DISCLAIMER: This is merely my opinion and how i feel, if you feel different you encouraged to voice that difference of opinion in the comments section however if your a stan and decide to go off cursing and stuff i will more than likely ignore you.
I WONDER HOW MANY PEOPLE WILL ACTUALLY READ THIS. Probably no one since its long and A.D.H.D
So a friend of mines was asking whats the big deal with the Ten Freshmen of 2009 which include Wale, B.o.B, Charles Hamilton, Asher Roth, Cory Gunz, Blu, Mickey Factz, Ace Hood, and Kid Cudi. I really couldn't explain it besides the fact that we were getting new blood in the hip hop game and people were really excited about it. Especially since hip hop was presumed dead by NAS on December 19, 2006 (Wikipedia Babyy!!!), While Outkast declared Hip Hop dead in 2001 on their song "Funkin' Around".
I figured that was what was so exciting then my friend said well what about the Freshmen from last year, which was an interesting question so i decided to go back and see which of last years Ten Freshmen had actually passed class and are doing good this semester.
Joell Ortiz - I actually saw someone type in my comments on here "Man, Joell Ortiz should have made the Top Freshmen of 09' Cover" When i saw that i was like ..why? Not realizing that maybe they didn't know that he was actually on the cover from last year. Joell Ortiz has definitely passed but not with honors. He is really a good MC but due to lack of promotion on Aftermath alot of people who are only into mainstream rap music may not know about him. Lets hope that 2009 brings the Brooklyn Bred Puerto Rican Rapper much more success and getting closer to graduation day. According to Joe Budden's Youtube, Ortiz Along with Joe Budden, Crooked I, and Royce Da 5'9" should be doing some kind of collaborative album which is going to be really good for Hip Hop.
Crooked I - Freshmen? I don't think i need to really continue with this. He's from the west coast and has his own record label. I don't see how he was a freshmen, but i guess it was because his album never really surfaced. *shrugs* Maybe he was more like one of the students who graduated but still hung around the school's premises
Papoose - I've been listening to Papoose since before i started college about 3 years ago. Papoose kind of reminded me of a different kind of Nas. He spit alot of knowledge and what not. I don't recall Papoose making alot of noise during this year, and I'm guessing its because his "wifey" is in jail on rikers for being found guilty in the shooting of her ex friend, Makeda Barnes. There is no passing grades because he's been absent for most of the year. As far as a graduation date there may never really be one. I don't know but he is a good MC so i can see why XXL picked him.
Lupe Fiasco - Do i have to say any other word other than Graduated? Lupe Fiasco has been doing his thing since he started. Not alot of people understand his music and would prefer the hardcore gangster rap promoting drugs violence and the degradation of African American women and Bling, so Lupe Fiasco did a song "Dumb It Down" which i think put him on the map, as well as his songs about skate boarding, robots (representing the projects), and superstars. He has definitely graduated and passed the class with honors and has decided to graduate from the hip hop game completely. Lupe Fiasco is said to be dropping his VERY LAST ALBUM called the LupE.N.D. (Everywhere, Nowhere, and Down There), which will have three C.D's in it. We're sure gonna miss this Alumni.
Saigon - I wanted to laugh while typing his name. I guess after Saigon ran up out of that club when those mobb deep guys tried some real
Lil Boosie - Who picks these people? I guess every school has to have a class clown. No doubt "Wipe Me Down" did make noise and everybody was wiping on there "Shoulders, Chest,..." when he was FEATURED on the song. Then he hit the radio stations last year and had ladies in the southern schools passing spelling tests with his part on Webbie's song "I.N.D.E.P.E.N.D.E.N.T". This class clown has barely passed but I'm not looking for him to pass this next year.
Rich Boy - His song says it all "Throw Some D's On That" because that's what I'm putting on his report card. No passing grades from him because after Throw Some D's he did a remix with M.I.A. for paper planes but i haven't seen him make much other noise than that this year. Seems like there's no class participation coming from this freshmen. He's getting left back a year. Lets hope he gets it together.
Plies - Plies Definitely passes. He's been very consistent but not with alot of songs with much substance. I guess he got a C for consistency. With Buss It Baby (Pt 1 - 1thousand smh) and other songs whose names don't readily come to mind Plies has also been considered the Future of rap
Young Dro - **Update** Thats Young Joc who had people doing the motorcycle. I was typing and not thinking. Young Dro FAILED. I dont even remember anything after that "Shoulder Lean" Joint. Nothing memorable even though i recently saw him in a video for "Aint I" with nothing but slippers on his feet.
Gorilla Zoe - Gorilla Zoe showed up at my school and these kids went NUTS. I didn't initially understand why. I didn't even like that "Hood N*gga" song he had out. The only other song that I've heard from him that in my eyes is worth mentioning is "Lost" featuring Lil Wayne which came out this year. I guess he decided to end the year strong. Well Too little too late. No passing grade. LMAO I'm kidding. I don't know he's like the kid that you don't remember and cant even recall the days he's been in class. Really quiet and behaves so you don't want to fail him. I don't know what kind of grade he gets
