Erick Sermon

Erick Sermon

Sermon (left) performing in 2013
Background information
Also known as E Double
Erick Onassis
The Green-Eyed Bandit
EMD
Born November 25, 1968
Origin Brentwood, New York
Genres Hip hop
East Coast hip hop
Years active 1987-present
Labels Fresh, Priority, Def Jam, DreamWorks, J, Motown
Associated acts EPMD, Def Squad, Keith Murray, Too $hort, PMD (rapper), Redman
Website www.TheGreenEyedBandit.com
Notable instruments
Drum machine, keyboards[1]

Erick Sermon (born November 25, 1968)[2] is an American rapper, musician, and record producer.

Sermon is best known as half, alongside Parrish Smith, of late-1980s–1990s hip hop group EPMD[3] and for production work. He was born in Bay Shore, New York, and currently resides in Islandia, New York.

Career

The Green-Eyed Bandit also made multiple solo recordings and albums. 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.

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 Motown Records and released his sixth solo album, Chilltown, N.Y., 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.

Sermon was also heavily involved in Method Man's 2006 album 4:21... The Day After as well as the 1999 platinum Blackout! album by Method Man & Redman.

In early 2008, Sermon and EPMD 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.

On November 12, 2011, Sermon suffered a heart attack from which he recovered.[5]

Discography

References

  1. ↑ "Erick Sermon Making a Beat @ DJ Desue´s Studio / Berlin". youtube.com. Retrieved 11/1/2012. Check date values in: |accessdate= (help)
  2. ↑ "Erick Sermon". Rapaholic. 4 January 2007. Retrieved 11 December 2010.
  3. ↑ "http://www.newyorker.com/arts/events/nightlife/2010/11/22/101122goni_GOAT_nightlife". The New Yorker. 22 November 2010. Retrieved 11 December 2010.
  4. ↑ http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/interviews/id.300/title.erick-sermon-a-timeless-sermon
  5. ↑ Markman, Rob (2011-11-15). "Erick Sermon Recalls 'Pains' Before Heart Attack - Music, Celebrity, Artist News". MTV. Retrieved 2012-03-30.

External links