Revisiting The 2011 XXL Freshmen –
Their Success & Where Are They Now?
YG
4 HUNIIIIIIIIIIIIID. YG is Bompton’s finest. Full of smash hits and West Coast embodiment that no one has brought to Hip-Hop since The Game in 2015. His breakthrough single “My Nigga” couldn’t be missed, along with his twerking anthem “Left, Right” and the Drake co-sign “Who Do You Love?”. His debut album My Krazy Life was heralded by Complex as “a modern gangsta rap classic” and was listed by Billboard as the best rap album of 2014.
Where are they now?
His most recent sophomore LP, Still Brazy exceeded expectations as he showed songwriting abilities discussing controversial subjects such as police brutality. The album was Number 6 on the Billboard charts with 38,000 equivalent units.
Mac Miller
One of the most drastic personality changes in recent hip-hop history. Mac Miller showed himself to the mainstream with the release of his breakthrough mixtape K.I.D.S full of hashtag rap level bars that caught the ears of the adolescence who wanted to be part of the Most Dope movement. His major label debut, Blue Slide Park, received poor critical reception but still had a number of hits and entertaining music videos. His Macadelic mixtape consisted of features from Lil Wayne and a fellow freshman from the same year, Kendrick Lamar.
The following year he released his most intricate and mature project to date, Watching Movies With the Sound Off, which was inspired by his move to Los Angeles and was full of hazy production and incredible songwriting. On his 2014 mixtape, Faces, Miller discussed the problems he faced with drug abuse, insomnia, and fame in very artsy fashion. GO:OD AM, his third studio album received average reception but debuted at number 4 on the Billboard 200.
His 4th album, The Divine Feminine, was released on September 16, 2017. Its first single “Dang!” featuring Anderson .Paak was released as well. Kendrick Lamar, Ty Dolla $ign and Ariana Grande are other artists featured on the album.
Shortly after the release his relationship with Ariana Grande fizzled. Mac Miller and Ariana’s engagement was off. Ariana was engaged to comedian Pete Davidson within a matter of months of dating him.
Where are they now?
Less than two months after releasing his 5th album, Swimming, in July of 2018, Mac Miller was found unresponsive in his home in Los Angeles. The rapper ultimately died of an apparent drug overdose on September 7th 2018.
Kendrick Lamar
Yes, I saved the best for last. What isn’t there to say about Kendrick Lamar? He is a genius, a visionary, and a gem. Ever since his early Lil Wayne inspired work all the way to his unannounced EP untitled unmastered and everything in between, he has provided any music fan with the most quality production, lyricism and idealism.
His debut album Section.80 takes into consideration the crack epidemic of the 80’s, justice, morality, and humanity. The follow-up, his major label debut, good kid, m.A.A.d city is commonly referred to as one of the best Hip-Hop albums of the decade, as it set a standard for what the perfect rap album should really sound like.
Then 3 years later, he set the standard again to an even higher level with the release of his long awaited To Pimp a Butterfly as it covered subjects like black on black crime, police brutality, politics, and depression.
Where are they now?
Kendrick Lamar is one of the most talented and genuine artists Hip-Hop has ever seen, that alone making the XXL Freshman 2011 class an absolute success.
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