By now, you know 21 Savage, Kodak Black, Lil Uzi Vert, Lil Dicky, Dave East, Denzel Curry, Desiigner, G Herbo, Lil Yachty and Anderson .Paak as members of the 2016 XXL Freshman Class. But how well do you know their backstory?
In an age of overnight stardom, it can be easy to gloss over the lesser-known information about your favorite artists, even if its some pretty formative stuff. For instance, you probably had no idea that Lil Dicky and Dave East actually met each other a whole decade before they were named 2016 XXL Freshmen, or that Lil Uzi Vert was once in a group with a name based on his hometown of Philadelphia. Kodak Black also used to be in a group, and one of his first songs sounds way more like Kidz Bop than anything from his Dying to Live album.
Elsewhere in the crevices of Freshmen come up tales are stories about jobs 2016 Freshmen held down before making it big. Lil Yachty worked at a fast-food chain before he pulled up on the 2016 Freshman cover while Anderson .Paak held things down working on a farm, and then as a backup drummer for a former American Idol contestant.
These are just some tidbits about artists who became some of the biggest the world of rap has to offer. Whether they're certified commercial superstars or underground stalwarts, they all came from somewhere and have parts of their life you probably knew nothing about.
Today, XXL explores the backstories by looking at 50 facts about the 2016 XXL Freshman class. Learn more about some of your favorite Freshmen below.
See 50 Facts About the 2016 XXL Freshman Class