It's about that time. Despite suffering from an early leak courtesy of DJ Akademiks, the XXL Freshman List moved forward with a dignified sense of secrecy. Now, the time has come for the publication to unveil the lineup, which may still come as a surprise to some. This time around, we're looking at a decent mix of "mumble rappers" and lyricists, and the vibe is undeniably intriguing. So, without further ado, check out the The 2018 Freshman Class below:

The fan-voted tenth spot was awarded to Lil Skies, who ultimately refused to show up. To be honest, it kind of feels like a waste, especially given the omission of one notable rainbow-headed rapper. Either way, Florida clearly had a big showing this year, and it's great to see J.I.D. hold it down for the lyricists. It feels like an improvement over last year's lineup, and the obligatory Cypher should be interesting this time around, given the divided stylistic nature of the class.

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