This year’s XXL Freshman lineup boasts several promising acts, including Kali, Babyface Ray, Doechii, Saucy Santana, and Nardo Wick. At 20, Wick is the youngest rapper on this year’s Freshman list.
Wick’s rise in the rap business has been rather meteoric. He released his breakout single in 2020, as a fresh high school graduate without any sort of music to his credit. The following year, he released “Who Want Smoke??” which got him a deal at RCA. A remix of “Who Want Smoke??” featuring 21 Savage, Lil Durk, and G Herbo peaked at No. 17 on the Billboard Hot 100.
In his minute-long freestyle, Wick raps about the past two years in the rap game and his rapid rise. While he’s accomplished several astonishing feats in a short amount of time, he still feels that he is just getting started.
“I ain’t rush this, I waited / I blew up they hated / Play with me, your life I take it, I need a hat that say, ‘Rated,’ ’cause I’m underrated / I was in debt with attention, I had to pay it / I love my Amiri jeans, they keep me saturated / And I love my 7.62s, they keep me well-protected.”
Check out Nardo Wick’s XXL Freshman freestyle above.