There hasn’t been many things Cardi B and Nicki Minaj have been able to agree on lately. One thing the two hip-hop queens have been able to see eye-to-eye on is that Blueface’s hit song “Thotiana” is one of the hottest records of 2019. Peaking at No. 8 on the Billboard Hot 100, the Scum Beatz-produced single spawned several other remixes and established the emerging rapper as the next big thing in hip-hop.

Prior to becoming one of the hottest new acts in the game, Blueface, who began his rap career in 2017, had already delivered two projects before securing his spot in the 2019 XXL Freshman class: 2018’s Famous Cryp and the EP Too Coccy. Carefree in his approach to crafting his music, the 22-year-old rapper has drawn comparisons to legends like E-40 and Juvenile due to the off-kilter flow that finds him rapping against the current of whatever beat he’s on.

“I knew I was going to be a 2019 XXL Freshman,” this year's 10th spot winner admits in his 2019 XXL Freshman interview. A former college football player, Blueface has had a rookie season that has included accomplishments such as going viral, co-signs from the likes of Drake and Quavo, collaborations with G-Eazy ("West Coast") and French Montana ("Slide"), a gold plaque ("Thotiana") and a record deal with Cash Money West.

Hailing from Los Angeles, he credits his hometown with shaping his swagger. “I feel like that has a lot of influence on my slang, the way I dress, my pieces and all of that,” says the rapper behind records such as “Bleed It” and “Dead Locs.”

Motivated by success, Blueface has also found inspiration in making his fans proud. Thankful for their support, he deems living up to their expectations as “the ultimate goal.” “Me and my fans, we gonna go up,” the rhymer affirms. “They gonna want to defend me more because, you know, I need a lot of defending these days because I have a lot of haters.”

Blueface is currently headlining the Buss Down tour and prepping the release of his project of the same name. Although he’s content with his position in the game, he envisions a life of leisure when looking to the future. “Ten years from now, I see myself in a crazy mansion [with] probably about 10 bitches," he continues, “I’ll just get to sit at home and hang with the bitches all day.”

See what else Blueface has to say about being a 2019 XXL Freshman in the video above.

See Photos of Blueface Behind the Scenes at the 2019 XXL Freshman Cover Shoot

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