Revealed on Wednesday (June 21), XXL Magazine‘s Freshman Class of 2023 features a diverse array of promising rap artists. This year’s roster includes the likes of Finesse2Tymes, Lola Brooke, Rob49, Fridayy, GloRilla, 2Rare, SleazyWorld Go, Central Cee, Real Boston Richey, Luh Tyler, TiaCorine, and DC the Don.
Famed for his gold-certified track “Back End,” Memphis rapper Finesse2Tymes adds a Southern touch to the list. Meanwhile, Brooklyn powerhouse Lola Brooke, who garnered attention with her viral hit “Don’t Play with It,” brings an East Coast flavor.
Adding to the rich tapestry is New Orleans native Rob49 with his freshly minted album 4GOD II featuring heavy hitters like Birdman and Roddy Ricch. Joining him is Philadelphia’s Fridayy, the Def Jam signee who made waves with features on Lil Baby’s “Forever” and DJ Khaled “GOD DID,” nabbing three Grammy nominations in the process.
Arguably one of the most familiar names on the list, GloRilla, who took over 2022 with “F.N.F. (Let’s Go),” adds a further touch of Southern swagger. Meanwhile, 2Rare puts on for his hometown of Philadelphia, capitalizing off the success of his record “Big Bag” led to a lucrative deal with 10K Projects,.
SleazyWorld Go, recognized for his viral single “Sleazy Flow,” promises to release his debut album this fall via Island Records. West London’s rising star Central Cee serves as the first U.K. artist to land XXL‘s highly coveted list, capturing the world’s attention with his debut mixtape, Wild West. He continues to impress with collaborations with the likes of FKA twigs and Dave as well as his Cole Bennett-directed video for “Doja.”
Tallahassee native and Future-co-signed artist Real Boston Richey started rapping following a family tragedy, currently having two charting releases — Public Housing and Public Housing, Pt. 2 — to his credit. Young Floridian Luh Tyler has already dropped his debut mixtape, My Vision, while North Carolina’s TiaCorine caught the public’s attention with her track “Freaky T.” Rounding off the list is Milwaukee rapper DC the Don, who recently released his album Funeral via Rostrum Records.
This year’s Freshman Class follows in the footsteps of notable previous inductees such as Doechii, Babyface Ray, Nardo Wick, BabyTron, Kali, and others. As the Hip Hop community anticipates the contributions of this year’s class, XXL continues its tradition of spotlighting emerging talent poised to reshape the genre.