Pound Syndrome

In 2014, prior to the announcement of Pound Syndrome, Hopsin had been hinting about quitting rap music and moving to Australia. However, on December 25, 2014, Hopsin shared a video on his YouTube channel, called "The REAL reason Hopsin left the music industry" with his label-mate Jarren Benton, which was inspired by the film Dumb and Dumber To, which he stated that he is not quitting rap and it was all a gag, revealing that Pound Syndrome will be releasing in 2015.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_ICvfRjmdFM|title=The REAL reason Hopsin left the music industry|publisher=Hopsintv|date=December 25, 2014|access-date=July 7, 2015}}{{cite web|url=http://www.hotnewhiphop.com/hopsin-announces-pound-syndrome-album-with-art-news.13388.html|title=Hopsin Announces "Pound Syndrome" Album With Art|last=Lilah|first=Rose|publisher=HotNewHipHop|date=December 26, 2014|access-date=July 7, 2015}}{{cite web|url=http://hiphopdx.com/news/id.31884/title.hopsin-not-quitting-rap-says-it-was-a-prank|title=Hopsin Not Quitting Rap, Says It Was A Prank|last=Harling|first=Danielle|work=HipHopDX|publisher=Cheri Media Group|date=December 26, 2014|access-date=July 7, 2015}} After the release of his fellow label-mates projects (Dizzy Wright's The Growing Process and Jarren Benton's Slow Motion EP), Hopsin began recording Pound Syndrome, which was rumored to be a song, but instead it was later announced to be his fourth full-length album.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOk2XitORhw|title=Hopsin Says "Pound Syndrome" His Highest Quality Album Yet|publisher=DJBooth.net|date=July 16, 2015|access-date=July 17, 2015}} Recording sessions for the album took place over the course of the year.{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/hopsin/status/625519698872963072|title=Hopsin on Twitter|date=July 26, 2015|access-date=November 29, 2017}}

While visiting through multiple interviews, Hopsin has been stating that the album is an "improvement" over his previous releases as the terms of quality.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKbciVifX7I|title=Hopsin on What Makes 'Pound Syndrome' Way Better Than Last LP|publisher=VladTV|date=July 16, 2015|access-date=July 17, 2015}} On May 27, 2015, his interview was released on Sway Calloway's YouTube channel, touching on his appearance at Soundset Music Festival, and announcing that Pound Syndrome would be released on July 24, 2015. In an interview, he said that this is "definitely the best album that [he's] ever created, hands down."{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?t=96&v=O-OOZF7XALY|title=Soundset 2015: Hopsin on Performing at the Biggest Hip-Hop Festival in the World + His Best Album|publisher=SwaysUniverse|date=May 27, 2015|access-date=July 14, 2015}} On July 8, 2015, Hopsin released the album's final track listing.{{cite web|url=http://hiphopdx.com/news/id.34075/title.hopsin-pound-syndrome-album-release-date|title=Hopsin "Pound Syndrome" Album Release Date & Tracklist|last=Grefe|first=Cliff|work=HipHopDX|publisher=Cheri Media Group|date=July 8, 2015|access-date=July 8, 2015}}

On July 18, 2014, Hopsin released a video for his song, titled "Ill Mind of Hopsin 7", five months prior to the announcement of Pound Syndrome as the official lead single.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBsA2ETp7JA|title=Hopsin - ILL MIND OF HOPSIN 7|publisher=YouTube|date=July 18, 2014|access-date=July 14, 2015}} The song sparked controversy, as Hopsin details his lost faith in religion, and the connections between religion, history and governance.{{cite web|url=http://www.hotnewhiphop.com/hopsin-ill-mind-of-hopsin-7-new-song.1939329.html|title=Hopsin - Ill Mind Of Hopsin 7|last=Jaffe|first=Lloyd|publisher=HotNewHipHop|date=July 18, 2014|access-date=July 14, 2015}}{{cite news|url=http://www.christianpost.com/news/born-again-rapper-hopsin-irreverently-questions-god-bible-reveals-hes-lost-faith-in-new-song-ill-mind-of-hopsin-7-12–3569/|title=Born-Again Rapper Hopsin Irreverently Questions God, Bible; Reveals He's 'Lost Faith' in New Song 'Ill Mind of Hopsin 7'|last=Blair|first=Leonardo|newspaper=The Christian Post|access-date=July 14, 2015}}

On June 1, 2015, Hopsin released a song, titled "Crown Me", as the second single from the album with an accompanying music video.{{cite web|url=https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/crown-me-single/id999650035|title=Crown Me - Single by Hopsin|publisher=iTunes (US). Apple|access-date=July 8, 2015}}{{dead link|date=March 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ji3MJksAYGo|title=Hopsin - Crown Me|publisher=YouTube|date=May 31, 2015|access-date=July 7, 2015}} "Fly" was released as the third single from the album on July 8, 2015.{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MitZ-C0tgQ|title=Hopsin - FLY|publisher=YouTube|date=July 8, 2015|access-date=July 14, 2015}} The music video for the intro track "The Pound" was released on the same night as the album's release. The album's fourth and final single, "Fort Collins" was released on September 3, 2015. The song features guest vocals from his then Funk Volume label-mate and fellow rapper Dizzy Wright.

{{Music ratings

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1Score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}{{cite web|last=Jeffries |first=David|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/pound-syndrome-mw0002860722 |title=Hopsin - Pound Syndrome|publisher=AllMusic |date=July 24, 2015 |access-date=July 31, 2015}}

| rev2 = HipHopDX

| rev2Score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}{{cite web|last=Johnsen |first=Homer|url=http://hiphopdx.com/reviews/id.2499/title.hopsin-pound-syndrome |title=Hopsin - Pound Syndrome|work=HipHopDX |publisher=Cheri Media Group |date=July 24, 2015 |access-date=July 31, 2015}}

| rev3 = XXL

| rev3Score = {{Rating|4|5}} (XL){{cite web|last=Robertson |first=Darryl|url=http://www.xxlmag.com/rap-music/reviews/2015/07/hopsin-wields-introspective-pen-new-album-pound-syndrome/ |title=Hopsin Wields an Introspective Pen on New Album 'Pound Syndrome' |work=XXL |publisher=Townsquare Media |date=July 28, 2015 |access-date=August 3, 2015}}

}}

Homer Johnsen of HipHopDX classified the album as "a wonderfully chaotic immersion into the ill mind of Hopsin", praising Hopsin for his voice delivery, production and lyrical acrobats on the album.

Darryl Robertson of XXL stated that "Overall, Pound Syndrome is an album that one can download and let ride non-stop from front to back. When Hopsin isn’t dropping 16s aimed at his fellow MCs, it seems that hip-hop is Hopsin’s conduit to release the heavy thoughts and multitudes of life’s ills from his third eye, a refreshing break from the more common ego trips that drive much of todays hip-hop."

Pound Syndrome debuted at number 17 on the US Billboard 200, with first week sales of 17,149 copies.{{cite web|url=http://hiphopdx.com/news/id.34929/title.hip-hop-album-sales-eminem-future-meek-mill|title=Hip Hop Album Sales: Eminem, Future & Meek Mill|last=Hernandez|first=Victoria|work=HipHopDX|publisher=Cheri Media Group|date=August 3, 2015|access-date=August 9, 2015}}{{cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/billboard-200/2015-08-15|title=Billboard 200 – August 15, 2015|work=Billboard|access-date=November 29, 2017}} It was the eleventh highest-selling album in the United States that week.{{cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/top-album-sales/2015-08-15|title=Top Album Sales – August 15, 2015|work=Billboard|access-date=November 29, 2017}}

• All songs are produced by Hopsin.

{{Track listing

| title1 = The Pound

| writer1 = Marcus Hopsin

| length1 = 1:43

| title2 = Forever III

| writer2 = Hopsin

| length2 = 4:21

| title3 = No Hope

| writer3 = Hopsin

| length3 = 4:56

| title4 = Ramona

| note4 = featuring Jarren Benton

| writer4 = {{hlist|Hopsin|Jarren Benton}}

| length4 = 4:27

| title5 = Mr. Jones

| writer5 = Hopsin

| length5 = 3:25

| title6 = Fort Collins

| note6 = featuring Dizzy Wright

| writer6 = {{hlist|Hopsin|La'Reonte Wright}}

| length6 = 4:32

| title7 = No Words

| writer7 = Hopsin

| length7 = 1:36

| title8 = Crown Me

| writer8 = Hopsin

| length8 = 4:33

| title9 = Ill Mind of Hopsin 7

| writer9 = Hopsin

| length9 = 5:39

| title10 = FV Till I Die

| note10 = featuring SwizZz

| writer10 = {{hlist|Hopsin|Justin Ritter}}

| length10 = 4:53

| title11 = My Love

| writer11 = Hopsin

| length11 = 5:12

| title12 = No Fucks Given

| writer12 = Hopsin

| length12 = 4:05

| title13 = Fly

| writer13 = Hopsin

| length13 = 5:00

| title14 = I Just Can't

| writer14 = Hopsin

| length14 = 4:23

| total_length = 58:45

}}

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{{reflist|30em}}

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Category:2015 albums

Category:Hopsin albums

Category:Funk Volume albums

Category:Warner Records albums