Every year, the annual XXL Freshman cover creates a huge buzz, opening the door to much debate about whether these coveted 10 (now up to 12) artists deserve the spotlight as “the next big thing.” Since its inception in 2008, the cover has become bigger and bigger, now being practically a rite of passage for new artists in the game. Check out my breakdown of each class below and the covers in the gallery – and then give us your opinions in the comments and on Twitter! Can’t wait to hear what you guys think!