AITHEN: The Truth Warrior
In the rough drug houses and ghettos of his youth, Aithen faced relentless injustices. Raised by abusive, dishonest family members from both his white and Black sides, he endured severe trauma, including a hospital stay with dozens of mouth stitches from his father at 17. Rejecting their cycle of lies, Aithen dedicated his life to truth and fighting injustice with a fierce resolve. At 12, he chased a bike thief for a mile, nearly fist fighting roadside to force the thief to return the goods, and in grade school, he continually stood up to bullies. By high school, at 6’1” and over 250 pounds, he was a beloved class clown—fun, fair, and protective of all, earning universal respect from all friend groups—from jocks to goths and band geeks alike. This spirit fueled his music career in the cutthroat battle rap scene and hip hop industry, where he faced ample opportunists, clout-chasing ne’er-do-wells, and even more bullies reminiscent of his past. Always the standout talent, Aithen as The Jokerr, took on all comers and defended the truth and his reputation viciously, eventually growing to become the greatest “diss track” rapper of all time, leaving a Trail of Destruction while cultivating universal lessons from each clash. The Jokerr remains the unrivaled Jester, wielding his unmatched creative and lyrical arsenal to defend himself and others in a style so entertaining, brutal, and hilariously sharp that it captivates the world. Enjoy this selection of lyrical and musical battles in creative music videos, proving time and again that there truly is a new bully on the block now—and he’s the world-class, battle-hardened, extremely OP anti-bully ready to speak truth to power without fear as a true jester should, and do it with such authority his words and music become genuinely impossible to ignore. Disclaimer: Many careers, egos, labels, and doubts were destroyed in the making of these films. Viewer discretion is advised.
TRAIL OF DESTRUCTION: A CHRONICLE OF EPIC DISSES
Aithen’s most celebrated album compiles all the musical feuds from his career up to its release. Each song and video carries a backstory, born as defensive response to professional or public attacks. The album culminates with "Dead Horse," the first recognized rap apology, amassing over 3 million views. It closes with somber reflection: holding onto hate and anger is toxic, and understanding and forgiveness are the only remedies for personal relationships. However, Aithen draws a line at art versus art on public platforms, where he views it as all out war. He believes reputation is everything and will take any measures to defend his on the public stage. There can be no compromise.
The Jokerr - The Real One
Aithen, performing as THE Jokerr since age 12, demonstrated branding foresight during the 1990s dot-com boom, securing TheJokerr.com in 2003 and trademarking The Jokerr with the USPTO by 2007 for live performances, digital audio, music videos, and physical media, protecting his distinct identity. In 2008, Jade Harris, performing as Tha Joker, gained traction on YouTube and Facebook, which Aithen viewed as a trademark infringement, prompting him to create the satirical song and video “The Real One” to assert his brand’s dominance. In the video, Aithen mocks Harris with the lyric “Normal Dude,” a quote from the song highlighting how Jade, despite his bold stage name Tha Joker, dresses like an ordinary person, negating the theatricality such a moniker suggests. Aithen parodies Jade’s generic rap style and pop-hip-hop vibe before switching to his medieval jester aesthetic, delivering rapid, melodic rhymes with fire-dancers and pythons on an ornate red set he built in his living room, later iconic for other Jokerr videos. Filmed partly in a Casa Grande, Arizona Walmart and at videographer Carlos Berber’s home, “The Real One” surpassed a million views, cementing Aithen as THE Jokerr—the one and only rapping, singing, and performing artist whose deliberate use of the definite article underscores his singular presence. The video defended his trademark and contrasted pop culture’s formulaic trends with Aithen’s sophisticated, authentic style, empowering fans to champion his lifelong artistic vision.
The Jokerr - Sidekick
In 2012, Aithen released his then most ambitious music video, now celebrated by hip-hop fans and critics as the “nicest diss record of all time.” The project was a response to SwizZz, an emerging rapper signed to Funk Volume, who publicly called out Aithen on YouTube, accusing him of riding coattails—an ironic projection. As sidekick to Funk Volume’s flagship talent Hopsin, and the brother of the label’s business manager, SwizZz was a prime target. Aithen, instead of simply retaliating in kind as a rapper, flexed his multifaceted artistry to prove he was a world-class entertainer. He wrote, produced, recorded, and arranged a late-night TV-themed masterpiece, complete with a stage, dancing puppets, a Barbie doll choir, a full brass band featuring saxophone, trombone, and trumpet, live bass guitar, and a singing, dancing audience. The video was filmed over eight months across ten shooting days in Aithen’s converted living room, which he personally transformed into a late-night talk show set, and features originally constructed puppets, puppet stages, and sets that Aithen handcrafted in his in-laws’ woodshop in Payson, Arizona. This 2020 4K remaster of the original includes a poignant outro, reflecting on the entertainer’s choice between fleeting fame and lasting impact, paired with emotional behind-the-scenes footage of the production. The outro depicts the “FV” of Funk Volume greying out on the puppet stage, fading into the classic “Legacy Seal” Jokerr logo—a symbolic knockout to the defunct label, cementing Aithen’s victory in this iconic feud. In a twist, Aithen founded Fearless Visionary Entertainment in 2021, coincidentally reusing the FV initials. He later joked that Funk Volume fans wouldn’t need to change their FV tattoos to support his new venture.
The Jokerr - Permanent Enemy
After releasing Sidekick, Aithen faced intense criticism from Funk Volume fans who lauded his skills as a singer, drummer, musician, and videographer, but claimed he couldn’t rap. Meanwhile, the label’s owner and Aithen's arch nemesis, the now-disgraced Dame Ritter, covertly undermined and sabotaged Aithen’s career, even going so far as to contact unrelated companies in the scene to discourage them from working with or signing him. Hopsin, Aithen’s friend and founder of Funk Volume, stood idly by as Ritter continued to attack Aithen’s reputation and career. Having finally quit all other jobs to pursue music full-time and recently married, Aithen struggled with mounting bills. Determined to clear his name and confront Funk Volume, Aithen—sans a label or manager—boldly challenged the multi-million-dollar empire with a high-octane creative onslaught, proving to Funk Volume’s artists and fans alike his superiority. He repurposed his “Sidekick” set, turning his spacious kitchen into a fictional cooking show called Legitimate Beef, a now-fan-favorite term, for this music video. Addressing claims he couldn’t rap, Aithen delivered a searing 108-bar lyrical critique of Hopsin, SwizZz, and other Funk Volume artists. He concluded with a heartfelt speech reaffirming his commitment to truth, condemning the entertainment industry’s exploitative deceit, and declaring the song's namesake in the outro speech: “They’re fucking lying to you, and anyone lying to you has a permanent enemy in me.” The video went viral, amassing over 40,000 views in 24 hours and lighting the underground on fire. Taking on Funk Volume solo cemented Aithen’s reputation as a fearless force, sparking a surge in fans, merchandise, and paid collab requests, lifting him from near foreclosure to grossing well over $100k by 2012’s end. Besides being a definitive flash point in Aithen's career, “Permanent Enemy” was an encouraging milestone—proving to him definitively that authenticity paired with creative talent is profitable—a belief Aithen upholds today.
TALES OF DESTRUCTION: DIARY OF AN ASSASSIN
The long-awaited successor to The Jokerr's iconic Trail of Destruction, Tales of Destruction: Diary of an Assassin solidifies his legacy as a merciless slayer of egos, careers, and doubters. Established as an unrivaled force in hip-hop, The Jokerr now renders any challenger's efforts as mere cautionary tales. His brutal artistic assaults, penned like the reflections of a trained assassin with a crow feather quill on parchment, transform conflicts into spectacles of truth and retribution. Once a brash, ground-level brawler—swinging wildly, occasionally missing, and backpedaling when lines were crossed—The Jokerr has evolved beyond the folly of youth. Now, as one of hip-hop’s most feared cultural forces, he glides in the shadows, striking with precision when injustice in music and entertainment demands it. A moral boogeyman with tears permanently painted beneath his all-seeing eyes, The Jokerr stands ready to set the record straight with unrelenting force and vigor. Industry, take notice.