The ILL Mind of Hip Hop(sin)

It’s crazy how some things just fall right in place for you at the right time. This whole Hopsin x Funk Volume thing has been a real journey for everybody that’s been following. For us, it couldn’t have happened at a more perfect time. Right now we have some real career changing moves happening behind the scene that involve all that contracts, paperwork, lawyers and blahdy-blah boring bullcrap. After observing everything that’s been happening over at FV, especially after Ill Mind 8, Hopsin’s interview with Power 106 and Dame’s Spreecast – the insight from those have been crazy eye opening. It’s also been somewhat entertaining like an old-school Wrestling saga such as the split ups of Degeneration-X or NWO, filled with controversy, epic battles and new endeavors. But this is unfortunately real life, in our world of Hip Hop and nobody has been powerbombed through Jerry Lawler’s commentary table.

[And like those split ups, Funk Volume without Hopsin is like DX without Chyna (bad comparison but we've been looking for an excuse to post this picture HA!). ]

Greed is a powerful thing, it’s so unfortunate to see where it’s put Funk Volume. In our world Funk Volume was something we aspired to be in certain aspects. How they moved, the art they pushed, the diversity they characterized, the crazy social media presence and how connected they were to their fans. Witnessing that crash and burn is such a reality check, this is the first big independent Hip Hop label we’ve seen grow from nothing to something so big, so quickly, then end almost overnight. Seeing Hop choke up in his interview whilst expressing the lose of that, something he created on his own at first when he was only 19, truly gets you in the feels.

[between 24:00 - 24:30 / but watch full video for full effect]

It’s sad to see all this happen and puts a big question mark on what’s going to happen to three of our favourite artists (Hopsin, Dizzy Wright & Jarren Benton). In Hopsin’s case, we’ve always been a firm believer in his ambition and believe nothing will stop him from reaching nothing short of legendary. Ill Mind Of Hopsin 8 is solid proof of that. Everything was perfectly executed. Delivering one of the best diss records that’s happened in years, better then anything that came out the Drake V Meek Mill scenario, or anything we can think of in recent time - something reminiscent of “No Vaseline”. Tackling the song with a rare way of delivering a “beef” by choosing a (might I add, flawlessly produced) “turn-up” type beat that ultimately wins us over with its storytelling that carries out blends of real emotion, humor, pain and frustration - plus an epic as f#ck film clip that portrays all of the previously noted points.

We’re excited to see where everything goes from here, especially with Hopsin. His career has taken a full 360 from where most of us first heard of him. His just been screwed over by record label deal (First Tamika Wright/Ruthless Records, now Dame Ritter/Funk Volume), started something new (First FV, now Undercover Prodigy) and is hungry to get out there to expose the truth whilst making incredible art, just like he did with his Funk Volume debut album RAW. But instead this time he’s equipped with more knowledge of the game, more money to paint his vision, more experience with making music and most importantly, his mad, full of emotion and is the underdog again which we believe is where his best music comes from. All in all, be careful with what you do in whatever field you may work in, question everything and move safely. We look forward to eventually sharing with you why this is so perfectly timed for us. But for now, bring on the saga of the Undercover Prodigy #ForeverIll