- Xxl: Uzi

Before the group cypher, Uzi stood alone for his solo XXL Freshman Freestyle . While critics at the time debated the "mumble rap" wave, Uzi's performance was a high-speed display of the "machine gun" flow that gave them their name.

The Night the Guard Changed: Lil Uzi Vert and the 2016 XXL Freshman Class UZI - XXL

It marked the moment when vibe-driven, personality-heavy rap beat out traditional "bars" for the crown of popular culture. Before the group cypher, Uzi stood alone for

This cypher served as the definitive entry of the "SoundCloud Era" into the mainstream. It has since racked up over 100 million views on YouTube. This cypher served as the definitive entry of

The year 2016 wasn't just another year for hip-hop; it was a total cultural reset. At the heart of this explosion was , the Philadelphia "rockstar" who walked into the 2016 XXL Freshman Class with purple hair, a red leather man-purse, and enough melodic energy to flip the industry on its head. 🔥 The Legendary 2016 Cypher