Building-jumping is off-limits with the Green-Eyed Bandit, but everything else is fair play. Erick Sermon spits about real hip-hop vs. hip-pop, how Nas’ “Made You Look” is one of the hip-hop records of the year, why he continued to mess with Redman though Def Jam twice turned him down and when he’s leaving his label, J Records.
What are you working on now?
I’m finishing up Keith Murray. He comes out April 1st, April Fool’s Day. I’m also finishing up Redman. Hopefully he’ll come out by June. Mostly my squad, myself. Outside production, I do all the time. I work with a lot of people each year, everybody.
How are you enjoying the success of your single, “React?”
It’s cool. I’m here to represent hip-hop. I’ve been in this game for 14 years, so I’m happy if I get a little bit of buzz. But I wasn’t expecting to have two records like that in a row. To come out of “Music” and then come into “React.” I’m very excited at this time to be in the game so long and be here with my colleagues and still be able to maintain with them.
What’s your favorite record of all time that you made?
“So What Cha Sayin'” was one of the dopest records in hip-hop along with a lot of other great singles, but “So What Cha Sayin'” was one big one.
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With your single “React,” and a lot of your other music, you’re a trend-setter. You always seem to be right on the edge.
I come from that era. I watched Run DMC. Biz Markie was Biz Markie. That was LL Cool J. That was De La. That was Big Daddy Kane. That was Slick Rick. That right there was Public Enemy. Everybody had their own identity. That was Eric B. and Rakim. Everybody did different things. So I tried to adapt, watch that formula and come through with something different. Like when I had Das EFX, it was miggety miggety and people was like, yo it wasn’t gonna work. But I sold a million records. Because it was something different. If it was K-Solo. If it was Redman. I mean Redman got turned down twice by Def Jam. They said he’s alright, but I heard it. I knew it sounded crazy because it was different. He was a different type of rhymer with a different type of vocals. Then when I found Keith Murray I just thought he was like a guy singing because he was like [E sings] “Oooh I might lose my cool and break fool.” The personality and rhyme was something different. That’s how I know. I try to come with something that’s against the grain, if I could. Even though Truth Hurts and Dre had their record, I felt my song was more of a hip-hop record. Driving more. More fun. Truth Hurts’ was more sensuous and melodic.
How do you like being on Clive Davis’ J Records?
This is my second year with Clive. It’s a new label. It has kinks. Me and Busta Rhymes don’t really have the umph behind us so it’s hard when they don’t get what we’re doing. They don’t get what hip-hop and rap is about and what it takes to market and promote that music. [E does not plan to resign with J Records.]
How do you feel about today’s hip-hop?
I’m a fan of hip-hop now. At one time, and I can’t really be mad though because it’s an era, but even when Afrika Bambaataa came out, that was still hip-hop to me. And they felt when Run DMC came out, I saw Melle Mel and he said if it wasn’t for Jam Master Jay and Run DMC, hip-hop wouldn’t be mainstream. So to them Run DMC wasn’t a disrespect. EPMD wasn’t a disrespect to Run DMC. Wu-Tang Clan wasn’t a disrespect to EPMD. “36 Chambers” was a hip-hop LP. “The Chronic” was a hip-hop LP. After a while, like in the last three years when the popcorn rap came in, where the drums got soft, people love sampling. It seemed like anyone could make a record and win with the right marketing, promotion and money. For a little while, after ’97’ I don’t know. Like ’97, with Biggie. It really got out of hand. And when Tupac died it got out of hand. There’s different types of hip-hop but it should be called rap music. Rap is the occupation. Hip-hop is the culture. I am from the hip-hop culture. I breathe, sleep, eat, my hand gestures, my vocals, my dress, the way I am is hip-hop. My son can rap but it don’t make him a hip-hop artist. Anybody can rap. That’s why I’m so happy about this state right now because of what Missy Elliott, the statement she made. By doing “Work It” with the cutting and the break dancers, Adidas and the chains. This is a female. It took a female to do that. And of course, one of the hip-hop records of the year is “Made You Look.” This is hip-hop at its best. Serious, serious work. Then you got Rawkus. I like Talib Kweli. I like Outkast. But everybody doesn’t come at once. If they did, it would be crazy. So hip-hop can be a music again. Cause I’m not taking nothing from what’s going on. When they say hip-hop and rap, it’s two separate things. I see why Missy’s mad. Why Nas is saying save the culture, save the music. Because you’re messing up the music. You should have two categories. I don’t think that Lil’ Romeo should be on the countdown with “Made You Look.” It don’t match.
It’s hip-pop.
Exactly. That’s a great thing. I’m going to put that in one of my rhymes. That’s exactly what it is. Those that don’t want to make a change because the money’s so good, but now they’re forced to make a change. But now kids don’t even want to hear it no more because you’ve jerked them for the last three or four few years by putting one or two songs on your CD so they won’t buy your record no more. That’s why the game is no good now. Record sales are horrible. They going to buy Eminem because he’s white, no, the material is good. Jay-Z sold because there’s a chance that Jay-Z’s gonna give you full material. The kids are used to it now. You buy an album right now, the second week it’s a coaster. You put drinks on it. You knew that the album was going to be horrible. Kids are tired now. Now hard ticket sales took over. That means movies, DVDs, concerts.
