Before the 2018 XXL Freshman class will be revealed this summer, the Freshman hopefuls are here to show and prove why they deserve a spot in this year’s class. The 10th Spot voting has officially launched, which means hip-hop's rising newcomers are vying for a spot on the 2018 XXL Freshman cover.

Toronto rapper ShaqIsDope is paving his own way, using his commitment to lyrical rap to stand out. Last year, Shaq dropped his single "Blessings," leading up to the release of his self-titled EP. He also managed to get on a track with Shaquille O'Neal, to diss Big Shaq over the beat for Big Shaq's song "Mans Not Hot." Even while in the midst of a Shaq namesake battle royale, ShaqIsDope shows a lot of promise and has plenty in store for 2018.

Now that you've watched his pitch below, it's time to vote. The 2018 XXL Freshman 10th Spot will run for one week. This is where the public gets the chance to vote an artist into the XXL Freshman Class. Go here to make your vote count for your favorite artist.

Once you've voted, head over to XXL’s YouTube page to take a look back at the 2017 XXL Freshman Class, which featured A Boogie Wit Da Hoodie, Aminé, Kap G, Kamaiyah, Kyle, Madeintyo, Playboi Carti, PnB Rock, Ugly God and 10th spot winner XXXTentacion.

And watch all the 2018 XXL Freshman pitch videos that have been released on XXL's YouTube page here.

See Every XXL Freshman Cover Over the Years

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