Erick Sermon, half of the iconic EPMD, talked to me on the phone in advance of his Feb. 5 arrival for a Chicago hip-hop seminar, beat contest and cypher dreamed up by Power 92.3's Teefa, her hubby Twone Gabz and promoter John Blaze. My blog buddy, Ruby Hornet, is also involved in an event you can learn more about right here.
I talked to Sermon about what he will tell the attendees as well as his larger vision of the rap game and what it takes to make it in the industry today. He was very energetic, at times expressing outrage at what passed for music these days. Always a pleasure to speak with a musician with passion and commitment. He also called me "K" throughout the discussion, causing me to blush...well, as much as a brown-skinned woman can blush.
It's not every day you get called a nickname by Mr. "I Shot the Sheriff."
Hit "continue" for a transcript of what we talked about. Garbage MCs and their minions may want to read another post because this is rated "R" for real hip-hop.
Kyles Files: How did you get involved with Hip Hop 360?
Erick Sermon: Well, K, Twone [Gabz] is a person I've known for seven months now. And he's like a real real dope MC. I was getting ready to work on him soon and it was like he mentioned something about the event and also how it would have an artist and producer workshop. I do a lot of those talks to to help people get in the business. I like to talk to young and upcoming artists and producers.
Kyles Files: What do you think the industry is like these days? What is the environment for aspiring MCs.
Erick Sermon: These days, it's way harder..it ain't like it used to be, K. 'Cuz of the way music is going. Music has gone from $1 billion to 141 million [in sales]. The music went to where everybody can do it. It's not something valuable anymore, K. It used to be where you'd get a song, have that song, and fans would value that record...they'd hold onto that one CD or cassette for a whole year. Now, something comes in for a month and leaves in a month. I feel sorry for [artists]. The label wants management, show money, publishing...and it's harder now. I advise folks to become independent.. Even when Prince was on "The View" he said he couldn't understand why people doing music weren't independent. When you are independent, K, you own that music you made.
Kyles Files: How do you perceive the mainstream music?
Erick Sermon: I think mainstream music is stagnant. It's no secret. When I speak, I am speaking as myself and not like rappers who are mad or trying to still hold onto something. I am speaking the truth. If you have $1-billion to 141 million-industry, you can tell something went wrong. The soul left the music. The feeling and content and creativity left the music. It's following a pattern. It used to be that you could have different music. Public Enemy didn't make EPMD music and EPMD didn't make PE music. Everybody had their own identity and still did well. We didn't have to copy somebody to win. Right now, it's ignorant to me to the point where kids, to my mind, are kinda dumber. Hip hop was a culture, and it taught you something.. Not only was you partying, Queen Latifah was teaching you with "who you calling a bitch?" Public Enemy or KRS One were talking about wicked cops. Slick Rick also taught lessons. Now, it's one lane and I don't care what anybody say, K. Now, it's money, stripping and the same stuff. And how can you call that music to an extent? We've gotten to the point where all we are talking about is one thing. Gucci Mane, he's talking the same content about the club. We're talking about getting champagne and popping bottles in 2011....and K, the reason I can talk is because I'm not broke.
Erick Sermon: I'm not the Mad Rapper. If you want to work, you have to make some music with value to it. Records in 2010 or 2011, or even music that just came out last month, you don't hear it now. At the end of day, they won't be able to work after that record is gone. If they don't learn to make some music, they'll be in trouble. All you gotta do is look at history and look where music is ...Where are those 'Party Like a Rockstar' dudes right now? Take a look at these people who come out of Atlanta.That's what I tell my artists. Thousands of songs on the Internet and on the radio, yet the only names you can think of offhand are T.I., Outkast, Ludacris and Jeezy.
Kyles Files: Wow, you are not playing around! Do you talk to the artists in workshops like this? What kind of tips do you give them?
Erick Sermon: K, I think right now, what I would talk about in a workshop is: Have your own career, and own your identity too by creating quality. Now, that's if you want to do this for real. Some feel they don't have a choice because they don't want to go to school and learn. They think "Music will be faster than going to school." They look on the Web and watch someone stare at a cat and get 2 million views. They figure they can get that attention. In these times, you can become something if you want to...I feel that for the moment, that the records are being made and people are doing stuff for the moment. And I don't know what to tell them except unless you got a dope plan to come out, get crazy money and leave the game, it won't work out. They don't pay attention but the ones who make it work hard. Wiz Khalifa who grinded, and there are others: Sean Kingston, Justin Bieber, Soulja Boy. Don't get mad at them when they make it because they've been on the Web putting out work for years. They don't have overnight success.
Kyles Files: You sound like you're focused on your own artists and the rap future. Are you working on some new material? Do you have less desire to be out there as an artist? I know you recently performed at The Shrine.
Erick Sermon: No, I am not done, K. I am feenin' to come out. Our age group, who are the consumers, that's who I'm trying to get. When Sade came out and sold 500,000 copies in the first week and no young kids know who she is, that just showed people. We are the ones buying the music. I give my kids money to buy records. They can't buy the music unless I do that. We're both consumers. We buy for the young and I buy for myself. Fans get older, but you don't stop liking rap music. You just know no music is being made for you. I tell people all the time, the Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, U2 are out here working. [Rap] is the only genre who says "old school." We claim we're only one genre, but there's rock, soft rock, alternative rock, heavy metal. and contemporary. We're the only ones with one category and that's why messed up. They even put Mary J. Blige in hip hop this week..
Kyles Files : I know what you mean. Someone categorized that Ke$ha as hip-hop. Yeesh!
Erick Sermon:[laughing] This is what they do in America, K. Man! That is not hip-hop.
But this is what I figured out at this time. I love what Jay-Z does. His music is for his age, 41, and if a kid wants to get with it, they can...He made Drake sing the hook in a song called "Off That". He made Drake say it, but those words weren't true for Drake. How smart was he for that. Or "On to the Next One." If you make these mature records, fans follow. I feel that rap is not a fad. As long as the Rolling Stones are rocking, Sting is rocking, Bruce Springsteen is rocking, that's as long as hip hop artists can rock too. From 1979 to 2011, we did this. For four years straight, we put country under. There is no age group on hip hop artists. We need to stop trying to make people leave the game when Bruce Springsteen is still out here making music.
Kyles Files: How do you like performing in Chicago? How do crowds receive you?
Erick Sermon: I love Chicago. It's unreal how they came out to support EPMD when I was out there last..and that's why I like it. It's been a hip hop place. But one thing: stop the hatred in Chicago. Chi-town hates a lot on each other and that's why I made the comment at the Shrine when I was here last. Artists were coming up to me like, "Yo, we getting hated on here." You all have to learn, like Atlanta learned, New York learned, and that's why they reign so long. Those artists stick together. Industry sticks together. K, you'll have me on here talking all day. You gotta stop me. I can talk about this all day.
Kyles Files: I want to keep you all day. Don't give me ideas. I am loving this. It's great insight. But I want you to tell me what you're working on. What can fans expect?
Erick Sermon: I've got a lot. "ESP" and that stands for "Erick Sermon's Perception" and it's coming soon. There will be a single in two weeks called "Kewl" and I've got a song with Mary J Blige, "When I'm With You," and another with Syleena Johnson "Serious," and you know she's from Chicago.
Kyles Files: Of course, I've interviewed her a number of times. What's up with EPMD?
Erick Sermon: EPMD has a single coming out next month called "Don't Get Clapped." It's like " I Shot the Sheriff Part II." The songs is basically about: don't put yourself in a predicament. That girl don't belong to you. Don't be flashing money in front of regular people 'cuz they hate that. K, I got some new Redman and Methodman I worked on and I got a new film, a hip-hop film documentary. You never saw hip-hop this way. It's made for the Oprah Winfreys who think hip-hop is done a different way and don't respect it. People who believe the bad rap about it. .Hip hop is four element: rapping, graffiti, break-dancing, deejaying. It's not what you hear on the radio.
Kyles Files: Do you think young people and younger fans listen when you tell them about the industry and try to represent hip-hop factually?
Erick Sermon: If I get one, K, I did my job. If I move one student, I will say I did my job. If one says, 'Ay, remember that talk you did? I graduated from Yale and I own my own label,' that is enough for me.
Kyles Files: Well, thank you so much for talking. It's an honor to speak with a lyrical legend.
Erick Sermon: Let me say one thing too. Shouts to John Blaze, 52 South Promotions, Teefa and Twone Gabz and I want to encourage everyone to come out Feb. 5.
Source:
No comments:
Post a Comment