Jarren Benton

Jarren Benton
Birth name Jarren Giovanni Benton
Born (1981-10-26) October 26, 1981
Decatur, Georgia, United States[1]
Origin Atlanta, Georgia, United States
Genres Hip hop
Occupation(s) Rapper
Years active 2004–present
Labels
Associated acts Dizzy Wright, Hopsin, SwizZz, Rittz, Tech N9ne, Lord D-Rock, Planet VI, Locksmith (rapper), Vinnie Paz
Website myfunkvolume.com/artist/jarren-benton/ iamjarrenbenton.com

Jarren Giovanni Benton (born October 26, 1981)[2][3] is an American rapper from Decatur, Georgia. In early 2012, he signed to rapper Hopsin's independent record label Funk Volume and released a mixtape called Freebasing with Kevin Bacon in June 2012. A year later, on June 11, 2013 he released his debut studio album My Grandma's Basement, which received positive critical reviews and debuted at number 152 on the Billboard 200. On January 4, 2016, Jarren Benton posted a prank on Instagram, saying that he dropped his current label, "Funk Volume," for a label no longer in existence entitled "No Limits." Fans and news outlets alike took the prank seriously, and spread the joke as truth on the internet because they refused to find solid evidence and verify confirmation of fact to the joke. Both Funk Volume and Jarren Benton have disproved truth to the prank in the same night.[4] However, it has been officially confirmed the Funk Volume label has split up. After the Funk Volume split up, Jarren has created his own record label under the name Benton Enterprises, choosing to go in his own direction to get his own brand out to the public, and to release his new album Slow Motion Vol. 2. The album originally was scheduled to be released on July 15th, but Jarren posted on social media on July 3rd, 2016 "Due to technical difficulties, we will be releasing Slow Motion Vol. 2 on July 22nd." The album will be released on his new website iamjarrenbenton.com and will be his first album release under his label Benton Enterprises, his first album release since the Funk Volume departure, and his first album released on his new website.

Early life

From his early youth, Benton aspired to be a rapper. He told XXL, "I started trying to rap pretty young and the shit was kind of whack and then I got a little older and I started going around Atlanta performing at certain showcases. I got a little name for myself, but it was kind of hard in Atlanta, just due to the type of music that comes from there, which is you know, typical down south shit."[5] He credits his musical influences as OutKast, Goodie Mob, Dr. Dre, Ludacris, EL-P, Busta Rhymes, Sean Price, Redman, Wu-Tang Clan, Eminem, Ras Kass, Nine Inch Nails, Chino XL, Deftones, and Marilyn Manson.[6][7][8]

Musical career

2009–2012: Mixtapes and signing with Funk Volume

On August 5, 2009 Jarren Benton released his first official mixtape titled, Jarren Benton: The Mixtape, produced entirely by The Beatgods.[9] On January 25, 2011 Benton released a collaboration mixtape with producer SMKA.[10] The mixtape titled Huffing Glue With Hasslehoff was supported by the lead single "Get a Load of Me".[11] He soon begun to gain attention after the release of his song "Skitzo", which has received over 3 million hits on YouTube.[2] American underground rapper Hopsin would watch the video, and passed it on to Funk Volume CEO Dame Ritter. Ritter would contact Benton a few months later and then in May 2012, Hopsin and Ritter signed Jarren Benton to their Funk Volume record label. He had previously been courted by industry heavyweights such as Erick Sermon and No ID for major label record deals, with labels such as Def Jam Recordings and Interscope Records, however he chose to sign with the independent record label Funk Volume.[12] His first project on Funk Volume, a mixtape titled Freebasing with Kevin Bacon would be released on June 28, 2012. The mixtape featured guest appearances from Dizzy Wright, Rittz, Freeway, Gangsta Boo, Jon Connor, and Planet VI among others.[13]

2012-2015: My Grandma's Basement

Main article: My Grandma's Basement

In late 2012 he toured internationally with Hopsin, Dizzy Wright, SwizZz and DJ Hoppa for two-months, which included 54 shows in 60 days in the United States, Europe, and Australia.[14] He explained his mindset going into his debut album saying, "This album has a different vibe. It’s a lot more personal stuff so people can learn who Jarren is." He also said it will feature a more refined production sound that translates more to his ambitions of being a household name.[1] On June 11, 2013 Jarren Benton would release his debut studio album My Grandma's Basement on Funk Volume. The album featured guest appearances by Dizzy Wright, Hopsin, R.A. The Rugged Man, Vinnie Paz and SwizZz.[15] My Grandma's Basement debuted and peaked at number 152 on the Billboard 200 and number four on the Billboard Heatseekers Albums chart.[16] He released music videos for multiple songs including "Go Off", "Life In the Jungle" and "We On (My Own Dick)" among others.[17]

On August 2, 2013, R.A. The Rugged Man released the remix to his song "Underground Hitz" featuring Hopsin and Jarren Benton.[18] From August 1–August 19, 2013 Benton toured the United States on the Grandma's Basement Tour, his first solo headlining tour.[19] Then, Benton went on "The Life And Times Tour" with Strange Music rapper Rittz and Atlantic Records rapper Snow Tha Product, the tour went from October 31, 2013 to December 8, 2013. Benton also featured on Hopsin's third studio album Knock Madness, on the song "Who's There" with Funk Volume label mate Dizzy Wright. Benton received the most fan-votes votes, earning a spot on the 2014 XXL freshman class and was named the "People's Champ".[20] He was the oldest rapper that had ever been selected to the list at 32.[21] From April 9 to June 28, 2014, Benton is touring with Tech N9ne, Freddie Gibbs and Krizz Kaliko on the Independent Grind Tour 2014.[22][23]

Personal life

Jarren Benton is married and has two children.[8]

Discography

Studio albums

List of albums, with selected chart positions
Title Album details Peak chart positions
US US
R&B/
HH		 US Rap
My Grandma's Basement 152 16 12
Slow Motion Vol. 2
  • Released: July 22, 2016
  • Label: Benton Enterprise
  • Formats: CD, digital download
 - 43 -

EP's

List of albums, with selected chart positions
Title Album details Peak chart positions
US US
R&B/
HH		 US Rap
Slow Motion Vol. 1 168 15 10
"—" denotes a title that did not chart, or was not released in that territory.

Mixtapes

List of mixtapes
scope= Album details
The Beatgods Present... Jarren Benton: The Mixtape
  • Released: August 5, 2009[9]
  • Label: Self-released
  • Formats: Digital download
Huffing Glue with Hasselhoff
  • Released: January 25, 2011
  • Label: Self-released
  • Formats: Digital download
Freebasing with Kevin Bacon
  • Released: June 28, 2012
  • Label: Funk Volume
  • Formats: Digital download

Singles

As lead artist

List of singles as lead performer, with selected chart positions, showing year released and album name
Title Year Peak chart positions Album
US US
R&B		 US
Rap
"Skitzo" 2012 — — — Freebasing With Kevin Bacon
"Funk Volume 2013"[24]
(with SwizZz, Hopsin, Dizzy Wright & DJ Hoppa)		 2013 — — — N/A
"Razor Blades and Steak Knives" — — — My Grandma's Basement
"Gimmie the Loot" 2014 — — — N/A
"Anarchy
(featuring EARTHGANG)"		 2016 — — — Slow Motion Vol. 2
"Tec In The Church
(featuring Locksmith and Joyner Lucas)"		 — — —
"Scared
(featuring OnCue & Big Rube)"		 — — —
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory.

Guest appearances

List of non-single guest appearances, with other performing artists, showing year released and album name
Title Year Other artist(s) Album
"Don't Mind If I Do" 2012 Futuristic (rapper), Dizzy Wright Chasing Down A Dream
"Hotel Stripper" Dizzy Wright The First Agreement
"Shotgun Kisses" Dizzy Wright, Irv Da Phenom
"Y.B.W. (Young Black and Winning)" (Remix) 2013 Irv da Phenom, Dizzy Wright Los Kangeles LP
"1 O'Clock Jump" Stevie Stone 2 Birds 1 Stone
"Step Yo Game Up" Dizzy Wright, Tory Lanez The Golden Age
"Insanity" Kasland Devil's Delight
"YDGI" verbal PHANTOM THEO
"Meditation Obliteration" Bloodstepp Bass And Bubblegum
"Who's There" Hopsin, Dizzy Wright Knock Madness
"Get Your Weight Up" 2014 Goldyard Fuck Culture E.P.
"Meditation Obliteration (Bent(on) Destruction Remix)" Bloodstepp, KD The Stranger Grand Theft Ufo: Floppy Disk Edition
"Hundred Percent Legit (Gmix)" Knifer, WC Hundred Percent Legit (Gmix)
"Rage" The Dillinger Escape Plan Converse CONS Compilation - CONS EP Vol. 2[25]
"Ohh Noo" Chris Webby, Tech N9ne Chemically Imbalanced
"Don't Know" Jon Dubb The Leilana May Project
"Explain Myself" 2015 Dizzy Wright The Growing Process
"Ramona" Hopsin Pound Syndrome
"Jack Move" Erick Sermon E.S.P. (Erick Sermon’s Perception)
"Joe Jackson" Twisted Insane Voodoo

References

  1. 1 2 "Jarren Benton". myfunkvolume.com.
  2. 1 2 "The Come Up: Jarren Benton". XXL.
  3. ↑ "Funk Volume on Twitter". Twitter.
  4. ↑ http://hiphopdx.com, HipHopDX -. "Jarren Benton Claims To Leave Funk Volume For No Limit; Funk Volume Responds". HipHopDX. Retrieved 2016-01-05.
  5. ↑ The Come Up: Jarren Benton - Page 2 of 7 - XXL
  6. ↑ "The Come Up: Jarren Benton". XXL.
  7. ↑ "Source Exclusive: Jarren Benton Speaks On His Funk Volume Family, Redman & His Latest Album". thesource.com.
  8. 1 2 "Jarren Benton Conquers His Stage Fright - XXL". Xxlmag.com. 2013-08-15. Retrieved 2013-08-25.
  9. 1 2 "Booth Favorite Jarren Benton Drops Self-Titled Mixtape [Download] | DJBooth.net". djbooth.net. Retrieved 2014-04-04.
  10. ↑ "Amazon.com: Jarren Benton Meets Smka: Huffing Glue With Hasselhoff [Explicit]: Jarren Benton: MP3 Downloads". amazon.com.
  11. ↑ "Jarren Benton Meets SMKA: Huffing Glue With Hasslehoff". DJBooth.net.
  12. ↑ "The Come Up: Jarren Benton". XXL.
  13. ↑ "Jarren Benton - Freebasing With Kevin Bacon". DJBooth.net.
  14. ↑ "Hopsin Announces Funk Volume 2012 Tour with Dizzy Wright, SwizZz & Jarren Benton [Video] | XXL". Xxlmag.com. 2012-08-16. Retrieved 2013-07-18.
  15. ↑ "The Come Up: Jarren Benton". XXL.
  16. ↑ "Jarren Benton | Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved 2013-08-25.
  17. ↑ Tyler Keyes. "Video: Jarren Benton f/ Hopsin & SwizZz "Go Off"". Complex.
  18. ↑ "iTunes - Music - Underground Hits (Remix) [feat. Hopsin, Jarren Benton] - Single by R.A. the Rugged Man". iTunes.
  19. ↑ HipHopDX (24 June 2013). "Jarren Benton Announces "Grandma's Basement Tour" Dates". HipHopDX.
  20. ↑ "XXL Freshmen 2014 Cover Revealed - XXL". xxlmag.com. Retrieved 2014-07-14.
  21. ↑ "XXL Freshmen Class: By The Numbers". xxlmag.com. Retrieved 2014-07-14.
  22. ↑ "Tech N9ne, Freddie Gibbs Are Hitting 70 Cities For New Tour - XXL". Xxlmag.com. Retrieved 2014-01-30.
  23. ↑ "What We Learned: Jarren Benton's 'Ask Me Anything' Session On Reddit - Page 2 of 2 - XXL". xxlmag.com. Retrieved 2014-07-14.
  24. ↑ "iTunes - Music - Funk Volume 2013 - Single by Various Artists". itunes.apple.com. Retrieved 2014-01-19.
  25. ↑ "The Dillinger Escape Plan and rapper Jarren Benton, "Rage" video premiere". Alternative Press.

External links

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