TRUTH ON BEING AN XXL FRESHMAN: “I had [being a Freshman] in the back of my mind when I started putting out music. I always try to do sh*t to the highest level. It’s a good accolade to say you was on XXL Freshman. I feel like that stamps a lot of dudes, for real. I was excited when they told me.

I always just knew what XXL was and what they was about. Coming up as a kid, I used to watch the cyphers and stuff a lot of the time. I was in the fourth grade watching cyphers. It’s just cool. It’s like winning a Rookie of the Year or something if you was in the NBA. It’s cool to say.

I think my sound is a little different than what people have heard. I do be rapping, but I stretch some words out a certain way. I use a certain tone when I make music. I feel like it affects different groups of people. I feel like my music could stretch a little bit.

I feel like I got a lot to give for the music world. I’m not coming in with one or two songs. I’m about to put out an album soon. I feel like I got a lot of music to put out for people. We gonna see if they rock.

In the rap game, it’s probably just a different look and a different sound for people. I mean, I can’t really tell because I do my own thing regardless. It’s just people let me know. I can tell off other expressions or what they tell me. They’re like, ‘I love your music, bro. You was swagging at that concert.’ I always hear stuff like that. It’s a good thing.

I’d say [fans’ reaction to the cover will be] a little bit of shock and excitement. Probably happy, some might hate it. I don’t know. It goes either way with this music stuff from what I found out. It’s good publicity.Y’all know what y’all doing, clearly. I know who’s going to be up next and coming. I know the picks. Like I said, it’s cool. It’s a good time. I feel like there’s no reason to pass up on something like that.

[I’m excited for] just the whole experience, for real. I want them to see the cover. Just me being here, for real. See the freestyle, the a cappella. They got me doing the cypher today. We’re going to get into it. I got a little verse for y’all, man.”—C. Vernon Coleman II