Official RAW Promo
Diss Marketing?
We've seen artists start calling each other out, either on stage or on a track that is set to be released on their upcoming album. The most famous one was probably the rivalry between 50 cents and Kanye West's albums. In a show last week Ice Cube called out Lil Wayne in his song 'I Rep that West' and sent shots at Kanye in 'Drink Ya Kool Aid.'
Ice Cube calling out Lil Wayne and Kanye is not the interesting part of this new movement of “diss” marketing. Either past artists or new artists are calling out the present hip hop stars of that time. Looking at the album sales of Kanye's Graduation album, even in this pirated era, you have to admit that the rivalry with 50 worked. Did this use of “diss” marketing exist back in the 80s and 90s?
Is this what you have to do to get attention?
Turn it up,
BR
brenton@myfunkvolume.com
The Dont Fu&k Up Our Beats Contest II
On April 1st we will be launching “Don’t Fu$k Up Our Beats” Rap Contest II, a contest that allows aspiring artists to get additional exposure, and compete for $500 and an option to join Funk Volume.
The last time we did this we received over 80 entries, and we are expecting an even bigger turnout this time around
Keep up with all the contest updates on Facebook and Twitter.
Turn it up,
Dame
dame@myfunkvolume.com
WTF! Hopsin wants your....Blood?
Hopsin receives a new sponsor - Blood Energy Drink. Seems a little out there, but it has been giving Hop the energy to stay up throughout the night to work on new music.
Good morning SwizZzle!
Preview of SwizZz's upcoming mixtape, dropping this Spring.
Stay up to date with all FV news on Facebook & Twitter.
Turn it up!
Industry Payback
Industry Payback
Funk Volume presents the newly mastered collaboration track, “Industry Payback.” After the success of the “Don’t Fu$k Up Our Beats,” rap contest the minds of the FV crew felt it necessary to feature some of the worthy competing artists on a track together. Furnished with an absolute gem of a beat, Seth Rock, SwizZz, Abyss, Cryptic Wisdom, Nayme Brand, Omega of 35th Regiment, and Hopsin, offer us a glimpse of the potential of genuine and uninhibited music.
This collection of artists makes easy work of such a topic and everyone goes in with a fury. The track flows effortlessly from one vocal to the next, each rapper showcasing lyrical talent (and straight Funk Volume!) that does not rely on the conforming sound of today’s commercially driven hip hop. Refreshing for an audience plagued with recurring waves of tactless beats and unimpressionable lyrics. The rappers are dope, no doubt about it, it is easy to see why they were chosen for this song.
This song is welcomed and exhibited proudly by Funk Volume, and serves as a reminder of what music production can sound like when barriers are non-existent and incentives to make good music are pure and creatively fueled. These artists will surely be heard again. Check out their MySpace pages for more music. The Volume hath been Funked Up!
Turn it up,
Myke
myke@myfunkvolume.com
The Don't Fu%k Up Our Beats Contest
We have recently sent out an open call to all hip hop artists looking to win $500. The best part: it’s free to enter. Funk Volume is starting to create a small buzz in the hip hop world, and now we want to share the experience with other rappers. Along with the launch of our remodeled website, we are now promoting our “Don’t Fu%k Up Our Beats” Rap Contest.
Anybody wanting to show off their talent and get paid for it is asked to participate. This is a great opportunity for aspiring artists and hip hop enthusiasts. There are only 5 steps:
1) Download one of four original beats from the contest homepage
2) Record a video of yourself rapping to the beat
3) Post your video to YouTube
4) Submit the entry form on the FV website
5) Reach out to your fans, friends, and family to vote on your video
Funk Volume encourages the creativity and authentic self expression through music. Feeling that music has lost its originality, FV wishes to restore innovation. Through the contest, we hope to get artists’ voices heard as well as creating a forum for new talent. So grab your mic, and enter the “Don’t Fu%k Up Our Beats” Rap Contest.
We will also be using the contest as an opportunity to find artists to feature on our next mixtape!
Turn it up,
Dame
dame@myfunkvolume.com
Our Love For the Foolishness
When we listen to a lot of rappers today we like to take what the artist is saying literally. We want to believe that their words are also their realities. While some artists may very well live the life they rap, many (if not most) do not. They simply want to portray that image to their listeners or to other artists.
Many times as fans of music we don’t distinguish the real from the fake. We want to believe in the elaborate lives that the artists put forth through their music. As fans we should learn to listen to an artist and be able to decipher whether or not they are speaking fictitiously or genuinely.
It seems to me that we become so involved in the lives portrayed by celebrities that we believe everything thing they say no matter how out there it may seem. Even those of us who take the time to see through the words don’t seem to care much beyond making a mental note because we all have a love for the “foolishness” in our entertainment. We just have to remember that we never really know the celebrities that we idolize so much.
Like most things there are two sides of the spectrum. There are thousands of artists who are thoroughly genuine through their art, but you also have artists who slang hypocrisy. We as fans need to wise up and recognize the true artists who choose to be thoroughly genuine.
Turn it up,
BR
brenton@myfunkvolume.com
Lucifer Effect
Lucifer Effect is the first single off the recently released mixtape, Haywire. On the track SwizZz and Hopsin release their frustration with the current state of hip hop.
To download the entire mixtape for FREE, click here.
