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For the past two years there has been a locomotive, docked at the underground station, rapidly gaining steam to erupt from its departure into lyrical notoriety. Affixed on the front of the train is the logo for the company funding the HOP-train, Funk Volume/ FV, with the steam engines name graffiti’s across the side, “Raw”. This album has been crafted over the last couple of years as a means to get back at those who have shelved the talent that so rightfully deserved its showcase. Ruthless methods were those of getting fucked over and forcing a flop, so now with the release of “Raw”, the official debut of Funk Volume as a label, Hopsin has distinguished himself from the slithery, snakes of the music business that only work for deeper pockets.

Raw is something that was made the only way a true artist of the craft could make it, through life lived pain and hardships that happen to come along hand in hand with all the good. This project, initiated by the conductor of the train Hopsin, touches on so many levels of the mans personal being that it is a great way to not only debut yourself independently, but a solid production for a label to show what it has in store for the people who are listening. On the album you’ll find raps and cunning linguistics about losing the love of your life, the pressure of performing to the crowds expectations, the paranoia of flopping, among tongue twisting abilities to compete with the best and the production to match.

With tracks like ‘How do you like me now’, ‘Hot 16’s’, ‘Trampoline’, ‘Sag my Pants’, and ‘Baby’s Daddy’ Hopsin takes the listener deeper into his clownish persona showing the fan how he can let loose and rip a track. On all of these songs there seem to be punch lines for days and a style that is reminiscent to that of Eminem. In a recent interview conducted with Hopsin he was asked about his style resembling Em’s and his explanation was this: “Eminem, at one time, was considered to be the best and why not learn from the best if you want to be the best!” I agree with the statement and if you pay attention you can definitely see that he isn’t a biter, but just takes elements from various styles to craft his own.

On songs like ‘Heather Nicole’, ‘Nocturnal Rainbows’, ‘Where will I go’, ‘You are my enemy’, ‘Kill her’ and a couple others Hopsin delves into his rage and allows his inner rages to explode splattering the microphone across the broadside of the wall in the recording booth. Throughout the songs the feel to all of them is dark, similar to that of Tech N9ne’s recent drops “K.O.D.” and “Killer”. One song that stands out of this cluster is ‘Nocturnal Rainbows’ it comes from somewhere solitary and malevolent. It’s a message from a man who is tired of being fucked over, who is running out of options, and is being pushed into a corner with only one way out; pushing forward and fighting the bullshit that is forcibly fed to the publics ear.

The album is one of the hottest albums to drop on the underground this year, whether you find it to be horror core, real shit, hip-hop, club shit, or whatever it has a little bit of everything on it. This is something that is sure to catch the interest of anyone who happens to actually be listening. Go ahead over to iTunes, myfunkvolume.com, or to Hopsin’s Facebook page to get yourself a copy today; It’s Funk Volume, TURN IT UP!

Tracklisting

1. Hot 16’s
2. Sag My Pants
3. You Are My Enemy
4. Trampoline
5. I’m Not Introducing You
6. I Can’t Decide
7. I Am Raw (w/ SwizZz)
8. Nocturnal Rainbows
9. How You Like Me Now (w/ SwizZz)
10. Heather Nicole
11. Kill Her
12. I’m Not Crazy (w/ Cryptic Wisdom & SwizZz)
13. Where Will I Go
14. Baby’s Daddy
15. Blood Energy Potion
16. Pillow Man

Websites

Hopsin.com
Facebook.com/HelloHopsin
MyFunkVolume.com

Record Label:

• Funk Volume

Release Date:

• 11/19/2010

Reviewer:

• Whipstick