By Ahmad Awadallah
XXL’s Freshmen List has been the topic of controversy since its inception five years ago and even though the list isn’t as bad as MTV’S Hottest Emcees in The Game and they’re definitely not as pitiful as any of Vibe Magazine’s lists, it still has some potholes. I’ll admit last year was a decent list and I had to give them some props, but a year later I find myself snatching those props back due to their 2012 Freshmen List—their worst compiled group to date.There is no doubt that I’m a Hip-Hop head and I listen Rap on every type of level from the most mainstream to way underground, and there are people on the new list that I have never heard of and I’m pretty sure millions across the country can agree.
There are a bunch of emcees that I would have sworn should have been on the list, but omitted. A$AP Rocky was one of the hottest dudes this year and his mixtape is pretty good. Chinx Drugz caught fire due to French Montana’s buzz, but I sure he wasn’t even a thought for the cover. Uncle Murda has been one of the most controversial rapper since 2006 and he had some underground gems that have crossed over, but he has never graced any Freshmen cover. Where’s 2 Chainz? I know, he was one-half of the group Playaz Circle, they had a hit record and he’s been down with Ludacris for a minute, but he officially changed his rap alias and blossomed this year as a strong solo act, so essentially he is a new artist. Where’s Childish Gambino (good rapper and great comedian), Schoolboy Q and Jon Connor?
I do agree with some of the choices such as, French Montana (should have been on the list two years ago), Danny Brown, Roscoe Dash, Machine Gun Kelly and Future, but Macklemore? Who the hell is that? Did he really have that big of an impact that deserves a magazine cover? My guess is that they chose him, because of “regional affirmative action” which means they had to get a dude from Seattle to represent Hip-Hop. The same applies to Australian femcee Iggy Azalea. G-Unit’s Paris deserves more recognition than she does and I hate to admit, but even Kreayshawn warrants more. I know more about Garth Brooks than I know about Hopsin. Did he really have that a good of a year? I don’t think so. Don Trip and Kid Ink are cool and made some noise, but there are still a plethora of emcees that deserve it more.
There are Hip-Hop fans that are just as pissed, but music lovers rejoice, because 80 percent of the rappers on these lists never reach the heights they are promised. I understand that the choices come to down to industry politics, but XXL has hit an all-time low.
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