Wiki
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Release Date
24 November 2013
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Length
18 tracks
Knock Madness is the third studio album by American rapper Hopsin. It was released on November 24, 2013, by Funk Volume and distributed by EMPIRE. Hopsin has said that the overall vibe of the album is different from his previous album Raw and that he has said all he needs to about leaving Ruthless Records. The album contains guest appearances from rappers SwizZz, Dizzy Wright, Jarren Benton, and Tech N9ne, among others. Like its predecessors, the album's production was entirely handled by Hopsin himself.
Knock Madness was supported by three singles, "Old Friend", "Hop Is Back", and "Rip Your Heart Out", the last of which features Tech N9ne. Hopsin also supported the album with the Fuck It Tour with Yelawolf and the Knock Madness Tour. Knock Madness was met with generally positive reviews from music critics. The album also peaked at number 76 on the US Billboard 200 and, as of December 2013, has sold 16,000 copies according to Nielsen SoundScan.
Hopsin spoke about the album in an interview with HipHopDX on August 12, 2011, where he said that he was aiming to make the production quality of Knock Madness sound just as good, if not better, than his perception of Dr. Dre's upcoming album, Detox. He also stated that the album would have a "positive message" and that when people listen to the album he wants them to feel "inspired to be better in life". On January 20, 2012, he stated via his Twitter account that Knock Madness was his main priority in life.
He later spoke on the background of the album's sound, saying:
"I'm 28 years old, and I see that I'm kind of in this weird position. I don't have many friends in my personal life, but I have so many fans. So when I go outside and people recognize me, it's kind of a bittersweet feeling, like I don't recognize the fans. I don't really have it like they probably think I have it. I'm really still a loser guy, but I'm just really popular now. I don't have a girlfriend no more, and I have this money, but I'm not satisfied with my life. It's this weird feeling of being incomplete, and I need to find myself. So that's kind of what it did to me, and the album just came out with me just fucking rapping some dark shit."
Following the Raw Tour in mid-2011, Hopsin began working on "Knock Madness", though not very heavily. On January 17, 2012, fellow Funk Volume rappers SwizZz and Dizzy Wright were confirmed to make appearances on the album. In a March 2012 interview, Hopsin said that he talked to Tech N9ne about appearing on the album, which Tech N9ne agreed to. He also stated in 2012 that he wanted Yelawolf on the album. In September 2012, Hopsin confirmed that he would self-produce the majority of the album, with drummer Travis Barker producing one or two tracks. Later that month, Hopsin would indicate interest in working with Childish Gambino. In addition, Hopsin approached Macklemore in January 2013 to get him featured in the album.
In February 2013, Hopsin stated in an interview that he was currently recording the album, having recorded 18 songs, and that he hoped to have the album completed by June. Hopsin began heavily recording Knock Madness in March 2013 following the end of a long-term relationship, which gave him more time to record and focus on his music. He also indicated the album would be released with a bonus CD that will have all the 'Ill Mind of Hopsin' songs remastered, however, this ultimately did not take place. In October 2013, Hopsin confirmed that he had finished recording the album and had turned it into Funk Volume, stating he had personally re-mastered the album 20-30 times to get the sound just right.
Hopsin detailed the album to The Source saying:
"There's a variety of music on there. There's crazy, wild lyrics. There's sad, emotional lyrics and even funny lyrics. I got serious songs and sad songs. Just a big variety of everything. I wanted to show the full me. I have a lot of people who love me, but I have a lot of haters as well. There are at least one or two songs for someone that doesn't really like me or what I put out. I think they'll stumble across a couple songs that will make them go, oh ok, I fucks with him now. I kinda wanted to make an album to show my wide range of music that I can do. I just wanted to show the full me."
In the lead single "Hop Is Back", Hopsin pokes fun at Kendrick Lamar and disses Kanye West's newer music. Hopsin clarified his statements in an interview with HipHopDX saying he had no ill feelings towards Kendrick Lamar, and that he dissed West because he disliked his new music. "Tears to Snow" is an emotional song about him and his ex-girlfriend having relationship issues and breaking up. In the song, he explains how she would assume he would cheat on her. The second verse is also partly about how Hopsin's former colleagues have changed and turned against him. For "Rip Your Heart Out" featuring Tech N9ne, Hopsin created what he called a "weird, funky, dope beat that you can just bop your head to."
Hopsin spoke on "Hip Hop Sinister" saying: "That's probably the most intense rap song on the album. It's not a song that's going to slowly change anybody's life. It's just a rap song just have bars and sound dope. The energy on that, you'll probably hear it and want to cut somebody's throat. The song just amps you up so much. It's so hyped to where you want to punch a hole in somebody's head or punch a hole through the wall." "Good Guys Get Left Behind" is a love song, that features multiple twists and turns. "Old Friend" is based around a friend of his that became addicted to methamphetamine and the personal issues he suffered from it. Hopsin has said the meaning of the song was "to show what early wrong decisions can do to youngsters in the long run", as well as "what they can possibly miss out on."
"Lunch Time Cypher" was meant to give the feeling of a high school cypher, complete with beatboxing, random, crazy lyrics from Hopsin, and featured artists Passionate MC and G-Mo Skee. The song "What's My Purpose" is, according to Hopsin, "about a human born into this current dark society. How everybody is doing the same thing. Nobody is really different. And the government has us here to just make money." He also touches on his race-related arrest after a concert in Orlando, Florida. The album's outro "Caught In the Rain" discusses how Hopsin is soul-searching and needs to find himself.
After only being released for three days, Knock Madness debuted at number 132 on the US Billboard 200, selling 4,000 copies in the United States. In its first full week, the album rose to number 76 on the Billboard 200, selling 12,000 more copies, bringing its total album sales to 16,000 according to Nielsen SoundScan. The album has sold 58,000 copies in the US as of April 2015.
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