Gelo reacts to being ‘XXL’ Freshman: ‘[I’m excited for] just the whole experience’

Gelo‘s transition from basketball to music has proved to be successful, as he’s made the cut for XXL Freshmen Class of 2025. He tells the outlet  he “had [being a Freshman] in the back of my mind when I started putting out music” and is excited that he has that stamp of approval.

“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,” he recalls, comparing the freshman honor to the sport he knows best. “It’s like winning a Rookie of the Year or something if you was in the NBA. It’s cool to say.”

Though he’s aware that there may be mixed reactions to his entry into the 2025 class, he says “it’s good publicity.” He says he’s eager for people to hear his freestyle and see him on the cover.

Gelo also teased new music with his sound, which he says “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,” he explains. “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,” Gelo continues. “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.”

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