Why XXL Freshman List Has Lost Support
XXL used to be something that hip-hop fans looked forward to every year. Over the past few years, the freshman list has fell off due to a few different factors. Allowing sponsorships and investors to have an opinion on the lineup has effected the quality of the list.
Artists left off the list in 2018: 6ix9ine, Rich the Kid, Lil Skies, Famous Dex, Lil Xan, Joyner Lucas, Tee Grizzley, Nav, Moneybagg Yo, Lil Baby, CDot, and many others.
Lil Skies & Rich the Kid declined to be a part of XXL. Skies went on social media and said that he could not be part of a rigged list. Rich the Kid declined after being given Skies spot.
Famous Dex was not on the list because of the assault video that came out in 2016. A similar reason was given for 6ix9ine, but later DJ Akademiks confirmed the true reason was a sponsorship issue.
With this all being said, the artists that made the list are dope. They have all worked very hard for their spot, yet the lineup doesn't have the same authority as in the past, especially when 5 or 6 of the artists who were left off the list, have made a much larger impact on the culture.
Phonte Shows Off His Crib in New Video
Phonte takes us on a tour of his enormous home in the video for his song, "So Help Me God". The one-take, "MTV Cribs" style visual captures Phonte walking around his home in a bathrobe.
The Marco Polo produced track hits hard with bars such as, "That will shit to happen like he Tio Salamanca. Bogart ya whole shit like we in Casablanca." Phonte name drops on the Mexican drug kingpin from the show Breaking Bad.
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Watch Childish Gambino Perform At Open Mike
Once a month Chance the Rapper's charity, SocialWorks, puts on an "Open Mike" (named in honor of Brother Mike Hawkins) in collaboration with Chicago Public Library. There have been 27 Open Mikes so far, with over 6,000 attendees and star studded lineups, having featured appearances from Vic Mensa, Kanye West and yesterday Childish Gambino was added to that list. Gambino came out and performed his hit "This Is America" with full choreography.
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