May 21, 2018 Most of these rappers don't f--- with each other this day and age, but back in 2016, the XXL cypher with Kodak Black, 21 Savage, Lil Uzi Vert, Lil Yachty, and Denzel Curry was a defiant moment in history. To the trepidation of the dustheads, these five rappers ushered in the new age of rap. Each one of them was aware of the legacy of this cypher, and each killed it. They didn't follow your rules, expectations, or demands - they did their own thing in the true spirit of hip hop. These five gatekeepers took the torch, by force, from the dustheads like Kendrick and Cole and singlehandedly changed the face of rap. Whether your dusty and call this "mumble rap" (not a single rapper mumbles here, fyi), or love these artists, you must admit this is one of the biggest moments in rap history. All five of them knew what they were doing. They changed rap forever. fyi, ranking the verses: Lil Uzi Vert Kodak Black 21 Savage Lil Yachty Denzel Curry Post your thoughts and favorite lines ITT
May 21, 2018 I sent my b---- to the store ‘cause we ran out of soda (what?) b---- I'm tryna cook this yola (21) Hundred round drum on the bottom of that s--- (do-do-do-do) Chop a n----- down like a f---ing lawnmower (grrrrrr)
May 21, 2018 Rest in power, it's all about power Squeeze two lemons together and really all you'll have is sour
May 21, 2018 Easily the strongest XXL freshman class OAT: Lil Uzi Vert, Lil Yachty, Kodak Black, Denzel Curry, G Herbo, Dave East, Lil Dicky, Anderson Paak, Desiigner, and 21 Savage. next closest is 2011 with Meek Mill, Big K.R.I.T., Cyhi the Prynce, Lil Twist, Yelawolf, Fred the Godson, Mac Miller, YG, Lil B, Kendrick Lamar, and Diggy Simmons
May 21, 2018 I just don't see the appeal. Nothing these guys do seems impressive, what am I supposed to be getting from this? I want to enjoy it but its just not there for me
May 21, 2018 okay, you don't like it, fine, but you can't deny this was the turning point in the history of hip hop
May 21, 2018 What I love about this one was it felt like a new energy that you usually never saw in these cypher s----s. Each with their own style (dovetailing with the subsequent rise of Soundcloud/Bandcamp in the mainstream) and they looked like they were having a great time. I think it will be important down the road depending considering how popular these guys got...yes even Curry.
May 21, 2018 definitely. you can tell XXL's pairings last year was an attempt to replicate this group in a few different spots and you just can't match this energy. And yeah for how out of place Curry might seem here, he actually has a lot of sound in common with the others and shows the evolution of the ultra lyrical rap, not just the melodic/rhythmic stuff. Such a great group of artists to come together and set the record straight.
May 21, 2018 So these are the new hot rappers carrying the genre today? Yeah every time I try to check new s--- out I can tell new rap just isn’t for me anymore. Not sure why I keep trying lol, just curious mainly I guess.. Kodak was decent I suppose, thought the rest s----d. Oh well, I’m into the dust s--- as you guys call it.. enjoy your new s---. I won’t hate.
May 21, 2018 Haha yea true, I tend to forget Denzel was a part of those old Raider Klan songs ages ago. Glad to see the culture sort of catch up to SGP and them for all what they did, who would have thought Florida would be such a hotspot for hip-hop culture after all the early Miami Bass faded away?
May 21, 2018 Kodak was the only one worth mentioning he reminds me so much of Turk from the Hot Boys (voice and rapping style)
May 21, 2018 Coming at this completely objectively and putting my personal tastes aside, the 2016 class as a whole was able to blow up quicker and remains relevant today. The majority of the '14 and '15 classes did not have this consistency. In '14 we had Chance and Ty Dolla $ign. Isaiah is good but he's not a household name. Gates got big but got locked up. Personally I like Vic but his album didn't sell well. Can't say I've heard much from the others in the last couple years. Of the '15 class only Dej and Vince are really relevant today. Christ, I can't even remember if I've heard a few of these guys in the first place. It's been less than a year since the '17 class so we will have to see about the staying power, but none of them aside from ---, Aminé, A Boogie and maybe Kyle have the spins that the majority of the '16 class had right out the box. So honestly, I do feel like these guys represent a new era and their appearance together all at once is significant. In ten years I'll be less interested in the cypher itself, though, and more interested in what each of these guys is doing. What will they sound like? Hip-hop will continue to change and soon their wave will be washed away by another. Uzi, for example, is more adaptive than a lot of people give him credit for, so he might still be around. But will Yachty? Go back to the 2009 class for example. The year the list really blew up. Almost all those guys were big for 4 - 5 years. But now, what is the legacy of each of those artists? Do kids today know any of those guys besides Wale and Cudi? Just like the '09 class, this onr is still going strong 2 years later. But chances are the '16 class will have its own Wale and Cudi too. My bets are on Uzi and Paak.