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A question wrought from this post was gasoline on the hip-hop debate fire by DJ Akademiks: Is EBK Jaaybo really putting California on the map? The very mention of Jaaybo’s recent placement on the XXL Freshman list immediately divided the internet. And baby, the comments? Pure chaos.
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The attached images present one of the most jaw-dropping split portraits. The left side depicts EBK Jaaybo in an all-black hoodie with chains adorning his neck sitting coolly and looking at you as if to say, “I really don’t care.” Two lanyards hung around his neck showing images only adding to the artist’s mystique; the other artist gets to wear red beanie and bomber jacket filled with shark mouth designs; he’s cool holding a phone and a mic. Visual comparison or drama? Jaaybo’s rise is the 21st-century rendition of Chief Keef posing for the XXL while locked up.
All right, so now onto real drama—the replies. One user chimed in “XXL list is the G League Draft of Rap,” and it just might have been the coldest hot take to ever come out tonight. Another replied, “XXL list fall-off needs to be studied,” which sparked a whole thread over whether it is the fault of the magazine or the new rappers that just aren’t hitting like they used to.
Here came Gelo. “Gelo? Dude got 1 song 🤦🏿♂️.” This sparked argument upon argument; some try to defend Gelo-Gelo at least should be worthy of a gold record, while others mocked the idea that one hit was enough for the Freshman list. “That fact Gelo up here show you it’s not about talent anymore,” one person said with responses ranging from agreement to disbelief.
But that wasn’t every last soul trolling the list. Some sympathized with opposite views, publishing “y’all tripping, this lineup ain’t even that bad.” Another mentioned Eem Triplin who recalls buying beats on YouTube before the recent success rush: “Used to buy bros beats on YouTube and now on XXL 🐐fr,” affirming that some of those on the list have been grinding for years.
The best thing was the full strength force of Hurricane Wisdom came out shining, with many wondering why he was left out. One stated: “No Hurricane Wisdom?? He better than all them lmao,” as others dragged Baby Keem and Jorjiana into the discussion about their snubs with more passion than an Uber cancellation at the last minute.
Followed by some chuckles and merry laughter, “List was always about whoever gave XXL the most $$$$,” one member of the audience proclaimed, provoking a mini-debate on whether it was about talent or politics. Another laughed with, “XXL just bout popularity. Most of them on there cuz clout,” which…really isn’t a new take, yet somehow even stirred the pot.
At the end of the day, Akademiks’s post did exactly as it was meant to-do the stirring. Whether you think EBK Jaaybo deserves his flowers or view the XXL list as something of a relic, one thing remains for certain: Hip-hop fans will never unite about Freshman list legitimacy. And the fact they truly can’t is what keeps things fresh.
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What’s the verdict? Some feel that Jaaybo’s induction was a genuine victory for the West Coast; others think that the XXL totally messed up. But with this kind of heat, one thing is sure: people really care. So will the Freshman list be around for good, love it or hate it.