Being named to XXL’s Freshman’s Class is a nice honor for most up-and-coming artists. B.o.B., Kid Cudi, Cory Gunz, Wiz Khalifa, Big Sean and J. Cole have all gotten the honor previously.

Last year however, both Drake and Nicki Minaj turned down the opportunity to join the 2010 class. Both said the offer came a year too late.

Now comes word that Harlem spitta Vado is going to decline this year. Do I smell a trend developing?

Although Vado hasn’t spoken publicly about the situation, his boss Cam’ron told DJ Drama on Shade 45 that he told XXL to either make his protege the centerpiece for 2011’s class or no dice.

“To be honest, he’s not gonna be on there,” Cam said. “It ain’t definite yet. But I spoke to Vanessa … She called me about doing it. You know they didn’t put him on last year, they wanted him on this year. Alan [Grunblatt of Koch/E-1 Records] called. Me and Vado have an album coming out and Jim has an album coing out [on E-1] … so I told the lady at XXL I’d get back to her.”

The lady Cam refers to is XXL editor Vanessa Satten

“If Vado does do the cover for XXL I want him to be the main focus. I’m not trying to be an assh*le, or be like it’s us or nothing. I’m just trying to say my man put in a lot of work in the last year,” Cam said. “I’m not saying the other people that’s coming up shouldn’t be on the cover … I’m just saying give him a little focus on the cover. She was like she didn’t know if she could that and I understand that.”

So instead of doing XXL, Vado is going to cover The Source through a deal set up by Grunblatt.