XXL Freshman Class Catches Flack For “Not Like Us” Slogan With No West Coast Artists Included
Kendrick Lamar’s smash hit has clearly impacted all of hip-hop, but many thought that the publication misunderstood its meaning.
The 2024 XXL Freshman Class is finally here, and it’s a pretty exciting roster of names that has people engaging in a lot of debate, discussion, and hot takes online. However, one aspect of this conversation so far online doesn’t really concern the featured artists, but rather the slogan that the publication chose to attribute to them: “Not Like Us.” This prompted many fans to do a quick scan and posit that this misses the point about what Kendrick Lamar’s song is partially about. After all, this new Freshman Class includes no West Coast artists, so some folks online have an issue with using that region’s current big hit.
Of course, the hype behind this Drake diss track is so massive across various corners of hip-hop that it’s easy to understand why this 2024 XXL Freshman Class rollout would want to cement this moment within its coverage. In fact, Kendrick Lamar recently filmed the music video for “Not Like Us” in Compton, which makes this contrast caused by no West Coast artists all the more present in people’s minds right now. Still, there’s so much to talk about with the list either way that this backlash might fizzle out eventually. But the West will likely never forget.
2024’s XXL Freshman Class
🎉 THE FRESHMAN CLASS IS HERE 🎉
Meet the 2024 XXL Freshman Class🌟
➡️ https://t.co/gSTTfA3xX4 #XXLFreshmen pic.twitter.com/JiRtQ5eC1L
— XXL Magazine (@XXL) June 24, 2024
Regardless of all that, XXL’s Freshman Class this year is going to show off their skills soon, and they’ll prove fans’ adoration or skepticism soon enough. BigXthaPlug, Maiya The Don, Hunxho, Rich Amiri, Cash Cobain, Lay Bankz, That Mexican OT, 4batz, Skilla Baby, Bossman Dlow, and ScarLip have fans ready to see what they’ve got. We all know how infamous or legendary some of these freestyles and cyphers can be, so it’s going to be fun to watch it all go down. They already did a video series responding to hate comments, so they kicked off the content right away.
Fans React To The “Not Like Us” Slogan
“Not Like Us”
But don’t got a single west coast artists in there.
Noted. https://t.co/J5lL1RoJb4
— Aaron (@_AaronLederer) June 24, 2024
XXL don’t like us! With the West Coast being snubbed year after year on @xxl‘s Freshman Class list, we took matters into our own hands and created the 2024 Thizzler Freshman Class list, which features proper West Coast representation! Who are we missing? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/eWlfq6UcSJ
— Thizzler On The Roof (@TheThizzler) June 25, 2024
Some people are calling out the XXL Freshman Cover for not having any West Coast artists pic.twitter.com/Z50SLu7ayv
— Backonfigg (@backonfigg) June 24, 2024
Let’s be real tho XXL don’t really speak for us they speak for popularity of their own opinion I ain’t see one poll to vote for a freshman not one exposè on 310 Baby and hella other West Coast rappers the. To take the coined term “Not Like Us” yeah XXL definitely full of shxt https://t.co/VEyudCklmc
— Willy RAW (@WillyRAW501) June 25, 2024
NOT XXL MAG DROPPING A NEW FRESHMAN COVER WITH THE TITLE “NOT LIKE US” with NOT ONE WEST COAST ARTIST
— West Coast Queen (@Ashanti_Major) June 24, 2024
Is it any west coast artists on the XXL freshmen shit? Lol cuz that make putting Not Like Us on the cover even more trife
— Bask (@baskgod) June 24, 2024
Biting w/ that west coast cover but no west coast freshman?? @kalanfrfr @AzChike @IamRemble shitting on this entire cover wtf is this https://t.co/XOtmd0lLpe
— Korey Payne (@DGenerationAux) June 24, 2024
Meanwhile, this has still been a phenomenal year for the West Coast, with or without XXL Freshman Class representation. Maybe the publication should consider an all-West Coast cypher much like they did with femcees not too long ago. Either way, there’s a lot to be excited about, and much more to look forward to from California and company. As for the XXL list, we can’t wait for those conversations.
