The 2025 XXL Freshman Class Is Here And The Internet Has Thoughts
BY Sharmaine Johnson / 6.24.2025
The 2025 XXL Freshman Class has officially landed. Every summer, this list gets the culture talking, and after 18 years, it’s still one of the few co-signs in Hip Hop that means something. In today’s streaming era, which is full of fleeting moments and fast fame, XXL’s stamp remains a marker of who has next — or at least who’s in the room.
The 2025 XXL Freshman Class features:
1. Ray Vaughn
2. BabyChiefDoit
3. Eem Triplin
4. 1900Rugrat
5. Samara Cyn
6. Ian
7. Gelo
8. Loe Shimmy
9. Lazer Dim 700
10. YTB Fatt
11. Nino Paid
12. EBK Jaaybo
Gelo’s been building steady momentum with each release and building a solid fanbase, while Samara Cyn’s confidence, presence and look are already placing her in conversations bigger than the list itself.
As usual, the online reaction is loud. One X user posted a clip of Tommy Davidson hilariously saying, “Who are these n**gas?” in response to the lineup, capturing the confusion from casual listeners. PrizePicks also chimed in, tweeting that it’s “the equivalent of the 2000 NBA draft,” sparking online debates about who truly earned a spot.
Still, history says not to sleep on these artists. XXL has helped spotlight Kendrick Lamar, J.Cole, Megan Thee Stallion, Latto, 21 Savage and GloRilla long before their mainstream successes. Every class has its critics, but past lists have shown that the real talents reveal themselves over time. With the cyphers coming soon, these freshmen better bring the bars to prove their naysayers wrong!