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XXL Magazine has revealed its list of the 2025 Freshman Class, with the likes of Ray Vaughn and Samara Cyn making the cut. They are among the 12 hip-hop artists who made it to the list out of 68 musicians who were taken into consideration this year.
For the last 18 years, XXL Magazine has been releasing a list of Freshman Class, which features up-and-coming artists in the hip-hop industry. Released on June 24, 2025, the latest list highlights 12 artists and it's based on numerous factors, such as music, background, aspirations, and more.
The list is as follows:
- Gelo
- Lazer Dim 700
- Ray Vaughn
- Samara Cyn
- Nino Paid
- Loe Shimmy
- 1900Rugrat
- YTB Fatt
- BabyChiefDoit
- EBK Jaaybo
- Ian
- Eem Triplin
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Fans online have reacted to the 2025 Freshman Class list, as one X user wrote:
"Ray Vaughn and Samara Cyn gonna carry hard I’m afraid"
"Ray Vaughn the best out of all of em," another user wrote.
"Ray Vaughn is having a massive 2025. Named an XXL Freshman. Went toe to toe with Joey Bada$$ in a Rap battle. Dropped one of the best Rap projects of the year," another commented.
Many netizens, however, also commented that the quality of the Freshman Class list has dropped as they don't know many names on it this year.
"XXL ain’t had a good freshman cover in many years. I don’t even know who any of these artists are," one user wrote.
"Damn have times changed. These use to be loaded with talent," another commented.
"Never heard of one of these people….. let’s see if they worth af," another wrote.
The publication also confirmed that they will release freestyles, cyphers, ABCs, and more on their YouTube channel from the Freshman Class in the coming weeks. Cardo Got Beats has made the beats for this year's cypher between the 12 rappers.
Moreover, the magazine shared that the rapper at the 10th spot (voted by fans), EBK Jaaybo, couldn't be part of the XXL cover photoshoot because he was arrested in May 2025 for multiple felony charges in Arkansas. He won't feature in the cypher either.
Ray Vaughn shares the advice he got from Kendrick Lamar during his beef with Joey Bada$$
Ray Vaughn was involved in a feud with Joey Bada$$ earlier this year. As per Billboard, it started on New Year's Day after the latter criticized the West Coast's impact on rap. Vaughn and many other West Coast artists then responded through their songs and went back and forth with Joey Bada$$.
During an appearance on The Bootleg Kev Podcast on June 6, 2025, Vaughn shared that he called Kendrick Lamar for some advice during their exchange. As reported by Billboard, he said:
“I can call him,” he said. “I’m on the phone when I’m going at Joey [Bada$$], ‘Ay, do you f**k with this?’ I always get feedback. It still got a protocol.”
Explaining the advice Kendrick Lamar gave him, Vaughn highlighted:
“If anything, it’s take something out. Like ad-libs, take some ad-libs about. Or if it’s not, it didn’t come out… It’s still the way we run TDE, it’s still the same thing. You’ve got to go down the line. When they post it, it’s going on TDE’s page. N—a, you speaking and it’s coming from our side, come correct.”
Vaughn also said later on the podcast that he has "no real beef" with Joey Bada$$, and it is all sporting and good for hip-hop.
