeah, we don’t know nothing about the other situation,” said Takeoff again. 

Offset notably appeared humored by the question, locking eyes with Quavo and laughing as they gave their airy answers. One person pointed out, “Offset already said it with his eyes,” and another wrote, “Offset know whats going look at the side eye he kept giving.” 

Of course, if they did in fact put the paws on LaBoy, the odds of them confessing to it are very slim. What do you think of Migos’ response to the allegations?

Though Kendrick Lamar hasn’t released a studio album since DAMN dropped in 2017, fans have been keeping his music alive by consistently revisiting his archive of classic projects. So much so that his Aftermath debut good kid, m.A.A.d city has remained a fixture on the Billboard album charts for over eight years now, having officially held a place in various positions for a total of four-hundred-and-fifty weeks. 

According to a report from Chart Data, who broke the news earlier this afternoon, Kendrick’s epic run has made good kid the longest-charting hip-hop studio album in history. An important distinction, as Eminem’s Greatest Hits collection Curtain Call currently holds the spot as the longest-running rap project with a total of five-hundred and twenty weeks on the Billboard 200.

 Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Remember that context must be considered. Kendrick’s project is a highly conceptual affair, with a non-linear approach to storytelling, dynamic localization, and brillaint moments of unreliable narration. A challenging listen in some ways, though one that’s ultimately proven to be vastly rewarding. Few projects can boast such undeniable replay value, with new discoveries and interpretations surfacing to this day.

It’s no wonder the game has been jonesing for some new music from Lamar, whose extended hiatus has been long felt. Still, there’s reason to be hopeful, as a few key festival appearances may very well suggest an album to come. In the meantime, there’s always the comforting presence of good kid, m.A.A.d city, which currently sits at the fifty-second spot on the Billboard charts. 

Charlamagne Tha God is known for making controversial comments, a character trait that often lands him in hot water with fellow members of Hollywood. Unfortunately, his honest opinions sometimes don’t sit well with their subjects. Recently, The Breakfast Club co-host joked that Soulja Boy wasn’t really from Atlanta while interviewing Migos. 

Although told as a joke, Draco wasn’t having it. While the Soulja and Bow Wow have maintained there’s no real beef between them and it’s simply just banter ahead of their upcoming Verzuz battle, outside instigators can add fuel to the fire. In a fiery rant, Soulja Boy quickly corrected Charlamagne, declaring that he’s “not like Lil Bow Wow” and really grew up in the streets. 

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“You don’t know where I’m from, what the f*ck you talking bout Charlamagne? Don’t make me call my momma. What? They just want me to act crazy before the Verzuz, Char that was a joke. That had to be a joke,” said Soulja on live before listing different areas of Atlanta from his childhood. “Simpson Road, Zone 1, Atlanta Georgia, stop f*cking playing with me Charlamagne.” 

He continued, shouting, “You don’t know me! You don’t know nothing about me! B*tch ass n*gga, I’m not Lil Bow Wow, I wasn’t rich since I was a kid. I was in the streets selling crack!”

“I’m not one of these rapping ass n*ggas, bruh. I wasn’t rich my whole life. I didn’t grow up on TV. I went to public school, I really shot n*ggas. I really sold dope. Y’all don’t know nothing about me! Bow Wow went to private school, I went to real high school. I got kicked out of school, I was in the alternative school. I was in CEP, I was jumping moderators, I was in Simpson Rd,” finished the rapper. 

He added in the comment section of a repost of the footage, “ATL charla never forget it,” with a laughing emoji, perhaps suggesting he was just pulling out the dramatics for entertainment purposes only. 

This incident follows Soulja’s iconic Drake rant on The Breakfast Club a few years back when he declared he taught Drizzy everything he knows.