In 2003, The Source released recordings of a teenage Eminem rapping racist remarks about black women. Rather than get defensive, Marshall Mathers created the oft-forgotten Encore gem “Yellow Brick Road,” which gives the backstory to the ill-advised tapes before offering a no-strings-attached apology. Given his similarity in every aspect of his artistry, Hopsin should have definitely taken note. His unapologetic, self-pitying reflections about pushing his then-pregnant, then-girlfriend Alyce Madden last year pervade his latest album No Shame and render it almost entirely unlistenable.
Hop opens with “Hotel In Sydney,” which lyrically outlines his side of an incident with while out in Australia’s top city. He asserts that she admitted to being in bed with her personal trainer and working at a strip club. Hop screams himself hoarse while recounting his demands to find out which club she works at (as if it really matters) and copped to throwing her purse across the room and shoving Madden back onto a hotel bed. But then, rather than apologize, Mr. Marcus Hopson tries to defend the indefensible: “I don’t approve of any man putting hands on his girlfriend or wife/Especially when she’s pregnant with his kid inside/Honestly feel like I wasn’t in the wrong, but still I wasn’t in the right/Ask her, she ain’t got no bruises on her.”
The lyrics (should) stop listeners dead in their tracks. Whether or not Madden did all of the things Hopsin claims or embellished the assault, Hopsin still admits to putting hands on her, and then has the nerve to say he wasn’t in the wrong and claim that because she didn’t have bruises on her, it was OK. This shouldn’t even have to be stated, but there is N-O defense for putting hands on a woman — let alone a woman carrying your child — and the shameless self-indulgence of the opening track sets the tone for an extremely uncomfortable album.
Had Hopsin moved on from the topic after checking out of the “Hotel in Sydney,” No Shame as a whole may still have been salvageable. Painfully, Marcus just couldn’t let it go. He wails on track after track about the backlash he’s faced since the DV incident. He blames Madden for his troubles on “All Your Fault (Remix),” while finger painting himself the outcast on the serene-sounding “Black Sheep.” Hopsin’s past lamentations about ex-girlfriends who wronged him and his struggle to find his place in the world were relatable, and at times even endearing. But his unashamed pose and poor-me rhetorics grow tired here, not only because of their egregious nature but also because we’ve heard this from Hop so many times before.
The self-produced gothic piano keys and dense drums throughout the album could be switched with beats from any of his past albums and the casual listener probably wouldn’t know the difference. Hopsin clearly wanted to make this album a statement, so manning the boards makes sense. The result is nonetheless a generic soundscape that only further jars the listener. Hopsin’s attempt to justify his actions is not the album’s only cringe-worthy subject. Album filler du jour “Happy Ending” features obnoxious, tacky, racist impressions of Asian women. It’s clear Hop was trying to touch the funny bone with a joint about masturbatory massage parlors but quips like “I can give you sucky-sucky” induce head-shaking rather than nodding.
Sure, there are moments where it feels as if Hopsin knows he was wrong. On the surprisingly touching penultimate number “Marcus’ Gospel,” he abandons his frantic flow and spits slowly over drawn-out organs about his self-loathing: “I don’t like Marcus, I don’t like Hopsin, I am ashamed of them both.” Had the album featured more songs like this vulnerable testimony, No Shame would have the redemption he so desperately seeks for his credibility. However, the album doesn’t have a cinematic feel or structure, and if there were any doubts about Hopsin’s views on forgiveness, he tells his son on the fabled series “Ill Mind of Hopsin 9”: “If I do see your mom again, I’ll assault the bitch.”
The never-ending debate of art vs. reality will surely rear its head when discussing No Shame. However, keep in mind that while Eminem, Brotha Lynch Hung, and Big L surely produced eye-popping horrific lyrics, those lyrics were supposed to terrify and offend. They were fantasy. Hopsin is reflecting about real-life domestic assault with disdain for the victim and little remorse, which turns No Shame into a truly shameful affair.
FUCK YOUR SHITTY BULLSHIT REVIEW DX,YALL WOULDNT KNOW GOOD MUSIC IF IT SMACKED YOU IN THE FACE,NO SHAME IS A SOLID BODY OF WORK
You liked it? It’s funny how everyone has different opinions. I thought Pound Syndrome was mediocre, but this one I didn’t enjoy at all. Happy Ending is just horrendous. One of the worst tracks I’ve heard for a long long time
Now Aaron McKrell, did you REALLY just cross the lines between personal and journalism? I think you did sir! Even IF you disagree with a topic or two on an album that should IN NO WAY influence your rating on the material. I’ll give him a 3.6 for his effort, but I’ll give you a 2 for your shameful review.
First of all, use your real name when you comment. That screen name is cowardly. That goes for anyone who wants to sling mud. Second, the personal IS his art. He wants to make an album defending violence against women? That’s taken into consideration as it should be and is not unprofessional.
The album is defending violence against women? Or is it explaining his side of the story against one particular grimy woman? Why is it that we live in a country where women are always right, never lie, and can behave in any manner they choose without consequence and a white knight will defend their behavior and actions at all costs? Really? There’s NO reason to put hands on a woman? Ever? Seriously?
I’m not saying what he did was right, but it is certainly understandable given her behavior. Then when he vents about an incident that obviously caused him severe emotional distress he gets punished for it? Men don’t have feelings too?
I don’t understand.
yikes dude you’re psycho
Because….?
Reading this, it’s like since Hopsin’s a shitty person in real life (which I can totally agree with), and since he put his shitty person emotions into making the album, the reviewer transferred his real life douchebagginess to the music. This logically is untenable. But again, I most likely will not listen to this album anyway.
One last thing….. I almost forgot.
Encore sucked. “Yellow Brick Road” is not a ‘lost gem.’ That song was Eminem doing obvious damage control in a very robotic, superficial manner. That disc came out when The Source played a lot of politics. But that song and the album by and large was trash.
Not perfect, definitely better than 2.9! I’d say it’s somewhere between 3.75 and 3.9. Hop’s beats have gotten a lot better, especially mixing-wise. Some songs could’ve easily been dropped from the album and replaced with those of which he released individually after leaving FV – even if they wouldn’t fit the general theme of the album.
He seems to be getting better and better, maybe the next album deserves more than 4.0/5. Also that remix for ‘All Your Fault’ is no good, the original has a way better beat.
3.75? pound syndrome was a 100000 x better than this!!
Can’t agree with that, but Pound Syndrome surely had good songs on it too.
You guys have no idea what you are talking about. The man was brave enough to put the most painful parts of his life on display without shame, and your review shows that you completely missed the point. Furthermore, you are attempting to interpret parts of Hopsin’s life that are not up to interpretation. He tells the story, not you, especially because you don’t know him or the details of his life. This Aaron guy has got to go. If you can’t recognize the pure vulnerability and authenticity of this piece of art, then you must be delusional.
Lol you sound like a cuck
LOL you are a retard…write a real comment idiot…
This review does come across like someone who hates what Hop did but I did agree it feels like that’s all he rapped about on the album Midway I had to turn it off and listen to something else. I came back and he was still rapping about his baby mother. Kind of depressing tbh
For me the album gonna be poppin 4 weeks…got 6 16 inch in the back yall….
Ok Mr. Moderator, you win. In all your powerful internet glory you have the authority to delete my historically accurate account of the Em song Yellow Brick Road.
Have fun pushing the red button. Lol
The rating on this is pure bullshit. The album is his best body of work. Whoever wrote this review is clearly does not like Hopsin. This CD is incredible. Enough with the bullshit reviews. Next time hopefully this person doesn’t review a Hopsin album. Literally the only reason for not liking the CD was because he pushed a female and didn’t apologize. Should he have apologized? Ofcourse he should have but to go as far as saying you can’t listen to the album because of it? Ridiculous! Don’t fucking listen then! Next time don’t waste your time in reviewing a Hopsin album. Cut the shit! He is spazzing out on every song rappibg his ass off! 5/5!!!
Your trash KingJuelz
KingJUelz ain shit
I laugh when I see adults that listen to Hopsin. All this motherfucker does is complain about shit, and he does it like a frustrated teenager, kicking the dirt. Homeboy is in his 30’s too. lmao.
I’d say it’s his best album, that’s all.
Never liked Hopsin. He has become very whiny, always crying about things not working out in his life. If things are going wrong all the time, maybe he should realize that HE might be the problem?
Also, I agree with the reviewer that Hopsin trying to justify pushing his pregnant wife is unforgivable. The review comes across as very insightful and well written.
Cool concept of the album is awesome….5/5
One of the worst album of the year. His two previous albums were better. I love the “I’ll Mind of Hopsin 9” song though.
Straight Fire,
Maybe to mutch of the Ex-Girlfriend thing on there…but still lit….
“while Eminem, Brotha Lynch Hung, and Big L surely produced eye-popping horrific lyrics, those lyrics were supposed to terrify and offend. They were fantasy. Hopsin is reflecting about real-life domestic assault”
Does Art Imitate life or does Life imitate Art…. Ima give this a listen
I feel like songs like “Black Sheep” and “Marcus’ Gospel” redeem the girlfriend part and outweigh it a ton. While most of the album is directed towards his ex girlfriend, it is still evident that the album contains the self reflection Hop so desperately needed. The most prolific example of this is in the song “Black Sheep” which I mentioned earlier. “And I act like I don’t give a fuck, but I do give a fuck
And I’m trapped inside my mind, there ain’t no loosenin’ up maybe I’m thinkin’ too much and I’m caught in my feelings” This quote is just from the hook of the song. In the remainder of this song, Hopsin continues to tell the listener how he failed to fit in, and the effects the social isolation he went through took a toll on him. On the track “I must be on something” Hop also acknowledges how “To be honest it ain’t safe to be around me” and “Do I even have a soul? My thoughts are so unimaginable my brain just hasn’t grown”. This self reflection present in so many of the songs is something people seem to skim over. While I do agree that at times he was completely in the wrong such as in “Happy Ending” and “All your fault”, the tracks about his kid serve as an insight that allows the listener to create a sence of empathy of hopsin going through the opposite of what is generaly portrayed in rap with fathers leaving their sons or daughters. Overall, clever word play, a good production, and his lyrics all acumulate to helping the listener feel for hopsin, and relate to the album. Solid 4
Hot album! Reality to its fullest.
Are y’all serious? This his his most personal album and his best work
This was a great album, I think hiphopdx review is b.s.
Jepp, same opinion over here 😉
Great album! Fuck HipHopDx
Well, F… HipHopDX is a bit to hard….but hell yeah great album 😉
There’s a reason the hiphop industry doesn’t take Hopsin seriously… the dude dissed all kinds of people, wen kendrick, in viral videos… and nobody cares lol. Cause the dude is sooo corny, and almost all of his songs are about complaining. I feel like the only people that really like Hopsin are Eminem stans that miss when Eminem was actually good.
Right when I read you thought the entire track all your fault is about Alyce you lost all credibility. I think this album went over your head a little you focused on the wrong shit. Definitely wasn’t trying to hear your PC opinion on his lyrics lol
This was Hopsins best album IMO. Pretty brutal article about a purest in Hopsin, considering his competition in Hip Hop is very low. Too bad. Better than DAMN and Trial by Fire and 4:44
Are you high? The three albums you just mentioned are all contenders for the album of the year! All solid projects. This album is a 3.5 at best. Pretty average with unoriginal production as the reviewer mentioned.
DAMN was wack IMO, His worst project, Trial By Fire wasn’t boring, and 4:44 was too smart and boring as well. Hopsin rapped his ass off on this album. Just my opinion
Trial By Fire is out of reach; simply too good. My favorite album from 2017.
Boy you need to go run your DAMN head into a wall about 444 times for saying that. Anyone who says DAMN was KDot worst album doesnt know much about themselves or been exposed to spirituality in music. 444 was alright but if you think this is better than any of those, you really don’t know hip hop cuzz. Hopsin doesn’t have competition? Not many people rapping about beating pregnant women would.
The worst rapper out
I suppose you like the Migos or Meek Mills?
Well who ever you like tell them to make a diss track because that’s exactly what Hopsin is waiting for…If you think one of those trap rappers can take him out you really don’t know hip-hop.
really? I thought it was his best album… he has never made like a GREAT album but i thought this one was dope. i thought for sure its at least a 3.5
Him , Futuristic, Lil Uzi, Lil bump and all of the corny Gimmicky rappers need to cut it out and make real music. I liked a few songs from Hopsin and thought he was creative but he is going too far to appeal to white teens at the expense of the art form. WACK Him and Futuristic are the two corniest rappers this year so far.Corny beats and gimmicks are played out homie.
Get stage 4 piccolo faaagggooot
Damn, Hop going hard in the Sin, lol.
Honestly, it was better than I expected it to be. It just wasn’t as good as it could have been. Had the first half of the album been released as an EP, I probably would have given it a 4.5/5.
Hopsin has always been extremely corny to me, I tried to like him in the past but his music is super corny aside from the ill mind stuff, everything else makes me cringe. We get it Em is your favorite rapper
Best Hopsin album and more original than his other content trying to sound like em. I give it a 3/5. There are some flaws because he still hasn’t reached his potential. I think he is uninspired. He needs better producers too or co produce.
who ever wrote this review for HipHopDX instead of judging the album judged hopsin as a person
Hopsin has been always wack and corny, not really a news.
Reported for ignorance and lies you fairy
I think people have forgotten what rap is about. Rap was built around, not only insulting other people, but expressing their life problems in ways that they couldn’t do in person. Hopsin has always stuck to that and been able to do it, and while some may say that he does it too much or complains too much, I’d argue that he’s doing things right, and doing it this way because that’s how he is, and that’s how he lives his life. If you guys are looking for Hopsin to do something less dramatic and “cringy,” then you’re gonna have to wait until he chooses to live his life differently because this is rap and that’s just the way he is. No Shame. 4/5
Finally a real comment…not that fukk Hop, Em fell off and Kendrik is a bitch shit. Thank You!
The reviewer of the album is a straight dumbass. He clearly just doesn’t like hopsin, which is fine.. but you can’t review an album based on your opinion of the rapper as a whole.
I am with you bruh, you are totally right!
You must b a Hopsin hater not to give him a 5 rating!! Hopsin is so underrated same as Logic. Those two dudes will destroy mostly all the new artists out now. I would love for a rapper to go after Hopsin and what happens..
The dumbass who wrote the article must not know anything about Hopsin. He’s most likely just another wigga hiphop head who listens to Kendrick Lamar
Then why you give 1/5?
Album is Awesome…
Definitely Hopsins worst album. It’s not a bad album by any means. But when compared to Pound Syndrome, Knock Madness, and of course Raw, it fails to live up to the expectations he set. This album has a few amazing tracks in it. Panorama City, Hotel in Sydney, ill mind of Hopsin 9, and more. But it feels repetitive. I would rate it a 3.5/5. Good album. But not great.
Edit: Definitely Hopsins worst album. It’s not a bad album by any means. But when compared to Pound Syndrome, Knock Madness, and of course Raw, it fails to live up to the expectations he set. This album has a few amazing tracks in it. Panorama City, Hotel in Sydney, ill mind of Hopsin 9, and more. But it feels repetitive. I would rate it a 3.5/5. Good album. But not great.
I love this album so much i cant think of one song i dont like on this album
I don’t get the rating, as with many other HipHopDX reviews. How are you going to rip this album apart (with good reason) and then give it a 2.9/5? That implies that is a GOOD album, while the review is clearly negative. You need to start giving bad ratings to bad albums.
Much better than Pound Syndrome
This review is sooooooooo biased and the writer is soooo in their feelings and must be an abuse victim. A push isn’t domestic assault. You never pushed your brother or sister before ??? You’re so over exaggerating the situation and persuading listeners in a bias manner.
Not a fan but this was weak by any standard. Beats were meh..flows were elementary multis. Anyone comparing him to Eminem needs to pass the drugs. If you can’t do it better just stop that Stan shit and find some original sauce don’t be mad and complain about your fuckups that you have NO SHAME about for 80m. And if he is such a lyrical beast (how?) why he didn’t speak a word on Euroz?? Fake tough, fake deep. FOH
The reviewer sounds like a feminist idiot. So the album is trash because Hopsin PUSHED his girlfriend? Fuck off with that nonsense, he caught her fucking someone while she was pregnant with his kid. And there’s no reason to ever put hands on a woman? Bullshit, there can be a reason to hit anyone. Although I’ll have to remember that logic next time BLM burn down a college and HHDX try to justify it. I think the reviewer tripped over his own piss flaps.
its hopsin’s best project to date
Hopsin is mediocre and always has been mediocre. He is talented but he doesn’t make good music. 4/10 for me.
This review feels like a pedantic judgment of Hopsin’s handling of his problems with the mother of his child, not a discussion about the intrisic quality of the lyrics, beats or any other “technical” aspect of the album. Fuck the reviewer; long-live hopsin and this is a dope album.
Your opinion of him as a person doesn’t mean the album isn’t good. The album is good that’s that
Review is completely biased the beats the flow, it’s a great album musically. I’m giving it a 4 but I kinda wanna give it 5
Feels like the reviewer didnt read the title of this album..its called NO SHAME for a reason…how stupid would it be to call a album “no shame” then starting rapping apologetic shit
Ill mind of hopsin 9, the purge, and the witch doctor are his best pieces on the album. still have to listen to all of it. What are y’all favorites?