Posted by Before the 2020 XXL Freshman class will be revealed this summer, the Freshman hopefuls are here to show and prove why they deserve a spot in this year’s class. The 10th Spot voting, powered by SoundCloud, launches today (March 30), which means hip-hop's rising newcomers are vying for a spot on the 2020 XXL Freshman cover.
Baton Rouge, La.'s own Fredo Bang has made a name for himself with his rhymes, painting vivid tales of the streets before he made a serious living from rap. His 2018 song "Oouuh" served as a breakout moment for the now-24-year-old rapper, and has since been streamed tens of millions of times to date across YouTube (6.3 million for the remix with Kevin Gates), SoundCloud (2.56 million for the remix with Kevin Gates) and Spotify (14 million).
Following the release of 2019's Big Ape, a project that features appearances from NLE Choppa, Tee Grizzley, Mozzy, Sada Baby, Moneybagg Yo, the currently-incarcerated YNW Melly and more, Fredo inked a deal with the legendary Def Jam Recordings. His music has been streamed millions and millions of times and he's hit the coveted 1-million-follower mark on Instagram. It's only up from here.
Now that you've heard his pitch, remember to vote for your favorite artist beginning March 30. The 2020 XXL Freshman 10th Spot will run for one week. This is where the public gets the chance to vote an artist into the XXL Freshman Class. Go here to make your vote count for your favorite artist.
Once you've voted, head over to XXL’s YouTube page to take a look back at the 2019 XXL Freshman Class, which features DaBaby, Megan Thee Stallion, YBN Cordae, Rico Nasty, Gunna, Comethazine, Tierra Whack, Lil Mosey, Roddy Ricch, Blueface and YK Osiris.
And watch all the 2020 XXL Freshman pitch videos that have been released on XXL’s YouTube page here.
See Photos of Every XXL Freshman Ever Inducted Into the Freshman Class Over the Years