A Conversation with Funk Volume’s Damien Ritter – HuffPost 5.1.14
Mike Ragogna: Damien, what is the state of rap these days?
Damien Ritter: Rap is actually in a great position. Now that artists have tons of tools to connect with their fans directly, they have the freedom to take risks, to make the music they want to make, distribute it to their fans and get a response. They no longer need to wait for a label to take a chance on them. I think this is helping bring diversity back to hip hop.
MR: The label you co-founded, Funk Volume, focuses on rap and Hip-Hop. How did it originate?
DR: Hopsin had always wanted to start his own label, but the label didn’t actually start until 2008. At that time I had gotten laid off from Deloitte Consulting, and my brother, SwizZz, said that he wanted to drop out of UC Irvine and focus on music. He also told me that his friend from high school, Hopsin, was in a bad situation being signed to Ruthless Records because they weren’t doing much to support his development. We all met up and Hop and I decided that I would handle the business side of things and he would handle the creative.
MR: What do you think your label is contributing to the genre and is there a mission statement?
DR: There is not an actual mission statement, but we are trying to contribute to bringing diversity back to hip hop. Every time we bring on an artist we ensure the artist is very good AND that we are capturing a new demographic and that the artist represents a new voice. We want to make sure that by the time we have 10 artists and I ask anyone if they like hip hop, if they say yes, then there is someone on the label that they are a fan of.
We are also constantly expressing the value of hard work. It has taken a lot of work to get to this point. Most times you see artists celebrate the fruits of the labor, but the journey is dismissed. When this happens young people can forget that it takes hard work to be successful.
MR: How does the label function on a daily basis?
DR: We don’t yet have the need for an office so I work from home. Hopsin and SwizZz record at their homes. Dizzy and Jarren record in different studios in their respective cities. We have a weekly conference call every Tuesday to keep everyone up to speed on everything that is going on. All the guys are working on different things, but it’s important that everyone knows what everyone else is doing. Besides myself I have an assistant, business manager, lawyer, website admin, and a company that does our fulfillment and distribution.
MR: You’ve been having some success with acts like Hopsin and Dizzy Wright. What was it about these acts and any others you want to mention that attracted you to get involved with them?
DR: I don’t consider myself to be some great A&R person, but I feel like when artists have “it”, then it stands out. All of the guys we have are extremely talented. It was not only my opinion, but I saw how fans reacted to them. They have been rapping for 10+ year, so they have taken the time to hone their craft. They have a great live show, good work ethic, and are able to check their egos at the door [most of the time=].
MR: What projects are coming down the pike?
DR: Dizzy Wright just released an EP called State of Mind. It held the #1 spot on the iTunes hip hop chart for the first week. Jarren Benton and SwizZz should have projects coming out, but they have yet to be titled.
MR: What advice do you have for new artists?
DR: Pay attention to the numbers! The fortunate thing about the Internet is that we can get instant and quantifiable feedback that will give you a REALISTIC picture of where you are. BUT you have to be willing to listen to them. If you release a video today and it gets 100 views, and you release a video next year and it still only gets 100 views, then you need to figure out what is wrong. Either 1) you aren’t getting your music in front of the right people OR 2) your music just doesn’t resonate with people. Those are the only two options. Use the numbers to help make decisions so that you don’t spend your life going down a path that maybe wasn’t meant for you.
MR: Is there anything you want to achieve creatively on a personal level, as Damien Ritter?
DR: In music, I just want to build the dopest team of artists possible and serve as a catalyst in helping them reach their life goals. Outside of music I have a lot I want to accomplish. Funk Volume Fitness is a health and wellness business that is in the works. We have a community service initiative called “Funk Volume in the Community” that I want to turn into an actual non-profit. I would also like to open up a school one day.