Core

Core, real name Cory Hopson, was born October 31, 1987 and has been a special child since birth. Hailing from E St. Louis, IL, the youngest of three has always been articulate, creative, and assumed a certain aura around himself. "I remember growin up and always beein surrounded by homies and a vital part of our clique." he states. Growing up in a poverty stricken neighborhood, he was breed with the mentality of working harder than the rest. Throughout elementary, despite changing school 3 times, he was a star pupil until junior high school, which is when he first discovered he skill of rapping. " I had been listening to rap since forever, along with soul from my granny, and new jack swing from my moms. When i got to jr. high i was just playin wit rap, I dont even tell people thats when i started, i tell them high school, sophmore year, thats when i knew that rapping was for me."

Indeed high school was, Core began penning rhymes with a fellow student by the name of Selwyn Floore." We was writing rhymes every class we had! We started a group called Commission with a mutual homie Lloud as the manager of sorts." As well as penning rhymes, he became a battle rapper. "I would write rhymes about niggas, freestyle if i aint have time to write, i would take any challege! I went hard for the crown." By jr. year in high school Core was well known through school as a good rapper, but he had yet to pen and record a song.....until "Holla at ya boy". "There was a variety show coming up and i wrote that for it. I actually wrote the 2nd verse on the way to the studio." This would be his first ever performance in front of a large crowd....a success! " I had every person in that place rockin! i was shakin hands on stage, shoutin out folks, i went nuts! My mom, aunt, sister, brother, errbody was there and i showed my ass. That will forever be im my memory bank." He didnt win the variety show, but however, sketched his name in the memories of everybody in attendance and everybody who got wind of it. " For that time i was a superstar."

After a hot song, admiration from his peers, and added fuel to continue his rap dreams, he got to work on his first mixtape. " Selwyn had hooked up wit another clique, Lloud and me wasnt as tight as we were, i was basically by myself after a certain point and i still keep Commission alive in me. I was by myself until i met my nigga till death, TNT." Tnt was also a up and coming emcee from Alton,IL. When these two hooked up it was like magic and they became untouchable. With no money and limited time, Core finisehed his mixtape with 80 dollars in four hours. " I believe in gettin shit done, the studio was 20 dollars an hour, i booked it for 2 hrs 2 times. I recorded 10 songs in 2hrs twice! I wasnt playin in the studio, i was comin to work and get shit done." His first mixtape was titled " The Commission Mixtape Vol 1: 2 Tha Core" to signal the mixtape's realness and to put all on notice of the arrival of Core.

Senior year of high school Core had a big decision to make, college or strickly pursuing a rap career. After juggling the idea for months, he decided to enroll in Southern Illinois University- Carbondale and pursue his rap career at the same time. As a rapper Core continued to flourish but college would make him even better than even he himself had imagined. He began to hang with (and soon after became a member of) an on campus organization with the name "Underground Arts". A group composed of comedians, poets, rappers, music lovers, artist, dancers, and writers became a family for Core, helping him become a better emcee, a great emcee.

Majoring in Performance Studies, taking on philosophy, arguing politics, becoming a stronger leader, and fighting against poverty, injustices, and racial prejudice became apart of Core. With Underground Arts as his support, Core found new ways of forming rhymes with his new found knowledge of music, art, and life. Core not only became a great emcee, he became a better person. In just 2 and a half years in college Core has took full advantage of the opportunity.

As he stands now, Core is just as active and hungry as he was when began rapping so many years ago. As he now plans to drop his newest mixtape and appear on several other underground projects, his future appears bright as ever. Core is making strides to compete with the best rappers and become the best to ever grace a mic in all aspects. Prepare to enter the Core sooner than later