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BuddieRegistered Member- Posts : 3413
Join Date : 2011-08-07
Knock Madness Official Review
Wed 27 Nov 2013 - 22:48
It’s been a long journey following Hopsin’s career and pretty much everything he’s been involved with since 2010. Knock Madness is the album that everybody on this site has been waiting for and well, it’s finally here. Ever since Hopsin mentioned it for the first time in one of his OG Tinychat sessions in late 2010/early 2011, I got extremely pumped and I knew that it had potential to be something special. Hopsin would then go on to record features here and there and the most notable one, “Am I A Psycho?” This record would build even more hype for the album with Hopsin’s amazing flow and incredible wordplay throughout his verse. This was truly Hopsin in his prime. On his birthday later that year, Hopsin released his biggest hit at that point in his career, “The Ill Mind Of Hopsin 4.” This track left pretty much every fan in awe and when Hop said “Get ready for Knock Madness!” at the end of the track, everyone was more pumped than they ever were before to hear the LP. In March of 2012, Hopsin would then release his first official single for Knock Madness (At the time), “Hop Madness.” The song, however, was a flop. When he released it, I was very surprised and shocked at how bad it was. I didn’t think that the rapper who made one of the most mind-blowing songs of the year could be capable of such a thing. Well a few months went by and Hopsin released his biggest and most notorious song to this day, “The Ill Mind Of Hopsin 5.” This song had everyone and their grandmother talking and regardless if you liked the message or not, the track did wonders for Hopsin’s career and helped him to get a fanbase he never imagined he could get. After that, Hopsin slowly began losing the huge buzz that he worked so hard to create. His fans were beginning to question him and why he has been taking so long just to put out a song or two. Without barely releasing any music in late 2012 and the first half of 2013, he released the 6th installment of his “Ill Mind” series titled “Old Friend.” This song had very mixed reactions, some positive and some negative. Many people say this was a flop due to it not sounding like an “Ill Mind” song and it sort of was, but it still has millions of views regardless and is a pretty good song nonetheless. In late 2013, he released three singles for Knock madness which were solid tracks, but nothing great. On November 23rd, Knock Madness would finally be heard all over the world. Here is my track by track review of the album. Enjoy!
1. The Fiends Are Knocking: The first song on the album starts off with a pretty damn good hook and the beat is very good as well. The last verse is where this song takes off and gets very interesting. This is perhaps the most self-aware verse Hopsin has ever made. He acknowledges everything that the fans have been saying about him and it is truly chilling to hear. When I first heard this song, it made me even more excited to hear what’s to come next. (8.75/10)
2. Hop Is Back: This is a very solid single from Hopsin. I think it’s slightly better than “Sag My Pants” and I loved the Kanye and Kendrick disses. The hook is nice and the verses are solid as well. (7.25/10)
3. Who’s There (featuring Jarren Benton and Dizzy Wright): This song starts off with an incredible intro and it’s the best part of the song by far. The track starts off with an average Jarren verse which compliments the song pretty well. Did anyone else notice how at the 58 second mark, the beat begins to sound like something off of “Devil’s Night?” That was the first thing I noticed when I heard the song for the first time. After that Dizzy Wright comes in and raps an absolutely terrible verse. The whole thing sounded off beat and I wonder if Dizzy even put more than 10 minutes into writing this. Hopsin then delivers an average verse and then the song ends with the chorus. This is one of my least favorite songs on the album (6/10)
4. Tears To Snow: The beat starts out very nice and then Hopsin begins to rap in an angry voice about his ex girlfriend. The chorus is one of the best on the album and maybe the best. This would be in my Top 10 Hopsin choruses of all time for sure. The 2nd verse is pretty good as well and then the 3rd verse comes in which is my favorite on the song. (8.5/10)
5. Rip Your Heart Out (featuring Tech N9ne): The song starts off with a nice and fast Hopsin verse followed by an okay hook. Then Tech N9ne comes in and does his thing as usual and has one of the funniest lines on the album: "The niggas are coming, the niggas are coming!" After Tech’s verse, Hop delivers another verse that is slightly better than the first. Overall, I just don’t like the feel of the whole song. I think it’s the beat and the fact that I know Hop and Tech are capable of making a lot better song than this. (6.5/10)
6. Nollie Tre Flip: This song is different than any song on the album and any song Hopsin has ever done. The flow and the beat are excellent but unfortunately that’s the only thing I liked about the song. I don’t like this song as far as content goes. The whole track is about skating and that’s it. I think Hopsin could have rapped about something better and more meaningful than busting his nuts on a hand rail. The whole vibe of this song instantly made me think of Biggie and Hopsin pulled the flow aspect of the song off perfectly. The hook on this song is terrible and Hopsin could have done better. It’s not an awful song, but it’s not something I will be listening to a few months from now. (6.5/10)
7. Gimmie That Money: This whole song is an extremely fun listen and the verses were funny and comical. Overall, I liked this song. It’s a fun song to listen to and you can’t help but bob your head when the chorus kicks in. You can tell Hop had a lot of fun making this song. Some people hate when Hopsin uses his corny voices imitating other people, but I think it worked very well here. (7.75/10)
8. I Need Help: This song is the next single for Knock Madness and I think that it was a pretty good choice by Hop. The fast piano beat begins and Hopsin pretty much spazzes out on this song and delivers some nice verses. The chorus on this song is very well done and I really like it. Pretty good song. (7.75/10)
9. Hip Hop Sinister: This song is awesome. The flow is great, but is still not the best part about this song. The screaming and anger sounds a little forced, but I love it nonetheless. The hook is simple and one of my favorites on the album. I love the “Thriller” type laughing at the end of it as well. I’d be willing to bet anything that Hopsin was listening to Eminem’s “Amityville” before recording this. This is definitely one of the best songs on the album. I really hope Hop didn’t have this song sitting on his computer before he released “Ill Mind Of Hopsin 6.” I don’t understand how this song wasn’t Ill Mind 6. It would have been perfect and the fans would have loved it. It also would have gotten tons of views and helped build his buzz back up. (9/10)
10. Good Guys Get Left Behind: This song probably has the most mixed reactions of any song on the entire album. Some people hate it, some people like it. I, however, think it’s one of the best on the LP. The chorus is great and the verses are good as well. The beat also reminds of the “Mr. Pillowman” instrumental. I think the first thing everyone thought when they heard this song is that it sounds like a Drake song and it does, but Hopsin managed to make it his own and give it that raw, but soft sound at the same time. This is pretty much a friend-zone anthem and Hopsin did a nice job on this overall. One of my favorites on the album. (9/10)
11. Bad Manners Freestyle: let me start of by saying this, I don’t really know why this is even on the album. If this isn’t filler then I don’t know what is. It seems like hop just added this to the tracklist just to add another song. There are a few good lines here and there, but I just don’t like this one. (6/10)
12. Old Friend: I’ve always liked this song from the time it came out. It’s a good song overall and even though it didn’t create the buzz that the last two Ill Minds did, it is still a good song. The chorus is great and even though the verses are pretty generic, I still like this song. (8/10)
13. Still Got Love For You: I think this is the most underrated song on the whole album. The chorus is very good and I think we all know who this song is about. Remember when Hopsin recorded that Team BackPack cypher and sounded really depressed rapping about how he thought he got his girlfriend pregnant? Well this song was probably recorded a few months after when he found out it wasn’t his. (8.75/10)
14. Jungle Bash (feat. SwizZz): This may be the worst song on the album. It sounds like a “Haywire 2” throwaway and that may be exactly what it was. The chorus is awful and SwizZz delivers an absolutely terrible verse that is almost as bad as Dizzy’s. Lines like “blow me like a cup of soup,” “knock it like madness,” and “we bout to blow up like a doll” are just terrible and the reason why I think this is the worst song on the album. Even an average Hopsin verse can’t save this one from mediocrity. (5.5/10)
15. Lunchtime Cypher (featuring Passionate MC and G-Mo Skee): The beat on this song is really cool and I love the sound effects and the high school cafeteria setting. Hopsin begins with a good verse and some funny lines such as “But now I feel like having sex with these bitches is not enough. I needed something new for moments when I gotta bust, so lately I've been beating my dick with a pair of boxing gloves.” After Hop, Passionate MC comes in and bodies his verse with some really great and intricate lines such as “With a (diss joint | disjoint) sweeter than a diabetic amputation” and “Cause when I work with Hopsin, everybody who's hip is getting (killed | kilt) like a skirt from Scotland.” The last verse is from G-Mo Skee and he does a good job as well with my favorite line on the song “I'm fucking bitches in a mobile home like a mutated nigga from the hills have eyes with no Trojan on.” Overall this is a very good song (8.5/10)
16. Dream Forever: This may be my favorite chorus on the whole album. I really like this song and the whole feel to it. This is a very deep song and whether it’s fictional or not, it’s a very chilling and haunting song. (8.75/10)
17. What’s My Purpose: This song seems to be another one that is very underrated. This chorus is just great and one of the best on the album. Is it a bit corny? Yes, but I enjoy it every time I listen to it. This is one of the only songs on the album that actually has a lot of content and Hopsin is actually rapping about something that actually makes you think when the song is over. (9/10)
18. Caught In The Rain: This is the last song on Knock Madness and it’s a pretty good song, but not great. It has some high points and some low points. The chorus is done pretty well and I like the beat. When I saw this on the tracklist when it first came out, I knew this would be the song where Hopsin says his goodbyes and that he is moving to Australia. With that said, I just think Hopsin could have done a better job of ending the album with possibly his last song for a long time. It’s still good though, don’t get me wrong. (8.25/10)
When I first heard this album, I was very underwhelmed. I still am, but not nearly as much as I was after the first listen. After listening to this album 10+ times, it has gotten better. If Hopsin would have released this album a year after RAW, I would have been happy with it. But I expected Hop to talk about more topics and have a little more variety on this album, especially after 3 years. Hopsin even said it himself, he doesn’t have that same passion for music anymore that he used to have. I really believe that moving to Australia is a good move for him until he can get his mind right. I don’t really understand how any fan of Hopsin can say that this is better than RAW, but to each their own I guess. The production is better than RAW and I enjoyed a lot of the beats but I feel that this album just lacks the passion that RAW had. I’m not saying this is a bad album because it’s not. It’s just a little underwhelming for me personally and I’m sure some of you feel the same way. It’s a fun album to listen to, but it lacks replay value in my opinion. Another reason I feel it isn't as good as RAW is because it lacks truly great songs like Where Will I Go, Heather Nicole, and Nocturnal Rainbows. This has nothing to do with the fact that I was over-hyped about the album and that I expected too much from him. All I wanted was an album that was as good as RAW and musically I don’t think it surpassed that. However, I’m still enjoying the album and just glad that it’s finally out. Not only is it a big relief for Hopsin, but it is also a relief for all of the longtime fans.
Overall Grade: 8/10
1. The Fiends Are Knocking: The first song on the album starts off with a pretty damn good hook and the beat is very good as well. The last verse is where this song takes off and gets very interesting. This is perhaps the most self-aware verse Hopsin has ever made. He acknowledges everything that the fans have been saying about him and it is truly chilling to hear. When I first heard this song, it made me even more excited to hear what’s to come next. (8.75/10)
2. Hop Is Back: This is a very solid single from Hopsin. I think it’s slightly better than “Sag My Pants” and I loved the Kanye and Kendrick disses. The hook is nice and the verses are solid as well. (7.25/10)
3. Who’s There (featuring Jarren Benton and Dizzy Wright): This song starts off with an incredible intro and it’s the best part of the song by far. The track starts off with an average Jarren verse which compliments the song pretty well. Did anyone else notice how at the 58 second mark, the beat begins to sound like something off of “Devil’s Night?” That was the first thing I noticed when I heard the song for the first time. After that Dizzy Wright comes in and raps an absolutely terrible verse. The whole thing sounded off beat and I wonder if Dizzy even put more than 10 minutes into writing this. Hopsin then delivers an average verse and then the song ends with the chorus. This is one of my least favorite songs on the album (6/10)
4. Tears To Snow: The beat starts out very nice and then Hopsin begins to rap in an angry voice about his ex girlfriend. The chorus is one of the best on the album and maybe the best. This would be in my Top 10 Hopsin choruses of all time for sure. The 2nd verse is pretty good as well and then the 3rd verse comes in which is my favorite on the song. (8.5/10)
5. Rip Your Heart Out (featuring Tech N9ne): The song starts off with a nice and fast Hopsin verse followed by an okay hook. Then Tech N9ne comes in and does his thing as usual and has one of the funniest lines on the album: "The niggas are coming, the niggas are coming!" After Tech’s verse, Hop delivers another verse that is slightly better than the first. Overall, I just don’t like the feel of the whole song. I think it’s the beat and the fact that I know Hop and Tech are capable of making a lot better song than this. (6.5/10)
6. Nollie Tre Flip: This song is different than any song on the album and any song Hopsin has ever done. The flow and the beat are excellent but unfortunately that’s the only thing I liked about the song. I don’t like this song as far as content goes. The whole track is about skating and that’s it. I think Hopsin could have rapped about something better and more meaningful than busting his nuts on a hand rail. The whole vibe of this song instantly made me think of Biggie and Hopsin pulled the flow aspect of the song off perfectly. The hook on this song is terrible and Hopsin could have done better. It’s not an awful song, but it’s not something I will be listening to a few months from now. (6.5/10)
7. Gimmie That Money: This whole song is an extremely fun listen and the verses were funny and comical. Overall, I liked this song. It’s a fun song to listen to and you can’t help but bob your head when the chorus kicks in. You can tell Hop had a lot of fun making this song. Some people hate when Hopsin uses his corny voices imitating other people, but I think it worked very well here. (7.75/10)
8. I Need Help: This song is the next single for Knock Madness and I think that it was a pretty good choice by Hop. The fast piano beat begins and Hopsin pretty much spazzes out on this song and delivers some nice verses. The chorus on this song is very well done and I really like it. Pretty good song. (7.75/10)
9. Hip Hop Sinister: This song is awesome. The flow is great, but is still not the best part about this song. The screaming and anger sounds a little forced, but I love it nonetheless. The hook is simple and one of my favorites on the album. I love the “Thriller” type laughing at the end of it as well. I’d be willing to bet anything that Hopsin was listening to Eminem’s “Amityville” before recording this. This is definitely one of the best songs on the album. I really hope Hop didn’t have this song sitting on his computer before he released “Ill Mind Of Hopsin 6.” I don’t understand how this song wasn’t Ill Mind 6. It would have been perfect and the fans would have loved it. It also would have gotten tons of views and helped build his buzz back up. (9/10)
10. Good Guys Get Left Behind: This song probably has the most mixed reactions of any song on the entire album. Some people hate it, some people like it. I, however, think it’s one of the best on the LP. The chorus is great and the verses are good as well. The beat also reminds of the “Mr. Pillowman” instrumental. I think the first thing everyone thought when they heard this song is that it sounds like a Drake song and it does, but Hopsin managed to make it his own and give it that raw, but soft sound at the same time. This is pretty much a friend-zone anthem and Hopsin did a nice job on this overall. One of my favorites on the album. (9/10)
11. Bad Manners Freestyle: let me start of by saying this, I don’t really know why this is even on the album. If this isn’t filler then I don’t know what is. It seems like hop just added this to the tracklist just to add another song. There are a few good lines here and there, but I just don’t like this one. (6/10)
12. Old Friend: I’ve always liked this song from the time it came out. It’s a good song overall and even though it didn’t create the buzz that the last two Ill Minds did, it is still a good song. The chorus is great and even though the verses are pretty generic, I still like this song. (8/10)
13. Still Got Love For You: I think this is the most underrated song on the whole album. The chorus is very good and I think we all know who this song is about. Remember when Hopsin recorded that Team BackPack cypher and sounded really depressed rapping about how he thought he got his girlfriend pregnant? Well this song was probably recorded a few months after when he found out it wasn’t his. (8.75/10)
14. Jungle Bash (feat. SwizZz): This may be the worst song on the album. It sounds like a “Haywire 2” throwaway and that may be exactly what it was. The chorus is awful and SwizZz delivers an absolutely terrible verse that is almost as bad as Dizzy’s. Lines like “blow me like a cup of soup,” “knock it like madness,” and “we bout to blow up like a doll” are just terrible and the reason why I think this is the worst song on the album. Even an average Hopsin verse can’t save this one from mediocrity. (5.5/10)
15. Lunchtime Cypher (featuring Passionate MC and G-Mo Skee): The beat on this song is really cool and I love the sound effects and the high school cafeteria setting. Hopsin begins with a good verse and some funny lines such as “But now I feel like having sex with these bitches is not enough. I needed something new for moments when I gotta bust, so lately I've been beating my dick with a pair of boxing gloves.” After Hop, Passionate MC comes in and bodies his verse with some really great and intricate lines such as “With a (diss joint | disjoint) sweeter than a diabetic amputation” and “Cause when I work with Hopsin, everybody who's hip is getting (killed | kilt) like a skirt from Scotland.” The last verse is from G-Mo Skee and he does a good job as well with my favorite line on the song “I'm fucking bitches in a mobile home like a mutated nigga from the hills have eyes with no Trojan on.” Overall this is a very good song (8.5/10)
16. Dream Forever: This may be my favorite chorus on the whole album. I really like this song and the whole feel to it. This is a very deep song and whether it’s fictional or not, it’s a very chilling and haunting song. (8.75/10)
17. What’s My Purpose: This song seems to be another one that is very underrated. This chorus is just great and one of the best on the album. Is it a bit corny? Yes, but I enjoy it every time I listen to it. This is one of the only songs on the album that actually has a lot of content and Hopsin is actually rapping about something that actually makes you think when the song is over. (9/10)
18. Caught In The Rain: This is the last song on Knock Madness and it’s a pretty good song, but not great. It has some high points and some low points. The chorus is done pretty well and I like the beat. When I saw this on the tracklist when it first came out, I knew this would be the song where Hopsin says his goodbyes and that he is moving to Australia. With that said, I just think Hopsin could have done a better job of ending the album with possibly his last song for a long time. It’s still good though, don’t get me wrong. (8.25/10)
When I first heard this album, I was very underwhelmed. I still am, but not nearly as much as I was after the first listen. After listening to this album 10+ times, it has gotten better. If Hopsin would have released this album a year after RAW, I would have been happy with it. But I expected Hop to talk about more topics and have a little more variety on this album, especially after 3 years. Hopsin even said it himself, he doesn’t have that same passion for music anymore that he used to have. I really believe that moving to Australia is a good move for him until he can get his mind right. I don’t really understand how any fan of Hopsin can say that this is better than RAW, but to each their own I guess. The production is better than RAW and I enjoyed a lot of the beats but I feel that this album just lacks the passion that RAW had. I’m not saying this is a bad album because it’s not. It’s just a little underwhelming for me personally and I’m sure some of you feel the same way. It’s a fun album to listen to, but it lacks replay value in my opinion. Another reason I feel it isn't as good as RAW is because it lacks truly great songs like Where Will I Go, Heather Nicole, and Nocturnal Rainbows. This has nothing to do with the fact that I was over-hyped about the album and that I expected too much from him. All I wanted was an album that was as good as RAW and musically I don’t think it surpassed that. However, I’m still enjoying the album and just glad that it’s finally out. Not only is it a big relief for Hopsin, but it is also a relief for all of the longtime fans.
Overall Grade: 8/10
BladerunnerRegistered Member- Posts : 144
Join Date : 2013-11-02
Location : Poland
Re: Knock Madness Official Review
Wed 27 Nov 2013 - 23:28
Good work again Buddie. You expressed your emotions fully in this review and even though I don't like What's My Purpose (it's cooooorny as heeeell :D) I agree with most of what You have written. The verse
from Rip Your Heart Out also made me laugh my ass off :). But I'm a bit surprised You gave the overall rate 8\10, imo KM deserves 9\10 (comparing to RAW 10\10 of course).
"The niggas are coming, the niggas are coming!"
- BuddieRegistered Member
- Posts : 3413
Join Date : 2011-08-07
Re: Knock Madness Official Review
Wed 27 Nov 2013 - 23:39
Thank you!Bladerunner wrote:Good work again Buddie. You expressed your emotions fully in this review and even though I don't like What's My Purpose (it's cooooorny as heeeell :D) I agree with most of what You have written. The verse
from Rip Your Heart Out also made me laugh my ass off :). But I'm a bit surprised You gave the overall rate 8\10, imo KM deserves 9\10 (comparing to RAW 10\10 of course).
"The niggas are coming, the niggas are coming!"
In my original RAW review a couple years ago, I gave it a 9.7 which is a little high. I would give it about a 9.4.
A 7 is average, an 8 is good, a 9 is great, and a 10 is excellent. That's how I've always graded albums. I think this album is average to good. If I gave it a 9 that would mean that I think this is a great album and unfortunately I don't.
- BladerunnerRegistered Member
- Posts : 144
Join Date : 2013-11-02
Location : Poland
Re: Knock Madness Official Review
Wed 27 Nov 2013 - 23:47
Hmmm, if 7 is average what is 1,2,3,4...?
- BuddieRegistered Member
- Posts : 3413
Join Date : 2011-08-07
Re: Knock Madness Official Review
Wed 27 Nov 2013 - 23:51
A 6 is below average, a 5 is mediocre, a 4 is bad, a 3 is terrible, a 2 is painful to listen to, and a 1 is unbearable. I usually wouldn't give a song anything lower than a 5 especially if it's one of my favorite artists like Hopsin.Bladerunner wrote:Hmmm, if 7 is average what is 1,2,3,4...?
SwerveRegistered Member- Posts : 232
Join Date : 2012-08-26
Re: Knock Madness Official Review
Wed 27 Nov 2013 - 23:53
I agree with all of this like this is on point.
Nice review Buddie!
Nice review Buddie!
KingRegistered Member- Posts : 5530
Join Date : 2011-10-03
Location : New York
Re: Knock Madness Official Review
Thu 28 Nov 2013 - 2:00
This review is better than the album haha 
I actually went back to listen to Raw again and turns out I gave it an 8 which is also what I would give KM but I have a bigger connection to Raw because i'm part of the fanbase that supported Hop during those times and I used to repeat songs from Raw a lot. I'm digging the better sound quality in his voice too, you can definitely notice a difference.
I actually went back to listen to Raw again and turns out I gave it an 8 which is also what I would give KM but I have a bigger connection to Raw because i'm part of the fanbase that supported Hop during those times and I used to repeat songs from Raw a lot. I'm digging the better sound quality in his voice too, you can definitely notice a difference.
ChokeyRegistered Member- Posts : 5749
Join Date : 2011-10-19
Location : King Dame's Throne
Re: Knock Madness Official Review
Thu 28 Nov 2013 - 2:27
i agree. no 10/10 and that's what the album is missing imo.
STRANGEgeniusAdministrator- Posts : 11944
Join Date : 2011-08-07
Location : Sweet Dark Fantasy
Re: Knock Madness Official Review
Thu 28 Nov 2013 - 11:49
Speak for yourself, m8.Budz wrote:Knock Madness is the album that everybody on this site has been waiting for and well, it’s finally here.
I give this album a 4/10 and thats only becuase I love a couple of the songs, and another couple are great. The Tech line was a great laugh, nothing we haven't seen before though.
- KingRegistered Member
- Posts : 5530
Join Date : 2011-10-03
Location : New York
Re: Knock Madness Official Review
Fri 29 Nov 2013 - 8:55
Now none of us can bug Hopsin anymore because he dropped his last album until a couple of years, ok Frankie you can change this into a Pharaoh Monch forums now.
RealHipHopRegistered Member- Posts : 14
Join Date : 2013-12-03
Location : Underground
Re: Knock Madness Official Review
Tue 3 Dec 2013 - 20:21
every song is a 10/10
hopsin makes real music, man
hopsin makes real music, man
Coolguy 127Registered Member- Posts : 2607
Join Date : 2012-10-18
Location : Toronto
Re: Knock Madness Official Review
Tue 3 Dec 2013 - 21:04
*cough*dickrider*cough*RealHipHop wrote:every song is a 10/10
hopsin makes real music, man
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