Here’s a Complete List of Every XXL Freshman Over the Years

A look at all of the stars who have graced XXL Freshman covers over the years. Continue reading…

Logic Releases Two Very Different New Songs, One Solo And One With Madlib As MadGic

Last year, Logic retired from music. He explained at the time, “I just wanted to retire because I’m over it man. Not even in a negative way, I’m just over it. I love music and I’m gonna continue to make music on my own. I can’t not just make music. It’s a journal for me. It’s how I express myself. It’s how I heal, but with Logic, I’m stepping away. […] You either believe me or you don’t man. I don’t give a sh*t. I’m over here doing my thing.”

His retirement didn’t last long, though. In April, he rapped on a new song, “Retired for a minute, but I guess I’m back, man.” Indeed, he is back, as he and Madlib have formed a new project called MadGic. They’ve released a couple songs together so far and now they’re back with a third, “Mafia Music.”

That’s not the only new music from Logic, as he also released a new song under his own name. It’s not in the same league as his MadGic material, though. On “Over You,” Logic sings instead of raps on the indie-leaning tune that’s closer to his 2019 Supermarket soundtrack than it is the hip-hop for which he is best known.

Listen to “Mafia Music” and “Over You” above.

Logic And Madlib Return With ‘Raddest Dad,’ Their Second Single As MadGic

Following a decade in which he released six albums and six mixtapes, Logic called it quits after releasing his 2020 album No Pressure, which was a sequel to his debut, Under Pressure. The rapper’s retirement led to interviews in which revealed why he stepped away from the game, a mostly one-sided spat with Joe Budden, a seven-figure deal with Twitch, and more. But last month he changed his mind, forming a new duo with legendary producer Madlib called MadGic. After dropping their first track, “Mars Only Pt. 3,” in April, the pair returns with “Raddest Dad.”

On the new effort, Logic raps over Roc Marciano’s 2013 Madlib-produced track “The Sacrifice.” At the end he speaks about his alleged retirement. “I mean I retired, but I’ve been making music every single day since I retired because I love it,” he says. “And then I think what I realized was that I don’t like the industry. So I think I want to retire from the industry. That’s why I wanna do this music for free.” He adds, “Sometimes I wanna come back, but I don’t know if I should come back. I mean if I did I’d want to be independent. That’d be pretty cool.”

They teased a potential MadGic full-length on “Mars Only Pt. 3,” with Logic rapping, “Made this whole album in a lockdown, hip hop is our town / Hairline like Doc Brown but I’m killin’ it.”

You can listen to “Raddest Dad” in the video above.

Best-Selling Author Logic Has A New Memoir, ‘This Bright Future,’ Coming Out This Year

Around this time in 2019, Logic pulled off something no rapper before him had ever done: He became the first rapper to ever land a novel (Supermarket) on top of a New York Times Best Sellers list. Now he’s adding to his bibliography with another new book, but this time, it’s a memoir.

The book is titled This Bright Future and it’s set for release on September 7. He wrote of the book on social media, “This is the story of everything I’ve gone through and it’s been a beautiful and difficult journey to relive. There’s honestly so much that I’ve never been able to express in my music and the interviews that followed. I’m so happy and proud to finally give my fans and the rest of the world my entire story. The way I never could with my music!”

The official site for the book offers a lengthier description:

This Bright Future is a raw and unfiltered journey into the life and mind of Bobby Hall, who emerged from the wreckage of a horrifically abusive childhood to become an era-defining artist of our tumultuous age.

A self-described orphan with parents, Bobby Hall began life as Sir Robert Bryson Hall II, the only child of an alcoholic, mentally ill mother on welfare and an absent, crack-addicted father. After enduring seventeen years of abuse and neglect, Bobby ran away from home and — with nothing more than a discarded laptop and a ninth-grade education — he found his voice in the world of hip-hop and a new home in a place he never expected: the untamed and uncharted wilderness of the social media age.

In the message boards and livestreams of this brave new world, Bobby became Logic, transforming a childhood of violence, anger, and trauma into music that spread a resilient message of peace, love, and positivity. His songs would touch the lives of millions, taking him to dizzying heights of success, where the wounds of his childhood and the perils of Internet fame would nearly be his undoing.

A landmark achievement in an already remarkable career, This Bright Future looks back on Bobby’s extraordinary life with lacerating humor and fearless honesty. Heart-wrenching yet ultimately uplifting, this book completes the incredible true story and transformation of a human being who, against all odds, refused to be broken.”

Pre-order This Bright Future and learn more about the book here.

Logic And Madlib Formed A New Duo Called MadGic And They’ve Already Dropped Their First Song

Last summer, Logic walked away from the rap game with the release of his sixth album No Pressure. But rappers who say they’re retiring usually come back. Such as the case here. He came back quick, first teaming up with Juicy J for their collaboration “1995,” and then did the solo “Tired In Malibu.” Some even believed that the rapper’s new artist, Doctor Destruction, was actually Logic in disguise. While that has yet to be proven true or not, Logic is clearly back in action, as he announced he and producer Madlib have joined forces to form a new duo called MadGic.

The news arrived along with their first song, “Mars Only Pt. 3.” It sees Logic flexing his lyricism over a boom-bap beat provided by Madlib, even teasing a full album. “Logic and Madlib is MadGic, your catalogue tragic / F*ck a underground, f*ck a pop sound,” he raps. “Made this whole album in a lockdown, hip hop is our town / Hairline like Doc Brown but I’m killin’ it.”

Before the MadGic announcement, Logic joked during an interview with his friend Nick Huff Barili that Madlib was the only person that could make him reconsider retirement. By the looks of it, that’s exactly what happened.

You can listen to ‘Mars Only Pt. 3’ in the video above.

Logic Hints At Coming Out Of Retirement On A New Song, ‘Tired In Malibu’

Last summer, Logic released No Pressure, which ended up being his final album before he announced his retirement from music and his pivot to streaming on Twitch. Now, though, the (former?) rapper suggests that he might make a return to music on a short new song he shared yesterday, “Tired In Malibu.”

The song runs for just a minute, and after some lines about Elon Musk, Animorphs, and wrestling, he concludes, “Retired for a minute, but I guess I’m back, man.”

Back in July, Logic explained why he decided to retire, saying, “I just wanted to retire because I’m over it man. Not even in a negative way, I’m just over it. I love music and I’m gonna continue to make music on my own. I can’t not just make music. It’s a journal for me. It’s how I express myself. It’s how I heal, but with Logic, I’m stepping away. And the thing is, too, I’m not trying to make it this big show like, ‘Oh my God,’ because it’s not that deep. You either believe me or you don’t man. I don’t give a sh*t. I’m over here doing my thing.”

Listen to “Tired In Malibu” above.