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, launched Monday (March 30), which means hip-hop's rising newcomers are vying for a spot on the 2020 XXL Freshman cover.
Louisville, Ky. rapper Jack Harlow is all about evolution. He's experienced noticeable success with each year and that trend dates back to when his singles "Wasted Youth" and "Dark Knight" started to pick up steam in 2017. After continuing to build a buzz with songs like "Sun Down" in 2018, he fortified his standing in the game. At 22, Harlow has always been a talented and self-confident artist, but his last year has been something different. In 2019, he dropped his Confetti project and teamed up with fellow hometown hero Bryson Tiller for the pop-tinged song "Thru the Night," which showed that Harlow can switch up his style and broaden his appeal.
In 2020, his JetsonMade-produced single "What's Poppin" helped push him to a new plateau. To date, the song has accumulated over 50 million streams across SoundCloud, Spotify and YouTube in less than three months. At press time, the song holds down the No. 48 spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, a place he's been on for over five weeks. It's his debut Hot 100 single, and it could be the first of many. With a history of strong projects and the backing of Generation Now and Atlantic Records, the sky is the limit for young Harlow.
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