XXL Recruits Asap Ferg, Ab-Soul, & Sauce Walka For Their New Cypher Lab Series
XXL‘s Freshman cypher’s have been legendary and iconic. However, over the last few years, fans have not been too pleased with the talent selection. But the publication seems to be finding ways to rebuild their reputation in regard to this dilemma. Around this time last year, they brought on Latto following her feature and they allowed her to bring on her favorite female talents. Flo Milli, Monaleo, Maiya The Don, and Mello Buckzz appeared, and it turned out to be a success. XXL is dubbing this their Cypher Lab series and not too long ago, they dropped the second installment of it.
This time around, it’s all guys from three of the hottest regions in hip-hop. A$AP Ferg is representing the East Coast, Ab-Soul puts on for the West, and Sauce Walka pops out to put people on to the South. You can watch their Cypher Lab with the first link below, and they all kill it. Fans are especially championing Ab-Soul’s verse as he preps for his next album, Soul Burger.
Who Had The Best XXL Cypher Lab Verse? Ferg, Soul, Or Sauce?
In addition to the performance, the three artists got together for a discussion surrounding the importance and lack of respect for lyricism. Each veteran MC laid out some terrific and astute points about the current climate. In Ferg’s eyes, the vibe is greater than the words being delivered in most cases. “”More people are driven by the feeling and the emotion of the beat and the vibes and the melodies rather than the lyrics. So, sometimes lyrics can feel like it can be a lost art.” For Ab-Soul, he’s got a more open view on it, as it depends on everyone’s individual perspective and interpretation. Finally, Sauce that lyrics are required for you to be considered elite in the game. Hopefully, this Cypher Lab continues because the insights and performances are all terrific.
What are your thoughts on this XXL Cypher Lab featuring A$AP Ferg, Ab-Soul, and Sauce Walka? Who had the strongest verse in your opinion? Do you agree with each rapper’s statement about lyricism in hip-hop? We would like to hear what you have to say, so leave your thoughts in the comments. Additionally, always keep it locked in with HNHH for all of the latest news surrounding A$AP Ferg, Ab-Soul, and Sauce Walka. Finally, stay with us for everything else going on in the music world.
About The Author
Zachary Horvath is one of the Music Freelance News Writers at HotNewHipHop and has held that title since August 2023. Prior to this position, he held another freelance gig covering local high school football, girls and boys varsity basketball, in addition to recapping Cleveland Cavaliers games remotely.
He’s taken the previous experience and used it to become a jack of all trades at HotNewHipHop. Zach has thoroughly enjoyed tackling some of the trending topics in sports, with a larger focus on hip-hop and pop culture. Some of those include Bronny James’s draft stock, a multitude of angles swirling around the Drake and Kendrick Lamar beef, as well as Diddy’s arrest and lawsuits. Separate from the headlines that everyone wants to hear about, he was fortunate enough to help spread Zaytoven’s current thoughts at the time around mid-December in 2023.
Even though being able to give his expertise on these stories is fulfilling, being able to share his passion for releases trumps that ever so slightly. Having the chance to express his excitement indirectly about what he thinks our readers should be checking out/revisiting grows his passion for writing that much more.
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