J.I.D and Joey Bada$$ Cover XXL Magazine’s Fall 2025 Issue

You wanted lyricism, you got it. Here are two of the finest wordsmiths currently pushing hip-hop forward, Joey Bada$$ and J.I.D, who both grace the cover of XXL Magazine’s Fall 2025 issue.

Every year at XXL, we receive backlash regarding our Freshman list due to a misunderstanding of its true purpose. Many people mistakenly believe the list is meant to showcase the most talented new lyricists in hip- hop. In reality, the class serves as a prediction of which up-and-coming artists are currently buzzing and have the best chance of becoming superstars in the future. Unfortunately, not all of tomorrow’s hip-hop talents excel in writing lyrics, and this is a well-known fact.

Just because an artist may not be a gifted wordsmith doesn’t mean they won’t achieve fame and fortune. In this issue of XXL magazine, we feature two former Freshmen on the cover, both known for their lyrical skills: J.I.D and Joey Bada$$. So, let’s put any complaints aside and enjoy what these two masters of the mic have to say about their craft.

Joey and J.I.D speak individually in their own respective cover story interviews on everything from lyricism, their music and beyond. The real-deal friends also sat down together for a separate joint conversation on video to discuss sticking together as lyricists, satisfying fans over chasing awards, J.I.D’s God Does Like Ugly album and Joey’s Lonely at the Top, their goals, fatherhood and more.

The rest of the issue includes conversations with Hit-Boy, Chance The Rapper, Rob49, KenTheMan, Bay Swag, Curren$y, Wallo267, Hurricane Wisdom, Babyfxce E, Hanumankind, Ghostface Killah, Conway The Machine, Pluto, TiaCorine, singer Isaiah Falls, comedian Josh Joshson, Vice President of Music at SiriusXM and Pandora Joshua “J1” Raiford and more.

The new issue is available for purchase here and cop XXL merch featuring Joey and J.I.D on the cover below. Also, check out their solo interviews and video conversation below.

Watch Joey Bada$$ and J.I.D’s Interview With XXL

See Photos From Joey Bada$$ and J.I.D’s XXL Magazine Fall 2025 Cover Shoot