It is once again that time of year when hip-hop is set on its ear and controversy begins! No, not the MTV Hottest Emcee List [That just past] The XXL Freshmen Cover list! Some happy, Many upset..So I will now dissect. Here is the list for this year [2013].

Trinidad Jame$
Joey Bada$$
Logic
Action Bronson
Kirko Bangz
Travi$ Scott
Dizzy Wright
Angel Haze
Ab-Soul
ScHoolboy Q
Chief Keef (The Eleventh Member)

Let me First start off by saying I have NO IDEA what the criteria is for the list. I am only going off my knowledge of the genre and what I know and don’t know about these 11 artist. This is not gospel…just an assessment and dissection. I’ll tell you who I feel who should and shouldn’t be on this list and why.

Travi$ Scott, Dizzy Wright, Angel Haze, Logic and Joey Bada$$ – I think its no question that all of these artist deserve to be on this list. I’ll be honest outside of Joey I have NO IDEA who these artist are. However that’s what the freshmen list is about right? The new kids on the block, the new blood, the new life of the game. To my knowledge all these artist are still in the trenches trying to make that solid name for themselves and still have work to do and deals to sign. I have no issue with these 5 on the list AND to quote J.R Bang “Just cause I don’t know you, don’t mean you not poppin”

Action Bronson, Ab-Soul and ScHoolboy Q – I’m on the fence with these guys because I dont feel they qualify as “freshmen”.

Action Bronson is DOPE and hands down my favorite on this list but Blue Chips and Rare Chandeliers are 2 reasons why he is anything but a Freshmen. Rare Chandeliers was entirely produced by Alchemist! Alchemist dont just go around producing full mixtapes and albums. I understand it though. This has just brought Bronson to a whole new group of people who will potentially become Action Bronson Stans..So when his album does come out this year, you are going to hear “You aint up on that Bronson though” and these people won’t have Blue Chips and Rare Chandeliers…but they read the freshmen cover and decided to pay attention.

Ab-Soul and ScHoolboy Q. My issue with them is they are half of “The Black Hippys” and roll with Kendrick Lamar…Who really don’t know them that listen to rap music in 2013? Q been on the road with A$AP Rocky and had one of the best verses on 50’s last mixtape. Although I am not sold on him yet at all Ab-Soul is a lot of hip-hop heads “Diamond in the rough”..all this was said and done LAST YEAR. Maybe this was just a ploy to get a Black Hippy’s album or another mixtape from both of them…who knows.

Kirko Bangz and Chief Keef – These 2 should not be on the list. This is not about HATE this is about FACT.  Kirko Bangz has made billboard twice. Once by himself and once with Meek Mill. Why didn’t he drop an album? Who knows but, he is taken up space. I feel the same way about him as I did when Roscoe Dash Made it last year….He had the hottest start of all these artist and that was about 2 years ago now.

Keef shouldn’t be on this list cause he charted, had a big remix, signed a multi-million dollar deal with Interscope and dropped a mainstream album in 2012. How on earth are you A Freshmen and did all that IN ONE YEAR? Love him or hate him Keef’s career is legit and establish…His SOPHOMORE album is dropping this year. Thats not freshmen criteria in my world. However the technicality is…He did this all within the year 2012..I had no idea who keef was in 2011, so I get it.

Trinidad James – Even though the say it’s Keef..I say Trinidad James is why there is 11 on this years list. He’s been rapping the shortest time, had the most success, signed a Def Jam deal started a tour and became the HOTTEST in the Game [not the nicest] off of 1 song in the 4TH QUARTER! You can’t put him on the freshmen list for 2014…cause you would be stupid…but you MUST put him on now. So hence him being number 11.

Kirko should be Replaced with Chance The Rapper if you are going to replace anyone. I think Chance buzz is better than Keef or Rockie Fresh simply because Rockie has Ross and MMG, Keef has Interscope and National News yet Chance is still popping MUSICALLY without any of the above….Sounds like a great Freshmen to me..but XXL will do him justice…next year…SMH…

Is this list the best “Freshmen List” ever….NO…and that’s no disrespect to any of them on the list currently. The problem with this list is that the expected don’t really do what’s expected. Prime Example…Who really thought Macklemore was going to have the biggest song or the Number 1 album on itunes from the Last Year’s List? He was another guy I had NO IDEA WHO HE WAS UNTIL THE LIST CAME OUT….Then got up to speed…and now…He’s on TV or Radio EVERYDAY! I care what NO ONE SAYS…NOBODY CALLED THAT!

Also remember..every time these list drop…Someone NOT on the list gets a big hit..The Past 3 Years we’ve seen Cash Out, Kirko Bangz, and Chief Keef..then vets like 2 Chainz and Juicy J resurge and strangle the game. Add that to the people STILL WAITING on Freddie Gibbs, J. Cole, Big Sean, Nipsey Hussle and Wiz Khalifa to all officially take over from the 2010 list…You just cant make that statement about this year. Then lets not forget about 2011 who have K.R.I.T, Mac Miller, Yelawolf, Meek Mill, Kendrick Lamar and Diggy…Come to think of it…this Years List is under a lot of pressure.