The XXL Freshman list continues to be a conversation point between rap fans. Every year, there's talk of who was left off, or who shouldn't have been included, but time seems to be the only deciding factor in the conversation. Over the course of 9 covers, we've seen many artists featured in these special issues go many different ways. Some years have been stronger than others, but every issue has spawned at least one certified star, and today we're looking back at the artists that made the biggest impact following their appearance. Obviously, we've had more time with some artists than others, and some rappers tend to reach their true potential a little more gradually than others. Nevertheless, we've done our best to choose one or two artists from each cover that made their mark on the game. Let us know your own opinions in the comments below.
2007
2007
Biggest Star: Lupe Fiasco
Honorable Mention: Lil Boosie
Lupe Fiasco is the only rapper on XXL's first Freshman list to really break into the mainstream beyond one single (shout out Rich Boy), though its worth noting that his debut album, Food & Liquor, was already out at the time of the shoot.. After his dalliance with pop peaked with the divisive LASERS (an album Lupe himself has denounced), he's since retreated entirely into the dense rap traditionalism he's always kept one foot in. Even without the hit potential, he's held on to a loyal fanbase will support him regardless. Boosie comes the closest to Fiasco's star status on the list, becoming a regional icon through his prolific, influential, and unapologetically southern output. He's still an underground artist by most measures, but he's at the top of his class in that category.
2009
2009
Biggest Star: Kid Cudi & Wale
Honorable Mention: Curren$y
Like Lupe Fiasco before him, Cudi had his moment as a crossover artist, fusing rap with electronic sounds and never straying too far from the melodic, earning him two gold albums with his debut album, Man On The Moon, and its sequel, Man On The Moon 2. Again, mirroring Lupe's tangent, Cudder found himself becoming less accessible as time went on, eventually experimenting with industrial and rock songs on his later work. Still, his cult-like legion of fans have enabled him to take these kind of risks while still bringing in large crowds on tour. Wale closely follows Cudi here, balancing his traditionalist rap tendencies with catchy, radio-friendly hooks, and earning himself a gold album with 2011's Ambition. Meanwhile, Curren$y has kept a low profile, focusing entirely on maintaining a consistent, prolific output that has earned him a supportive fanbase that can not go without mentioning.
2010
2010
Biggest Star: Wiz Khalifa & J. Cole
Honorable Mention: Big Sean
The 2010 list had a few rappers who proved their longevity in the following years. Wiz Khalifa would go on to top the Billboard with "Black & Yellow" on year later, adding a large range of more casual fans to his dedicated mixtape following. In 2015, he earned yet another Billboard #1 with "See You Again," maintaining a large presence in popular culture, while still delivering the sound he made his name on through his studio albums. Cole is at a similar level of fame, mostly due to the following he's amassed as an "album" artist, relying less on singles (though "Wet Dreamz" and "Powere trip" can't be excluded), and more on album sales and tour success for his relevance.
Big Sean has gradually become bigger than ever, earning a platinum album with 2015's Dark Sky Paradise, and infiltrating radio with his singles, "IDFWU" and "Blessings," making him somewhat of a late bloomer in comparison to his Freshman peers, but one that deserves mentioning nonetheless.
2011
2011
Biggest Star: Kendrick Lamar
Honorable Mention: Meek Mill & Mac Miller
Today, Kendrick Lamar is one of the biggest and most respected rap artists out, and judging by XXL's placement of the rapper at the center of their 2011 issue, they seemed to think he might be special. A few months after the cover, Lamar released Section.80, a project that further solidified his potential, but it wasn't until 2012's good kid, m.A.A.d city that he graduated to the top tier of relevance. His follow-up, and second LP to go platinum, To Pimp A Butterfly, has kept him as one of the most critically acclaimed artists in music, and puts him above the other talented artists on the cover. Meanwhile, Meek Mill has turned a traditional mixtape come-up into a clean transition to the mainstream, bringing both of his MMG-release albums to gold status. As for Mac Miller, after finding success through independent releases, he eventually landed what was estimated to be a $10 million deal with Warner Bros., where he now has full creative control of his own music as well as those he chooses to sign.
2012
2012
Biggest Star: Future & Macklemore
Honorable Mention: Iggy Azalea & French Montana
2012's issue definitely had its share of crossover acts. While his star power has dwindled a bit in the past year, Macklemore took off following his appearance on the XXL cover, scoring six platinum platinum and multi-platinum singles, and a platinum independently released album with 2012's The Heist. He controversially beat out Kendrick Lamar for Rap Album Of The Year in 2013, and drew immense crowds at festivals nationwide. Future's trajectory has been more unpredictable, briefly stumbling on his sophomore effort, Honest, which fell short of its pop aspirations, finding Future regrouping and getting back to his street-oriented mixtape roots to become the biggest he's ever been. He now has two platinum albums, DS2 and his Drake collaboration, What A Time To Be Alive, and 9 gold or platinum-selling singles.
Iggy Azalea, of course, scored a gigantic single with "Fancy," which gave her a Billboard Hot 100 #1, making her a household name, while French Montana has found himself a strong following in his hometown of New York, as well as an enviable network of collaborators, giving him a new level of visibility.
2013
2013
Biggest Star: ScHoolboy Q
Honorable Mention: Travis Scott
While 2013's list assembles many successful acts, not that many have broken through to the big leagues. ScHoolboy Q is probably the biggest star to emerge from the cover, building a considerable fanbase that extends much further than the one granted to him through his affiliation with TDE. Next in line is Travis Scott, whose audience has grown by large amounts over the last year, earning him a platinum-selling single with "Antidote," and a successful tour.
2014
2014
Biggest Star: Chance The Rapper
Honorable Mention: Kevin Gates & Ty Dolla $ign
Chance The Rapper has become one of the most talked-about artists this year with the release of his third mixtape, Coloring Book, and despite going about things rather unconventionally (not having a proper label situation, releasing his project for "free" through various streaming services), he was able to debut at #8 on the Billboard Hot 100 off of streams alone. Collaborating with the likes of Kanye West, Lil Wayne, J. Cole, Macklemore, and more, he's definitely put himself among the popular kids, and as a result, his star status is bigger than its ever been. Meanwhile, through a more traditional route, Kevin Gates has managed to turn his regional grind into an incredibly successful debut album, Islah, which has impressively gone gold since being released in May. He's also earned two big singles in 2016 with "2 Phones" (Platinum) and "Really Really" (Gold), pulling into competition with the biggest selling artists in rap. Ty Dolla $ign's album sales did not fair quite as well, but his undeniable hooks have landed him a large number of features and two platinum solo singles, making him one of the most in-demand R&B singers working.
2015
2015
Biggest Star: Fetty Wap
Honorable Mention: Vince Staples
"Trap Queen" already had a lot of momentum when 2015's cover came out, and seeing that it was the second song the New Jersey rapper ever wrote, it's indicative of how common overnight success can be in this day and age. Even with a certified hit on his hands at the time, Fetty's star continued to grow throughout the year, and checking in a year later, he still has the largest cultural presence among the group. He currently has 3 platinum singles, 2 gold singles, and a platinum album under his belt, which is a pretty rare feat only a year after appearing on the freshman cover. Of course, many artists take a couple of years after appearing in the issue to really hit their stride, but Vince Staples has become both a critical favorite and a popular interview subject, invading the rap conversation time and time again throughout the last year, and making him a solid runner-up.