It’s been a long time coming, but G Herbo has finally made the XXL Freshman cover. Not that Herb needs anyone’s list to validate his talents anyway. But if XXL bills itself as the number one media outlet for Hip Hop, Herb’s talents shouldn’t have been overlooked in the first place. In the 2016 XXL Freshman cover, Herb was joined by Anderson .Paak, 21 Savage, Kodak Black, Lil Uzi Vert, Lil Dicky, Dave East, Denzel Curry, Desiigner and Lil Yachty.
Herbo was very confident when he was invited to make a pitch for this year’s spot.
“I feel like I deserve the Freshman cover because I shouldn’t even have to explain why I deserve the Freshman cover,” he said. “I feel like it’s all there. The fanbase there. The bars there. I tried to stay as humble as possible. I don’t try to do no talking. It’s already been proven that I’m the best at what I do. It’s gonna get better. It’s gonna only get better. Like right now, I’m at a point where I want to get better, and it’s like scary, crazy. And my fans, of course, know I deserve the cover.”
The exclusion of Lil Herb from last year’s XXL Freshmen class was a topic of controversy.
Durk, a 2014 XXL Freshman, took to IG to call for Herb to be added to the cover.
“Aye yall better put Herb on that motherf*cking XXL cover,” he said. “Only a few motherf*ckers prolly deserver to be on that motherf*cker. Herb supposed to be on that motherf*cker, man. Shout out to Herb. Go crazy.”
Herb responded to Durk’s IG post, tagging both Durk and XXL to his repost with a caption that read, “WHAT CAN I DO BESIDES GO HARDER? THIS MEAN I GOTTA GO HARDER YALL JUST WATCH #OTF150.”
Herb then released the record “XXL,” rapping, “I missed that Freshman cover twice like I ain’t a factor (Ha!)/And still your favorite rapper’s favorite rapper/I’m just humble n*gga, can’t let nothing get to me/15, I was broke as f*ck rolling up that swisher sweet.”
Lil Bibby, 2014 XXL Freshman, came to his NLMB brother’s defense during an interview with DJ Smallz Eyes.
“I think they had a nice class,” Lil Bibby said. “They got a couple artists I really mess with- Dej, Fetty Wap, Shy Glizzy, Tink…. But they should’ve put my boy on there, man. They should’ve put Herb on there man. I really think he deserved a spot.”
