MB's 2017 Freshman Class
 

I'm assuming most of the other hip-hop fans on here are aware of XXL's freshman class, and just how bad this year's class actually was.

If not, check it out here 2017 XXL Freshman Class

Anyway, because we're such an opinionated bunch (with much better knowledge on what constitutes good hip-hop but w/e) I figured it would be a cool idea to come up with our own freshman class.

I'm not sure entirely what the requirements are for the XXL list, but they've had some pretty old rappers (Danny Brown was well over 30 when he made it) on their lists before so let's not worry about artists actually being "freshman." The main idea will be to highlight some lesser known rappers who released projects this year that you feel deserve more attention.

My idea for the layout is that everybody chooses their nominees (no max or minimum within reason, if you just want to nominate one or two that's fine) and provide a short write-up, one or two lines will be more than enough if that's all you got, and one or two of their must-hear songs from this year. Then, I'll take all the nominees, get a mod to add a poll, and everyone will have 8* votes to pick who they deem worthy of appearing the in the freshman class. I figure this might be a little easier than a Survivor thread as listening to a couple songs by an artist will probably give you an idea of whether you want to explore them any deeper or if you don't think they should be anywhere near the list.

*if we get enough nominees, I might go up to 10 like the actual XXL list, if we don't have enough, we can reduce the number as well.

I also ask that nobody nominates an artist who has already appeared on the list https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XXL_(m..._Freshman_List as it kind of defeats the purpose a bit.

I love how they kept XXXTentacion on the list even though he'd a giant pile of human garbage.

i mean if he wasn’t a piece of **** (he is, he definitely is) it’s not like he deserves to be on there by artistic merit either.

he’s an awful person and a ****ty rapper and the fact that his fans defend him because he’s “sad” and “different” is one of the grossest things ive seen a fan base do.

J.I.D.

This dude's going places. Not sure how obscure he is tbh but his debut The Never Story came out this year and it's great.



Wiki

His album No Mountains In Manhattan is a very traditional record with a lot of modern inflection that's really grown on me over the past few months. He was on I Don't Like ****, so that ought to get him some cred around here.



Moor Mother

I went back to Crime Waves and The Motionless Present and appreciated them a lot more when I wasn't expecting a Fetish Bones 2.



Does Uncommon Nasa count?

yeah Uncommon Nasa counts. they can be known rappers, just preferably not someone who has already established themselves as a very popular artist within the hip-hop world. i would consider someone like Billy Woods or Open Mike Eagle to be a valid choice as they still aren't well known to the vast majority of hip-hop fans, and their fanbase mostly consists of people who are already really deep into the genre. i just don't want people trying to make a case for someone like a Post Malone or 21 Savage who have obviously established themselves far outside of the sphere of the genre. i guess just use your personal judgement, i dunno.

Billy Woods has been in the game for a minute but aight. I'll only be posting tracks from this year.

Shabazz Palaces

These guys are gods. Psychedelic, spacey, psyched out gods. Many people knock the Quazarz albums from this year for not being developed enough, but from interviews that I've seen and read, they're going to expound on that concept in later projects, so it kind of makes sense as a snapshot of the world they've made. Most artists would approach that with a bang if it was going to be a series, but Shabazz opens up with a bang that takes a step back into underwater trippy beats. I think Sun Ra would be very proud of these two. I will say that some of the lyrics are a bit grumpy technophobia, but it's tough to tell when they're playing characters or not and it doesn't really take away from the music imo.



Billy Woods

Production that jumps from jazzy to jumpy to boom bap while Billy Woods spits wry riddles. His latest record Known Unknowns was excellent, I think that if it had been released after History Would Absolve Me, people would have stuck around since Dour Candy turned a lot of people off. This has some of Woods' most intricate tracks, Washington Redskins, which was a huge payoff for me because it gave me a lot to chew on. What Billy Woods may lack in groove, he makes up for with wit 1000-fold.




I'll let you do the Milo write up.

yeah but XXL’s list isn’t about time spent, like the Danny Brown example I used above. it’s more showcasing the breakout artists who deserve more credit for what they did in that year, i think.

SHABAZZ in all caps then because even the hipsters are missing out.

Is Jonwayne fair game?

def. was gonna be on my list but i've got lots of others so go for it.

I'm gonna chew on this one more before I do a write up but it deserves an honourable mention at least. Also, would I nominate them both and are crews acceptable or...?



Porter Ray

A very welcomed addition to the Subpop label with contemporaries Shabazz Palaces and THEESatisfaction. Dreamy, socially conscious cloud rap stuff that I expect to grow into something really special.

crews are definitely acceptable providing the project they put out this year was a group release.

i'll start with Jonwayne i suppose, since OH left me hanging.



As far as the architect for being a popular rapper in 2017, Jonwayne shouldn't exist. He isn't flashy, he doesn't blow you away with lightning quick lyrics and wordplay, he doesn't smash you over the head with 808s and club anthem bass. In fact, I would go as far as to say that instrumentally he's one of the more reserved emcees working. He lays down a beat for atmosphere, and speaks to you. His style breathes honesty and passion. He's working hard at his craft and if you follow the trajectory from his other projects, you'll notice he's hit a new high.

MIKE



Anyone familiar with the New York based emcee and my taste in hip-hop won't be surprised by this choice. With the Beast Coast movement in the early 2010s we saw a return to the boom bap street style of NYs past, it was nice while it lasted but the nostalgia wore off. That's where someone like MIKE comes in to the scene. His experimental production may be a little off-putting to some at first, but his ice cold flow and Earl Sweatshirt inspired song structures are too good to pass up on. It's clear with his latest release May God Bless Your Hustle that he is onto big things in the future.


Jam Baxter



Earlier this year I found myself exploring the the UK hip-hop scene more than I ever had before. Part of that journey led me down the rabbit hole of abstract hip-hop in the UK. Spoiler alert: there are some great artists. Jam Baxter is, in my personal opinion, one of the most promising. I don't know much about the guy, but his releases date back to at least 2010 so he's been at it for awhile at the very least. What really stuck with me after listening to his album is that he truly can spit over anything. The production is all over the place, but he keeps his flow straight, and rides the beat like a surfer does a wave. Truly impressive stuff.

I've been trying to get into MIKE ever since his latest album dropped but it just hasn't clicked for me yet.

i think he still has a long way to go, but he’s showing a lot of promise. you took a lot of the choices i had for my first post so i just kind of reached on a few of them. i have another post coming with some other ones that kinda come out of nowhere for me this year.

Sorry

I didn't mean to live you hanging

I don't like the vote off or survivor style games on here

I like XXXTentacion because he's sad and different.

Nah he's just sad because Drake was.

You got noms?

you must have some noms my dude, hoping at least. otherwise this thread will be me and frown jerking one another off.

Other than X I'm not sure what new rappers I listen to.

$uicideboy$ should be on there.

Would Mr.Motha****in'eXquire count?

Edit: Wifi's Funeral.

Edit again: Ghostmane

Oh, okay.

$uicideboy$



Wifisfuneral



Mr Mutha****in' eXquire



Ghostmane

Good call on Wifisfuneral, forgot about that record.

posting in a good thread

i know you have some good choices you lazy mf, let's see 'em.


Your Old Droog

could've sworn Droog made the cut in one of the last couple of classes. apparently i was wrong. total oversight on XXL's part because I can't think of a rapper more deserving of the buzz that he's still getting to this day. while he came up on the back of sounding like that Nas-era of NY hip-hop, his ear for great production has allowed him to branch out into his own territory and define himself with a unique sound. a real embodiment of old school meets new school, Droog was fairly prolific in 2017 releasing (imo) his best solo record so far in Packs and a very strong collaborative effort with RATKING's Wiki.



Strange U

if you're a Doom fan, check him out. that's all i've got.



Joyner Lucas

alright. here's where i admit i was wrong. a few years ago i first heard of Joyner Lucas, it was through his song Ross Capicchioni, a conceptual masterpiece that very quickly went viral due to the spectacular true story and brilliant first person video that accompanied it. after that, however, I felt Joyner failed to wow me again. it was like he said, "alright there, i'm a good rapper" and resorted back to relying on gimmicks like simply rapping fast or relying on his production. however, after finally getting around listening to his latest record 508-507-2209, i'll say, I was wrong. everything i thought the guy was capable of, he puts onto this record. i'm just going to let the songs do the rest of the talking.

That's why I didn't put him up tbh, he borrows way too much from DOOM. Still solid but I'd rather throw on Keys to the Kuffs or something like that.

i don't know. maybe he does, but i still really enjoy his album. there's not many people who can mimic Doom's style that way, especially not well enough to make it worthwhile listening to.

Emay

So why isn't this dude the king of MB yet? Get on it, kids. Lyrically thoughtful and introspective, punchy, dreamy, and dark beats, cool album covers, this dude's got it all.

and hes canadian

So that's why his albums are for sale in Canadian dollars. It all makes sense now.

Don't know if these count,
but I've been hangin' more
with the ladies this year:
Little Simz, Sampa the Great,
and Noname.

big fan of Noname as well

The beats are nice and he’s a decent lyricist. Even if the subject matter made me want to stick nails onto my toilet seat. Props for pointing out that MLK was a socialist though.

It must suck to be so bogged down by ideology.

?

I imagine you don't like the subject matter since it's a meditation on patriarchy. You just don't like the father material?

I don’t agree with pretty much anything he says on the album. Still decent.

It must really suck for your ideology to get in the way of understanding someone's personal point of view, which is clearly where this record is coming from. I don't believe in the religious **** he talks about on here or all of the Harrison Bergeron stuff but it's still a brilliant statement. I guess it explains your current pop phase.

I disagree with what he says on the album. Some of his opinions are completely opposed to what I believe. I thought the album was decent.

Will I need to post another response confirming all the above again or does it meet your criteria of an allowable opinion on the album?

Sorry, I still think that being bogged down by ideology must suck.

1. I thought the album was decent. I disagree with what he says.

2. I agree with what he says but the album was pretty meh.

3. I didn’t pay attention to the lyrics but it was decent production and flow wise.

4. I loved the lyrics and the music.

5. I hated the whole damn thing.

6. Other.

Lemme know which is the right answer.

I guess that's up to you. My comments regarding ideology remain true regardless of how you feel about the record.