UPDATE: Following Hopsin’s December 18 Instagram retirement announcement and photograph (as reported below), the Funk Volume MC now calls his declaration “a prank.”

In a new 78-second video titled “The REAL Reason Hopsin Left The Music Industry,” alongside Hopsin’s artist Jarren Benton and inspired by the film Dumb and Dumber To, the rapper/producer waves off the staged affair last week, and promotes an album, Pound Syndrome.

Below is the original December 18 post:

In the last five years, Panorama City, California MC/producer Hopsin has self-released a Top 100 album (2013’s Knock Madness), has covered XXL magazine, and he has released a series of videos that have crossed the multi-million-view mark on YouTube. As of this week, the Funk Volume co-founder swears he is done with music, and headed “down under.”

Yesterday (December 17), the MC born Marcus Hopson posted an Instagram photo of himself at LAX Airport’s Tom Bradley International Terminal, where the former Disney Channel actor and onetime Ruthless Records artist was Australia-bound.

I just wanted to take time out to say I appreciate all of u who have supported my music over these past few years. A Lot of u have told me stories about how I have changed your life. You too have changed mine in ways that u can never imagine. Unfortunately, tonight is the night that I am actually moving away to Australia. Over the past couple years I have come to conclusion that this profession just isn’t for me, so im going to venture out into new areas of life. I will always be an MC at heart, but this rap stuff just isn’t for me. I hope Youguys can respect it. I’ve signed over my half of the funk volume label to my business partner Dame. I also wished Swizzz, Dizzy Wright and Jarren Benton good luck in their careers. Thank u all! I’m out. Sincerely, Marcus Jamal Hopson aka “Hopsin”

A photo posted by Marcus Hopson (@hopsinson) on Dec 12, 2014 at 10:18pm PST

In the photo’s caption, Hop’ wrote:

“I just wanted to take time out to say I appreciate all of u who have supported my music over these past few years. A Lot of u have told me stories about how I have changed your life. You too have changed mine in ways that u can never imagine. Unfortunately, tonight is the night that I am actually moving away to Australia. Over the past couple years I have come to conclusion that this profession just isn’t for me, so im going to venture out into new areas of life. I will always be an MC at heart, but this rap stuff just isn’t for me. I hope Youguys can respect it. I’ve signed over my half of the funk volume label to my business partner Dame. I also wished Swizzz, Dizzy Wright and Jarren Benton good luck in their careers. Thank u all! I’m out. Sincerely, Marcus Jamal Hopson aka ‘Hopsin'”

The last past of the message refers to Hopsin’s partnership with Dame Ritter at Funk Volume. The highly-interactive, Southern California-based label is home to emerging stars Dizzy Wright, Jarren Benton, and SwizZz, among others.

Hopsin is currently included in Ambrosia For Heads’ wild-card nominees for the user-voted GOAT MC (Greatest Of All Time). Check out that ballot and others.

In an era when Rap retirement rarely lasts and is typically met with cynicism, do you think the 29 year-old who battled Tyler, The Creator and frequently called out Eazy E’s widow Tomica Woods-Wright is off the grid for good?

Related: Still Unsure About Hopsin’s Staying Power? The Ill Mind Of Hopsin 7 Might Sway Your Decision (Video)