Revisiting The 10 XXL Freshmen of 2010 – Their Success & Where Are They Now?
Donnis
Donnis released his debut project, Diary of an ATL Brave in 2009. That music was so well received that it lead to a single deal with Fool’s Gold to release his hit single, “Gone”. The Japanese influenced rapper from Atlanta signed with Atlantic Records in early 2010. Then came the XXL Freshmen 10 cover.
He released the mixtape The Invitation in June, 2010. His next mixtape Fashionably Late featured artists such as OJ Da Juiceman and Pill. That year he also released his Atlantic Records debut, the Fashionaly Late EP. That would turn out to be his only release on the label.
The next two projects in 2011 would have a different feel Southern Lights being more personal and his EP with the brand Onitsuka Tiger called Nippon Sounds that was produced by Japanese producers DE DE Mouse, Joe Iron, and Taku Takashi. He released another EP through Fool’s Gold called Break Hundreds & Hearts.
Where Are They Now?
Well it depends. His website is down. Looks like he’s going by his real name LaDonnis now. He ha been called one of the top XXL Freshmen flops.
He hasn’t released any music that we can find since 2017. His last single is titled “Hallelujah.”
Jay Rock
West Coast rapper of Watts, California, Jay Rock was signed to Top Dawg Entertainment in 2005 and then later earned a recording contract with Warner Bros and later Asylum Records, but ultimately ending with signing a recording contract with Strange Music because of mergers and at the original label. His debut single, “All My Life (In the Ghetto)” featured Lil’ Wayne and Will.I.Am was released in 2008. He locked the cover in 2010 and the buzz continued to grow. He was the first mainstream member of the Black Hippy crew which features other TDE artists.
In 2011, he produced his debut album, Follow Me Home, and featuring his single “Hood Gone Love it” featuring Kendrick Lamar. The song became the theme for Grand Theft Auto V. Jay Rock became the only Black Hippy member featured on Kendrick Lamar’s debut album, good kid. mA.A.d city on “Money Tree”.
Where Are They Now?
Jay Rock released the critically acclaimed sophomore album, 90059, in 2015. The album was his first since leaving Strange Music. Still signed to TDE, the album features the Black Hippy family. In 2016, Jay Rock was in a motorcycle accident early in the year. He has since recovered.
In 2018, Jay Rock released a very successful album, Redemption. The album was Grammy nominated.
Freddie Gibbs
From the town of Gary, Indiana came rapper Freddie Gibbs. He was signed to Interscope in 2006 but was dropped from the label before releasing anything major. In 2009 he released The Miseducation of Freddie Gibbs. The following year he was one of the 10 XXL Freshmen. He partnered with Jeezy to be a member of the CTE click, but that didn’t work out and the two eventually parted ways.
After releasing several mixtapes including 2011’s star-studded Cold Day In Hell, Freddie finally released his debut album ESGN in 2013. The project was released independently. The following year he released a project with Madlib titled, Piñata. Together they had released three EPs together under the moniker MadGibbs. Last year he dropped another album, Shadow of a Doubt.
Where Are They Now?
Gibbs was arrested in 2015 after performing at a concert in Le Roux in Toulouse, France for an alleged rape case in Austria. Gibbs was finally released on bail on August 18th. The case was eventually dismissed.
Since his release Freddie has released 2 albums with Madlib, including the most recent one Bandana in June 2019. In 2018 Freddie released a surprise album titled, Freddie.
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