Watch Lil Pump’s 2018 XXL Freshman Freestyle
Freshman gang, freshman gang, freshman gang, freshman gang, freshman gang, freshman gang, freshman gang. OK, that doesn't quite have the same ring as Lil Pump’s No. 3 hit single “Gucci Gang,” but the phrase is fitting: Pump has officially been named a 2018 XXL Freshman. And his Freshman freestyle is just as fun—and repetitious—as his breakout record.
“Pinky ring froze/Pinky ring froze/Pinky ring covered in gold/Too much diamonds on my neck, think I might choke,” he starts in the a cappella rhyme (lifted from his latest hit, "Esskeetit"), weaving in and out of his usual “ouu” and “ayy” flows. “I smash your hoe then forget/I got a fridge on my neck/I’m smokin’ gas on the jet/Ouu! I love to flex.”
Pump has been flexing a lot in the past 365, all while simultaneously building up his clout. The 17-year-old Miami rapper—in large part responsible for the burgeoning wave of SoundCloud rap talent emerging from South Florida—became the hottest young hip-hop artist in the game with the aforementioned “Gucci Gang,” which is certified platinum by the RIAA and has even been spoofed by Saturday Night Live. The song, a prime example of his carefree lyricism and flow, landed on Pump's October 2017 self-titled debut, which sold 45,000 copies in its first week and also features hits like “Boss,” “D Rose” and “Flex Like Ouu.”
Lil Pump has big plans for 2018. His latest single, "Esskeetit" has hit No. 24 on the Billboard Hot 100. Meanwhile, the Warner Bros. Records artist is preparing for the release of his Harverd Dropout project, for which he’s recently been courting a Kanye West feature. And he’s got a full-length project in the works with his day-one homie (and fellow 2018 XXL Freshman) Smokepurpp. Still, it’s clear that Pump is not letting his quick success affect his creativity or his connection with his followers.
“I don’t let [pressure] get to me,” says Pump, who recently squashed his beef with J. Cole. “Having a crazy following is my favorite part [of success so far.] [The fans] matter a lot to me. They made me who I am today.”
In the Freshman spirit, watch Lil Pump drop a brief earworm of a freestyle in the clip below.
See Photos of Lil Pump Behind the Scenes at the 2018 XXL Freshman Class Cover Shoot