Funk Volume facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Funk Volume |
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| Founded | 2007 |
| Founder | Hopsin Damien Ritter |
| Defunct | 2016 |
| Status | Defunct |
| Distributor(s) | Warner Bros. Records |
| Country of origin | U.S. |
| Location | Los Angeles, California |
Funk Volume was an American independent record label. It was started in 2007 by rapper Hopsin and Damien Ritter. A record label is a company that helps musicians record, produce, and sell their music. Funk Volume was home to artists like Dizzy Wright, Jarren Benton, and SwizZz. It also worked with music producers DJ Hoppa and Kato. The label closed down in 2016 because of some disagreements. Hopsin decided to leave, and other artists followed. Even though the label closed, Hopsin and Damien Ritter became friends again in 2021.
History of Funk Volume
How Funk Volume Started and Grew (2007–2015)
After a difficult time with another record company called Ruthless Records, rapper Hopsin decided to create his own label. He teamed up with Damien Ritter, who helped manage the business side of things. Hopsin even used an online service called LegalZoom to set up the company!
The first artist to join Funk Volume was SwizZz. He was Damien Ritter's younger brother and a friend of Hopsin from high school. Their first music project together was a mixtape called Haywire. It came out on June 18, 2009. A mixtape is like an album, but it's often released for free or sold in a less formal way. They wanted to sell it in stores, but Hopsin was still connected to his old record company at the time.
The first official album released by Funk Volume was Hopsin's second album, Raw. It came out in November 2010. This album included popular songs like "Sag My Pants" and "Nocturnal Rainbows."
In November 2011, a rapper from Las Vegas named Dizzy Wright joined Funk Volume. The label was very impressed by his smooth rapping style and his energetic performances. In early 2012, Funk Volume signed another rapper, Jarren Benton, from Atlanta. He released a mixtape called Freebasing With Kevin Bacon in June 2012.
Dizzy Wright was the first artist other than Hopsin to release an official album on Funk Volume. His album, SmokeOutConversations, came out on April 20, 2012. He also released an EP (which is like a mini-album) called The First Agreement in December 2012. Both of these were popular on the US Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. Jarren Benton's first album, My Grandma's Basement, was released on June 11, 2013. It also did well, appearing on the Billboard Heatseekers Albums chart and the Billboard 200 chart.
In August 2013, SwizZz released his first song, "Zoom In," from an album he planned to release later. Damien Ritter shared in an interview that they had talked to many larger music companies about helping to distribute their music. But they decided to wait until Funk Volume became even more well-known. He also mentioned that Funk Volume planned to release a special album with songs from all their artists.
On September 18, 2013, Funk Volume announced that they had added two new music producers, Kato and Rikio. The label then released Hopsin's album Knock Madness on November 26, 2013. This album was the first Funk Volume release to be sold as CDs in stores. In May 2014, Jarren Benton was recognized by XXL magazine as one of the top new artists. In 2015, Funk Volume made a deal with Warner Bros. Records to help distribute their music even more widely.
Artists Who Were Part of Funk Volume
| Artist | Years on the label | Projects under Funk Volume | About the Artist |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hopsin | 2009–2016 | 4 | A rapper from Panorama City, Los Angeles. He helped start the label with Damien Ritter in 2009. He released three albums and a mixtape with SwizZz while on the label. |
| SwizZz | 2009–2016 | 2 | A rapper also from Panorama City, Los Angeles. He was the first artist to join Funk Volume after Hopsin. He released one mixtape and a collaborative mixtape with Hopsin. |
| Dizzy Wright | 2012–2016 | 6 | A rapper from Las Vegas, Nevada. He joined after Damien Ritter found him on YouTube. He released two albums, two EPs, and two mixtapes with Funk Volume. |
| Jarren Benton | 2012–2016 | 3 | A rapper from Decatur, Georgia. He joined the label after Hopsin's friend showed him a music video. He released two albums and an EP with the label. |
| DJ Hoppa | 2012–2016 | 1 | A DJ and producer from Panorama City, Los Angeles. He was the touring DJ and also produced music for the label. He released one album with Funk Volume. |
| Kato | 2012–2016 | 1 | An in-house producer for the label. He was connected to Jarren Benton before Jarren joined Funk Volume. He released one EP with the label. |
