sightRIZE Questions Hopie$pitsHard

I got the opportunity to interview Hopie$pitsHard, onna the most talented artists in the bay today. Cop her album, "The Diamond Dame" at your local Rasuputin, Ameoba, even iTunes, go out and support!
Oh and tell me this isn't genius and you gonna get flamed

sightRIZE: Tell us a bit about how you got into hiphop?
Hopie$pitsHard: I got into hip hop about the same way as everyone else got into hip hop, which was basically finding out that that music made by people going through the same things as you, feeling the same way as you, and basically just being cut from the same fabric as you fills that void that feeling no one gets you leaves open.
sightRIZE: My personal favorite song of yours was Hopie Smile, shit was lyrical as hell, how'd that come together?
Hopie$pitsHard:Right on. 6Fingers gave me the beat with the sample on the hook- at that time, all that was on the hook was the word "smile". I tried to think of things that made me smile, and, at that time in 07, I was struggling with money and trudging through my first year of law school and thought, 'damn, there's nothing to smile about right now, but hopefully there will be soon.' And that just took me back to my childhood and how fucking tough it was, and how back then, just like at that moment, there was only a promise of a smile and a determination to get to that place. The rest wrote itself. That entire story in that song is true true true ass fuck.
sightRIZE: I see your're workin' with Del Tha Funkee Homosapien, how has that experience been?
Hopie$pitsHard: It's been awesome. It's not like we're working on stuff all the time, but I did work with him once, and opened for him on his Funk Man tour recently, and there are murmurs about future collaborations, which is nice. I was juiced then, and still am, about working with Del. He's a rap legend, and was my idol growing up. To have your idol recognize your craft is unbelievable and humbling
sightRIZE: Who/What are some of your favorite artists/albums?
Hopie$pitsHard: Like I said, I looked up to Del a lot, a lot... I really played out Both Sides of the Brain, but, what really killed it for me was him & Dan on Deltron 3030. I also listen to a lot of Outkast and Biggie for inspiration. And Jay. And Lauryn. There are a lot. As for right now, I am playing the fuck out of Cudi and Diz Gibran. I am feelin the BoB v. Bobby Ray mixtape. There is a lot of stuff I like in hip hop. If we're crossing genres, I have to throw The Doors and Led Zep I-IV and Coda in there, as well as Pink Floyd.
sightRIZE: Adapt Advancers, how'd you get affiliated with them?
Hopie$pitsHard: Evan hit me up on MySpace, actually, and it turned out he and my good friend, Arjay of Oh Dang!, had been working together on the clothing tip, so Arjay arranged for Evan to meet me at one of my shows. We just hit it off really well from there, and now Adapt is coming out with a Hopie line of shirts that I've designed, which is exciting =)
sightRIZE: What are 5 things Hopie$pitsHard can't live without?
Hopie$pitsHard: 1. Good food. Must eat at a good restaurant at least once a week. 2. My laptop (w/good beats on em ;) - is that cheating? If so, I don't care... 3. QT with my girls 4. Vacation time off! 5. Some good good... Interpret that as you'd like. You're right no matter how you cut it up ;) sightRIZE: Who is Hopie$pitsHard in a brief sentence?
Hopie$pitsHard: It is a brief sentence. Hopie spits hard. HAHA
sightRIZE: Are there any upcoming projects/shows we should know about?
Hopie$pitsHard: Yes, yes, yes! I am working on my EP, Raw Gems, which is the follow up to The Diamond Dame and produced entirely by 6Fingers, again. Also, I am kicking around a mixtape called Stolen Nova. The idea is that I jack classic beats, like gaffing a classic whip... Also, it's a play on my joint "Supernova" and a ref to Slick Rick. Lastly, I'm working on an EP with Alexander Spit, formerly of the Instant Messengers, which split up and is now a group called The Life Forever. Anyhow, 6Fingers and Cambo (IM, TLF) are producing that cut. None of these projects, unfortunately, have release dates that we can give you at this time, but they're comin fo dat ass...
sightRIZE: Is there anything we shoulda asked you? (I know there's prob a lot haha, go easy on us!)
Hopie$pitsHard: :)
sightRIZE: Anything that you'd like to end with?
Hopie$pitsHard: My site, hopiespitshard.com, will be up very fucking soon. Also, you can always check my MySpace and Twitter. Finally, Stolen Nova will be up on Youtube.com/hopiespitshard. PLEASE SUPPORT INDIE ARTISTS!!! You have $ to hit clubs and get faded with $10 drinks; maybe forego 1 drink and cop the Diamond Dame at CD Baby, iTunes, Amazon, Rhapsody, etc. or your local Ameoba/Rasputins. Then burn it and hand it out. I really don't care! Or, fuck it, listen to it for free on Pandora. Just support!!!