Erick Sermon
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Erick Sermon | |
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![]() Sermon performing in 2013 | |
Background information | |
Also known as | E Double Easy Erick Erick Onassis The Green-Eyed Bandit EMD |
Born | November 25, 1968 |
Origin | Brentwood, New York |
Genres | Hip hop, East Coast hip hop |
Instruments | sampler, keyboards |
Years active | 1986–present |
Labels | Fresh, Priority, Def Jam, DreamWorks, J, Universal, Caroline |
Website | www.TheGreenEyedBandit.com |
Erick Sermon (born November 25, 1968)[1] is an American rapper, musician, and record producer. Sermon is best known as one-third, alongside PMD & DJ Scratch, of late-1980s–1990s hip hop group EPMD and for production work.[2]
Career
Erick Sermon started professionally selling music in 1986 as a Producer and Artist of the legendary hip hop group EPMD. He began recording solo albums for Def Jam in 1993; in 1997, he rejoined EPMD. The following year, Sermon, Murray and Redman recorded a cover version of "Rapper's Delight" by the Sugarhill Gang, the first hit hip hop record. EPMD disbanded a second time in 1999.[3]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/3d/2004_NBA_All-Star_Jam_Session_-_Erick_Sermon.jpg/150px-2004_NBA_All-Star_Jam_Session_-_Erick_Sermon.jpg)
In 2000, Sermon moved over to J Records, and released the album Music the following year. The album's first single, "Music", featured guest vocals from Marvin Gaye, which Sermon reportedly culled from unreleased recordings found in a small record shop in London. "Music" went on to become Sermon's highest-charting song, peaking at #22 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #2 on the R&B chart. Sermon's second album on J Records, React, was released in 2002. React's title track peaked at #36 on the Billboard Hot 100, but the album sold poorly and Sermon was dropped from the label in 2003. In a June 30, 2004 interview with HipHopDX.com, Sermon told music journalist Bayer Mack, "Things weren't right at J Records. Clive Davis and them don't believe in promotion. When Puffy had Bad Boy at Arista, it was him doing all the [promotional] work." He also stated Busta Rhymes and Wyclef Jean had similar issues with J Records.[4]
Sermon went on to establish his Def Squad imprint with Universal Records and released his sixth solo album, Chilltown, New York, in 2004. The album was powered by the single "Feel It" (which contained a sample of reggae/R&B singer Sean Paul), a song which became a success in the United States.
In an interview, he stated that he was going to step aside and try to get upcoming artists in the spotlight. However, Sermon has not stopped in the music industry, as he produced the song "Goldmine" on Busta Rhymes' album, The Big Bang in 2006. Soon after, Sermon has recorded "Don't Make No Sense" with Def Squad. He also collaborated with Redman and produced a few songs on the album Red Gone Wild while also making an appearance with Def Squad member Keith Murray.
In early 2008, Sermon and Smith started their own record label called EP Records, distributed by RBS/Universal Music Group. The seventh EPMD album, We Mean Business, came out in December 2008.
Sermon was featured in the final episode of Yo! MTV Raps in a freestyle session featuring artists such as Rakim, KRS-One, Chubb Rock, MC Serch and Craig Mack.
Personal life
On November 12, 2011, Sermon suffered a heart attack from which he recovered.[5]
Discography
Solo albums
- No Pressure (1993)
- Double or Nothing (1995)
- Erick Onasis (2000)
- Music (2001)
- React (2002)
- Chilltown, New York (2004)
- E.S.P. (Erick Sermon's Perception) (2015)
- Vernia (2018)
Collaboration albums
- El Niño with Def Squad (1998)
Video games
- Def Jam Fight For NY (2004) as Himself[6]
- Def Jam Fight for NY: The Takeover (2006) as Himself[7]
References
- ^ "Erick Sermon". Rapaholic. January 4, 2007. Retrieved December 11, 2010.
- ^ "Night Life : The New Yorker". The New Yorker. November 19, 2010. Archived from the original on November 19, 2010. Retrieved May 23, 2016.
- ^ "Erick Sermon (credits)". Discogs. Retrieved May 23, 2016.
- ^ Macks, Beta (June 29, 2004). "Erick Sermon: A Timeless Sermon". HipHopDX. Retrieved May 23, 2016.
- ^ Markman, Rob (November 15, 2011). "Erick Sermon Recalls 'Pains' Before Heart Attack – Music, Celebrity, Artist News". MTV. Retrieved March 30, 2012.
- ^ "Def Jam: Fight for NY IMDB Page". IMDB. Retrieved February 23, 2017.
- ^ "Def Jam: Fight for NY: The Takeover". Giant Bomb. Retrieved February 23, 2017.
External links
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg/30px-Commons-logo.svg.png)
- Erick Sermon at IMDb
- 1968 births
- Living people
- African-American musicians
- African-American male rappers
- Def Jam Recordings artists
- American hip hop record producers
- Motown artists
- DreamWorks Records artists
- Rappers from New York City
- People from Brentwood, New York
- Rappers from New York (state)
- African-American record producers
- East Coast hip hop musicians