The long list of xxl freshman covers is always a topic of conversation, having included artists like kendrick lamar, wale, nipsey hussle, and many more on past covers Love it or hate it, this list has become a major milestone for new artists trying to break into the. Per xxl, the eligible pool of rappers for their annual freshman class included 68 people They selected 12 of those artists Each of these artists helped to make 2025 xxl freshman history Since his nod to complex ‘s 25 rappers to watch in 2025 list, ebk jaaybo has stayed active, linking up with chicago heavyweight vonoff1700 for “exposing me” and releasing his new album don’t trust me, out now alongside a video for “stand over music”.
Xxl’s 2025 freshman class is here, highlighting artists like gelo and samara cyn This xxl freshman class is headlined by newly turned rapper gelo (liangelo ball), ray vaughn of tde, and ian based in dallas. The annual list, revered within the music industry for its accuracy in predicting future stars, has once again identified a cohort of artists ready to make a significant impact A stellar lineup of emerging voices the 2025 xxl freshman class is headlined by a roster of impressive talent that includes ray vaughn, babychiefdoit, and eem triplin.
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