Chance The Rapper, Isaiah Rashad, Vic Mensa, Kevin Gates & August Alsina Rock A XXL Cypher (Video)

Five of 2014’s highest profile XXL Freshmen kick off this week’s recurring series of cyphers featuring the magazine’s upcoming cover stars. Two Chicago luminaries, Chance The Rapper and Vic Mensa unite, joined by Southern guttural spitter Kevin Gates, TDE’s Tennessee delegate Isaiah Rashad, and Interscope’s breakthrough singer/rapper double-threat, August Alsina.

Like all cyphers, this rundown of skills begs the question: who shines? Did XXL kick things off with the strongest crop of the class, or can later cyphers seemingly give rival?

Related: Vic Mensa Turns Down A “Deal” And Then Breaks Out For XXL’s Freshman Freestyle (Video)