How the 2016 XXL Freestyle Changed the Course of Hip Hop

The 2016 Freshman XXL Cypher is widely accredited for being a staple of contemporary youth culture. The impact of the cypher was deeper than music, as it revitalized a new sense of fashion and expression for the youth at large. However, when the cypher initially came out the world of Hip Hop was split.

“Mumble Rap” was a term coined by Hip Hop’s gatekeepers to describe what they thought was subpar or weak artistry infiltrating the culture. Artists such as Lil Uzi Vert and Playboi Carti wore this moniker with pride, championing themselves as the forefront of mumble rap. This term was inescapable during the SoundCloud era, as any melodic rapper was deemed to be a mumble rapper regardless of their music style.

Despite the backlash, the cypher, and all of the artists in it, stood the test of time. Each artist has gone to break records and rack in multiple platinum plaques, demonstrating the staying-power of their music. Furthermore, this cypher is still the most viewed video on the XXL page, which just goes to show how important this was for youth and hip hop culture.

Therefore it’s clear to see just how important this cypher has became in the larger landscape of Hip Hop and internet culture. It’s safe to say that the music stood the test of time.