5 most deserving rappers for 2024 XXL Freshman 10th spot

Rich Amiri

Rich Amiri is one of the rappers from the underground rage and PluggnB scene who has exploded in popularity in the last year. Amiri's rap career began in the early 2020s, where he quickly garnered buzz in the underground with singles like "Walk In" and "Havoc" in late 2021 and early 2022.

His buzzing and disorienting Plugg beats and distinctive delivery made Amiri a recognizable figure in the underground rap scene in the early 2020s. And it didn't take long for him to start reaching mainstream popularity in the last couple of years.

In early 2023, Amiri landed his biggest collab yet, working with one of his idol rappers Lil Tecca on the track "Poppin". That collab with Lil Tecca was one of the lead singles for Amiri's 2023 album Evolution.

But Amiri was just scratching the surface compared to the level of virality and mainstream popularity he would find with the release of his second studio album Ghetto Fabulous. Amiri's viral moment came with the track "One Call" from his sophomore studio album in late 2023.

"One Call" went viral on TikTok, having now garnered well over 150K videos on the social media app. The track also caught fire on streaming platforms, peaking at No. 13 on the Spotify USA Daily Songs chart.

The viral moment for Amiri became real when "One Call" officially hit the Billboard Hot 100 charts, debuting at No. 79 in January 2024.

Few rappers have achieved the type of meteoric rise from the underground to reach the mainstream charts in just a few years as Amiri has in the 2020s.