XXL Freshman Class Of 2026: An Old Head’s Guide

The XXL Freshman Class of 2026 has officially arrived, and we got the full breakdown for the people.

Last year’s class had its highs, and it definitely had its lows. Gelo caught lightning in a bottle with his viral hit, “Tweaker.” What started as a song previewed on a livestream quickly turned into one of the biggest records of the year, leading him to put the basketball down, pick up a mic, and sign with Def Jam Records.

Loe Shimmy may have had the steadiest rise out of last year’s class, continuing to build momentum and even landing a spot on Drake’s HABIBTY album. Meanwhile, both BabyChiefDoIt and Ian have carved out dedicated fanbases in the underground rap scene.

Now it’s time for the Class of 2026.

This year’s lineup features names like LaReezy, Trap Dickey, Belly Gang Kush, Skrilla, and several other artists who have already begun making serious noise. In fact, nearly half of the class entered the list with strong hype and growing fan bases.

Representing Atlanta, YKNiece has already proven herself to be a hitmaker. She burst onto the scene with the breakout record “Whim Whammiee” before delivering what many fans consider verse on “Take Me Thru Dere.”

Then there’s Trap Dickey, the newest signee to Top Dawg Entertainment. Enough said, TDE doesn’t hand out deal to just anybody.

Miles Minnick has been making a mjaor impact in the Christian Hip-Hop space. Alongside Trendsetter Sense, he helped bring Christian rap to a new audience and even appeared during the Chosen Journey set at Rolling Loud, which marked the first Christian Hip-Hop performance in the festival’s history.

With so much talent on this year’s list, some people are still asking the same question: “Who are these rappers?”

Don’t worry, we got you.

To help the old heads catch up, we’re comparing every artist from the XXL Freshman Class of 2026 to an established rapper in the game. Check out the full list below, and you’re welcome in advance.

LaReezy – Lil Wayne

Slayr – SoFaygo

Sosocamo – Don Toliver

Trap Dickey – DaBaby

Belly Gang Kush – Jeezy

Chris Patrick – Gunna

Babyfxce E – Lil Durk

YKNiece – Lakeyah

Skrilla – Lil Yatchy

Trim – Nicki Minaj

Miles Minnick – LaRussell

Hurricane Wisdom – Toosii/JuiceWrld