XXL Freshmen Archives - New Hip Hop News

Rob49: Crafting A New Rap Legacy

June 28, 2023 by newhiphopnews

Rob49’s fast-rising career is a truly tremendous one. At just 24, he’s already signed to one of the biggest record labels ever. Better yet, he’s collaborated with some of Hip Hop’s finest, both young and old. His ascent has been noteworthy, especially with the way the star has overcome significant obstacles in his life. His rough, authentic, and unapologetic sound is garnering him new fans by the day, and he’s forging a unique sound of his own.

Rob49 was recently announced as a member of XXL’s 2023 Freshman Class. He joins a host of other impressive newcomers that made it to the coveted list, including Luh Tyler, TiaCorine, GloRilla, and more. This is no doubt a nod to his awe-inspiring musical feats in 2022. In addition to this, the New Orleans native is waxing even stronger in 2023.

Rob49’s Rise To Fame

Rob49 was born Robert Thomas in 1999 and raised by a single mother in New Orleans. His name stems from the 4th and 9th wards of his city’s projects, where he grew up. Even though he always had the music bug, he wouldn’t go into the studio until 2020. This moment led to Rob49 accepting his fate as a rapper. Before finding success with rap, he tried to go to school for nursing and even joined the National Guard.

While accompanying his friend to the studio, Rob49 stepped into the booth during a break and decided to spit a few bars. The overwhelming reaction from his fans proved to be a kickstarter for multiple sessions for the young rapper to create more music. Now, with co-signs from major acts like Lil Baby, Kevin Gates, and special love from Birdman, Rob49 is coming into his own.

Musical Success

In 2022, two years after his first taste of local musical success, Rob49 released the project Welcome to Vulture Island. The title track, “Vulture Island,” became a major hit for the rapper. After being catapulted into the limelight, he became widely popular not only in his native New Orleans but beyond. The album offered a glimpse into the realities of his life and greatly showcased his love for his city.

With Birdman on the intro, Welcome to Vulture Island started strong. Their collaboration also led to the Hip Hop legend wanting to sign Rob49 under him. Eventually, he signed with the famous Geffen Records, all while at the early stages of his career. On his collaboration with Lil Baby, Rob49 reached out to the rapper after seeing his freestyle on Instagram. Within a few weeks, Lil Baby was tapped for the remix of “Vulture Island.”

His latest album, 4GOD II, was released on June 9. It features Roddy Rich, G Herbo, Trippie Redd, and Birdman once again. The project has quickly become a favorite of the year and continues to position him as a significant New Orleans export.

Rob49’s Personal Life

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Rob49 grew up surrounded by music, particularly Beyoncé, thanks to his mother. As time passed, he listened to many major names, including Kanye West, Future, and Lil Wayne. He’s described his childhood as one where “you see murders every day.” His father was also incarcerated for much of his upbringing.

Earlier this year, during French Montana’s video shoot in Miami, Rob49 was shot along with several others on the scene. Thankfully, his injuries were not fatal. Now, the rapper keeps at his grind while “moving smart.” He’s revealed that yet another project is underway, and he’s not slowing down anytime soon. As a big fan of the New Orleans Pelicans, Rob49 has also enjoyed access to courtside games. Furthermore, he revealed that the Pelicans had asked him to make a version of “Vulture Island” for them.

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XXL Posts Finesse2Tymes Freshman Freestyle

June 27, 2023 by newhiphopnews

As they do every year, XXL has selected a group of up-and-coming hip-hop stars that they think have a future in the genre. This year’s group features 12 new artists from across the rap music spectrum. Highlights from this year’s class include GloRilla, Lola Brooke, Fridayy, Central Cee, and Tia Corine. 11 of the artists were picked by XXL themselves. The list also has a special spot saved for fans to vote on. Milwaukee rapper and singer DC The Don was the winner of the fan-voted “10th Spot”. As part of the promotion the various freshman participate in a variety of activities. While the most popular of the bunch is always the group freshmen cyphers, a close second are their freestyles.

Yesterday, XXL posted the first freestyle of the bunch to their YouTube channel. The first of the freshman freestyles is handled by Memphis rapper Finesse2Tymes. He delivered a performance that lasted around a minute and a half. His intense performance leaned into his distinct deep voice and even brought a prop with him. He performed his freestyle alongside a stool that he used to make a beat to rap over. Reactions from fans seemed a bit mixed. Some thought it was cool that he rapped while making his own beat. Others thought he failed to even stay on the beat that he was making.

Finesse2Tymes Freestyle

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If Finesse2Tymes one day graduates from XXL freshman to rap superstar he would be far from the first. Superstars like Travis Scott, Kendrick Lamar, Future, Chance The Rapper, Megan Thee Stallion and Gunna have all been freshmen in the past. The best-known freshman class is the 2016 edition. That year’s list featured talents like Anderson .Paak, Dave East, and G Herbo. The most memorable part of that year was the legendary cypher it produced. Denzel Curry, 21 Savage, Lil Yachty, Kodak Black, and Lil Uzi Vert all teamed up for a cypher. The video went instantly viral and changed how all future cyphers were done. The continued success of everyone involved has made the performance even more legendary.

Finesse2Tymes himself is a freshman, but he’s not new. He’s been releasing music regularly since 2019. Last year he dropped his breakout project 90 Days which featured Tay Keith, Lil Baby, Moneybagg Yo, and Gucci Mane. What do you think of Finesse2Tymes XXL Freshman Freestyle? Let us know in the comment section below.

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K Camp Reacts To Ice Spice Turning Down XXL Freshman Cover

June 26, 2023 by newhiphopnews

K Camp says that he understands why Ice Spice turned down appearing on XXL‘s iconic Freshman cover for 2023. Speaking with TMZ for an interview published on Monday, he explained that just because the opportunity elevated his career, doesn’t mean everyone needs it. A source for the outlet previously noted that Ice Spice decided against the piece because she’s currently “blitzed with festival bookings and feature requests.”

“Right now, at this moment in her career, she’s definitely had a big run. She got a lot of sh*t going on,” K Camp said about Ice Spice. “Everybody don’t need XXL, but shout out to XXL because it helped my career.”

K Camp Performs At XXL Freshmen Live 2015

NEW YORK, NY – JUNE 30: K. Camp performs at the XXL Freshmen Live 2015 concert at Best Buy on June 30, 2015, in New York City. (Photo by Johnny Nunez/WireImage)

K Camp appeared on the 2015 XXL Freshman Class cover. Alongside him were Fetty Wap, DeJ Loaf, Raury, Kidd Kidd, OG Maco, Shy Glizzy, Vince Staples, Tink, and GoldLink. Despite the publication’s Freshman cover being so popular, many of the biggest artists in hip-hop today didn’t appear on it. Among them are Drake, Nicki Minaj, Tyler, The Creator, A$AP Rocky, Young Thug, Post Malone, Cardi B, and more.

Despite Ice Spice not appearing on XXL, she’s been exploding in the mainstream over the last year. In the time since the release of her breakthrough single, “Munch (Feelin’ U),” she’s collaborated with Taylor Swift and Nicki Minaj, and even performed at the BET Awards on Sunday night. In addition to “Munch,” she also performed “Princess Diana,” and “In Ha Mood.”

K Camp Reacts To Ice Spice’s Decision

At the BET Awards, she was also nominated for several awards including Best New Artist, Best Female Hip Hop Artist, Best Collaboration for “Boy’s A Liar Pt. 2,” with Pinkpantheress, and BET Her. Check out the full list of winners and nominees from the event here.

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Who Is SleazyWorld Go?

June 23, 2023 by newhiphopnews

Joseph Daniel Isaac, popularly known by his rap moniker, SleazyWorld Go, is one of the young talents on a rapid rise. Hailing from Grand Rapids, Michigan, the rapper achieved viral status after the release of his single “Sleazy Flow.” Since then, he’s enjoyed co-signs from Offset, Cardi B, and many others. The success of “Sleazy Flow” also secured him a deal with UMG’s Island Records.

The coveted XXL Freshmen list was released a few days ago, with SleazyWorld Go joining a host of talented rising stars. “Sleazy Flow” marked a turning point in the rapper’s career, and soon after, Lil Baby would be enlisted for a feature on the song’s remix. On November 11, 2022, SleazyWorld Go released his debut mixtape, Where The Shooters Be, which continues to enjoy a healthy amount of streams online, thanks to the deluxe that dropped earlier this year.

Early Days

The rapper was born on January 17, 1998. SleazyWorld Go is the fifth out of seven children and credits his father for putting him on to music. “He used to do music, so growing up, he’d have my brother and I rap battle against each other. That was my first time ever trying to rap or put bars together,” he told Passion Of The Weiss. Although a native of Michigan, SleazyWorld Go’s life experienced a huge change when his family moved to Kansas City, Missouri. He referred to the move as “horrible,” as he had to uproot the life he’d known. However, it would all end up working in his favor later on.

In 2016, SleazyWorld Go was sentenced to four years in prison for armed robbery. After three years, he was released on parole. Nonetheless, it would be his time in prison that would ignite a serious passion for music. He had also previously revealed that music was not a passion of his at the start. “It wasn’t a passion for me, but I always loved listening to music. I didn’t love making music for a long time. I’d rather go hoop than go make a song,” he said in an interview with Billboard.

Viral Stardom And Ascent to Fame

By 2020, SleazyWorld was focused more than ever on music. His viral hit plunged him to stardom after gaining traction on TikTok. After kicking off his career from scratch, he shared that he was in fact, grateful that the app could showcase his music, as well as that of other underground artists. “Sleazy Flow” later made its way on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, peaking at 47. The single also appeared on the R&B and Hip Hop chart, peaking at the ninth spot.

Having Lil Baby on the “Sleazy Flow” remix was a rather organic ordeal for the artist. Lil Baby had publicly shown love for the track and even made a TikTok with the song. SleazyWorld Go secured another high-profile feature when Offset was enlisted on the track “Step 1.” Offset reached out to him to jump on the track in an effort to show support. SleazyWorld Go also revealed that Offset motivated him, stating that he believes he’s on his way up next. “Step 1” peaked at 50 on the R&B and Hip Hop charts. Lastly, another track, “Glitches” featured G Herbo, but failed to chart.

What’s Next?

On the claims that he is a one-hit wonder, SleazyWorld Go remains unbothered. “Motherf–kers won’t even give artists a chance to release more music. ‘Sleazy Flow’ is a hit song, but I got songs that are going crazy just like ‘Sleazy Flow,’” he told Billboard. He further stated that he’s more interested in letting his speak for him, as opposed to relying on the words of naysayers.

SleazyWorld Go still has the world ahead of him, and with the high-profile induction into the XXL Freshman Class of 2023 team, it’s indicative of his enormous potential as an artist.

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Central Cee: The London Rapper’s Path To Success

June 23, 2023 by newhiphopnews

Earlier this week, XXL Magazine unveiled its annual Freshman Class of rising rappers that have the potential to be the next big stars in hip hop. Each year, the list tends to provoke conversations about the current state of hip hop and which newcomer will impact the genre. Twelve artists appear on this year’s cover, including the likes of Lola Brooke, Fridayy, GloRilla, and others. Also shown on this year’s cover is Central Cee, who stands out among the rest of the artists.

The West London rapper is the second UK artist to ever make the XXL Freshman list, with the first being Stefflon Don in 2018. His appearance on the cover speaks volumes about his recent success in the United States. At just 25 years of age, Central Cee has become one of the biggest names in the UK and is now making waves overseas.

One Of Drill’s Biggest Stars

Central Cee is from Shepherd’s Bush in West London. He started rapping at 14, releasing various singles, EPs, and freestyles. Central Cee is one of the biggest artists pushing the UK drill genre forward. Within the past four years, UK drill has proven to be a driving force in hip hop culture. The hip hop subgenre reinvented the original Chicago drill with the edginess of grime, further influencing New York drill.

Central Cee’s career took off in 2020 when he caught multiple hit records with “Day in the Life” and “Loading,” with the latter being one of his biggest songs. Both of these singles led to the independent release of his debut commercial mixtape, 2021’s Wild West. In addition to “Day in the Life” and “Loading,” the project also featured the commercially successful song “Commitment Issues.” His second commercial mixtape, 23, arrived in 2022 and was also self-released, featuring the hit single “Obsessed with You.” Both of Central Cee’s commercial mixtapes are now certified Gold. So far, he has yet to release his official debut album.

Central Cee’s Viral Moment With “Doja”

In the same year he released 23, Central Cee dropped his biggest single to date with “Doja.” The song samples Eve and Gwen Stefani’s 2001 song, “Let Me Blow Ya Mind” and name-drops Doja Cat. “Doja” instantly went viral on social media because of its famous sample, title, and, most notably, a particular lyric. Central Cee raps, “How can I be homophobic? My b*tch is gay.” Cee won his fourth MOBO Award for the song’s video and has been nominated for various categories eight times. The success of “Doja” has led to further success for Central Cee, allowing him to reach beyond the UK into international audiences.

Recent Successes & Ventures

Central Cee has crossed over as one of the biggest rappers in the UK and one of the biggest artists in the drill genre. He has now seen great success in the United States, playing multiple dates across the country for his worldwide tour earlier this year. He is one of the hottest acts in the festival circuit, as he is listed close to the top of many international festival lineups this year. Central Cee has even been able to venture outside of music, modeling in different collections throughout the past few years.

Earlier this month, Central Cee teamed up with Dave for a collaborative EP titled Split Decision. The project displayed the immaculate chemistry between two of the UK’s biggest rappers. The EP’s lead single, “Sprinter,” is also an early contender for song of the summer. It was recently announced that Central Cee signed with Columbia Records in partnership with Sony Music UK. His partnership with a major label indicates that he is only just getting started with his successful rap career. Central Cee is clearly on a hot streak that is not showing signs of slowing down anytime soon, and his appearance on this year’s Freshman cover for XXL reaffirms that.

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XXL’s Freshman Class Of 2022 HIghlights Babyface Ray, Kali, Saucy Santana, And More

June 14, 2022 by newhiphopnews

The 2022 XXL Freshman Class is here, highlighting all the rappers expected to blow up in the year ahead. included are Detroit rappers Babyface Ray and Babytron (no relation), Memphians Big30 and Big Scarr (ditto), Florida’s Cochise, TDE-signed, genre-bender Doechii, Atlanta TikTok favorite Kali, Kenya-born Minnesota transplant KayCyy, Houston firecracker KenTheMan, “Who Want Smoke?” star Nardo Wick, out-and-proud Saucy Santana, and just-out-of-his-teens map-hopper Sofaygo.

Each year, the highly anticipated list offers listeners a guide to some of the hottest up-and-coming talents of the past 12 months. Some are viral stars in their own right, with hit records on TikTok or lots of Twitter buzz. Others are often established vets who are only just receiving their big breaks after signing major label deals or garnering big-name co-signs. While some of the names may not be familiar to many readers when they’re first announced, many of those names do become undisputed stars, headlining festivals, making television appearances, and representing hip-hop in the mainstream for years after their selections.

Prior stars who appeared on XXL‘s Freshman list include high-flyers like J. Cole and Kendrick Lamar, while last year’s list highlighted breakout stars like Blxst, Coi Leray, Flo Milli, Morray, and Pooh Shiesty.

Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.