thaFormula.com - Now you said recently that on this new album you were goin' against the grain. What exactly did you mean by that? 

Erick Sermon - The fact is I'm not gonna do what these people are doing as far as what rappers you know are doing in the business where they are following each other. They lost the creativity and originality. They are not trying to make nothing different, they're not trying to go against the grain and do what Outkast might do or do something like those that don't follow. By Kanye West making that big statement that he made, that's what I mean by going against the grain. It just happened that I didn't come out yet, but that's where I was going anyways. My competition was more like Kanye West's conversation.

thaFormula.com - Do you think that Kanye West saying that opened the doors for originality?

Erick Sermon - I think right now him doing that its making it really dope because right now Hip-Hop needed that and maybe as far as the youth that's listening and those to that are coming out of the game that aren't selling, so what you might see them on TV or might see the video, the whole nine, but nobody don't really care about that. Right now it's all politics so you can pay for video time, and you can pay for air play. That don't mean that you are getting picked up as far as sales are concerned. The kids are getting smarter, they are getting educated and they know that "yo that's not real."

thaFormula.com - Now when you dropped the "Music" single that shit blew up, but why was there such a long delay for the album?

Erick Sermon - When I dropped "Music," I was independent and what happened was my friend had met up with this radio guy and he had hooked up with his boy from Clear Channel that had already okayed the record, but I was gonna put that out independent. I didn't have a label then so that's why I gave the single to that movie because that was a favor for him looking out for me so by the time I got on a label with Clive Davis, I couldn't just automatically come out with a album because I had to give them a 60 day window period you know to promote because I had already gave them the record, so that's why the delay happened on that album.

thaFormula.com - Did you even look at that track like "yo this one here is gonna be huge?"

Erick Sermon - Nah, nah, I just did it because it was in front of me. You're not thinking about getting Marvin Gaye cleared. If I didn't go and meet Marvin's people and they didn't happen to like the record, it would have never got cleared you know, 'cause its Marvin Gaye. They don't need your money.

thaFormula.com - Were you surprised that they liked it? I mean it must feel great to have Marvin's people say "yo we like this here?"

Erick Sermon - I mean yeah it was because I think it was the content, plus he sounded good. It was kind of shocking to them that they would think that Marvin was alive. It was shocking but not to me 'cause I'm used to doing vocal records. When I did "4,3,2,1" they wasn't there, when I did "How High" they wasn't there. I'm used to making records like that. Even when I did the Eazy-E record, I'm used to doing that, so to them it might be like "wow," but to me it was like something I did in the basement as free time. I had the acapellas so I tried it.

thaFormula.com - Now getting to Eazy, how did that track come about? Nobody expected you to come out with a track with Eazy…

Erick Sermon - Eazy was a situation where again he is one person who people do not talk about. I can't believe that most people don't even talk about Eazy. When you talk about NWA, there would be no NWA and no Cube and Dre, even though Dre is production but NWA was it and Eazy set the foundation for that. So even when I made the record people were like kind of shocked. I'm like "damn you're not even gonna…" uh and not that I wanted to get the mad support 'cause I did it for free, I did it cause I had the acapella. That's when he was in Atlanta, Georgia and that's why he says "I'm in ATL with the ATL funk," cause I was in Atlanta, Georgia at that time. But I just did that 'cause I had it and the fact that it was something to do. I wasn't gonna drop it as no single or nothing. It was just something to do at the time.

thaFormula.com - So that was actually a track that you guys did?

Erick Sermon - It was a track that he did a long time ago in Atlanta and I was remixing the record but what happened was I guess that remix album never came out so what I did was I just asked his wife "can I use it?"

thaFormula.com - Now we get to another late legendary artist you worked with, Roger Troutman. You did a classic remix for "Everybody Get Up" from Roger's last album, how did that go down and what was it like working with an O.G. like Roger?

Erick Sermon - It's evident that "You Got's to Chill" was humongous for EPMD so people thought we was from California by the way that we had the music going. From "It's My Thang," my music was bass line driven, we had melody so people thought we was from the West Coast, so when the Bloods and the Crips was actually bangin' to the instrumentals of these songs that we was sampling. That was the ill part about it, once "You Got's to Chill" blew up and Roger Troutman even though he had sued the label (but it wasn't for a whole bunch of money), we didn't know about sample clearance back then so that was the labels fault. But after then for some reason he just had mad respect for me 'cause even in the later days when he used to come to Atlanta, I used to go pick him up and we used to go to my crib. I got DATs at my house with just production and records that nobody has never heard from Roger Troutman. I have DATs of them at my crib, I'm just waiting on what to do 'cause I don't have the information to go and say "okay lets do something together." I know his son but have only met him a couple of times and I'm quite sure he has them too but Roger just gave me stuff to sample from. For "Everybody Get Up" we went to Ohio where he had an underground studio which was underneath the street. It went like almost a half a block underground.

thaFormula.com - Damn that's crazy...

Erick Sermon - Yeah and he made them voice boxes. 'Cause he made a box for Quik, and he made a box for Teddy Riley. The ones where you hear Quik doin' it, that's Roger he made that. But yeah I remember doing the video to "Everybody Get Up." Right now I'm still cool with his baby's mother, she lives in Phoenix now and she just happened to be in the hotel and happened to be around at that time when I was doing that so me and her still speak.

thaFormula.com - What made you focus on the funk when you came out seeing that most East Coast producers were doing the abstract shit and break beats?

Erick Sermon - You know what's so bugged out, not only from the first album as far as doing all that stuff, but the second album also with "Please Listen to My Demo," and "So What 'Cha Sayin'," it just came natural because that funk music was uh…my pops had every album but whatever he played I knew every group from The Stylistics to The Dramatics to anything on Motown to whatever it was, I could name it all. He had a whole bunch of records and I knew every last one of the tunes and what it felt like, and what it's supposed to feel like and of course everybody was a fan of George Clintons, the music felt too good. So when you had that and you had Funkadelic and Parliament you had two different sounds but same people. Then you had Zapp over here, the Dazz Band, that music felt good to me for some reason and that's why it was evident that when I started making the music I was gonna have these elements like that. Even in Keith Murray's "Most Beautifullest," you might hear the Isley Brothers but in the chorus I got Bootsy in there. Even with Redman, with "Whut Thee Album," and Das Efx...everything we used was Zapp. Every record I Zapped out. I used roger about 3 times on that first Das Efx album. I used Redman "Blow Your Mind," we had it whaling just because. I remember Roger had just dropped that last album of his. I went home and made "Crossover." His album wasn't even in the stores two weeks. "Whatever you want, whatever you need," I got it right from his new album.

thaFormula.com - Yeah I heard that when I got the album and not many people know that since not many people heard that album…

Erick Sermon - Nah, nobody heard that record that's why I sampled it 'cause that wasn't his single. "Everybody Get Up" was the single. So I was just sayin' "okay this is just something on the album" and then it came on with that part. When you play the record and that came on, I'm like "yo look at that change" and I had to grab it.

thaFormula.com - Was EPMD just as big in the East as in the West?

Erick Sermon - Oh my god! EPMD was just a phenom all over the place. It was just unheard of in rap music. "You're a Customer" was so humongous that the streets here in NYC from drug dudes, celebrities or whoever, we came and we shocked the world. We went on tour and we had three 3 number one albums in a row. We couldn't do no wrong back then. While everybody was doing James Brown's and doing break beats the whole nine, we was doing that funk like "boom, boom, boom, boom, Its My Thang." That's why when Jay-Z came out with "Ain't No Nigga," it was a phenom because "It's My Thang" was so huge here.

thaFormula.com - It's funny to cause before the G-Funk Era there was EPMD…

Erick Sermon - Yeah that's how I feel. I think that after EPMD broke up it gave a big area for Dre cause then Dre went and grabbed Roger and then Dre started doing more Parliament stuff too, 'cause don't forget they were heavy funkin' but more with Bootsy Collins. As far as EPMD I was already on the G-Funk Era and then when the group broke up then there was a clear road for "The Chronic" to get made even though it probably was in motion but when it was made there was nobody else doing it so it wasn't shocking that Dre came and captured a whole audience cause EPMD was doing that. When "Crossover" dropped man that was at the height of Hammer and Vanilla Ice and we put a halt to all of it…

thaFormula.com - Okay speaking of "Crossover," a lot of people felt that you ended up trying to do exactly what you spoke against in that song. How do you feel about that Erick and also how do you look at that song now 12 years later?

Erick Sermon - Well let me go back on the recent albums. "Back in Business" was strictly a Hip-Hop tape. When I hear "The Joint," uh even to call it "The Joint" was just old school from like The Furious Five or Grandmaster Melle Melle, but then for us to come out with "Richter Scale" another Roger sample with that intro "Lights, Camera," I mean it was serious business man. Now on the 1999 album I have to admit that we was definitely influenced by the label. We wasn't supposed to drop a EPMD featuring Redman and Method Man record and we came out with a hardcore rap record and we didn't do a EPMD record. We didn't do a "Crossover," a "Gold Digger" or nothin' like that. We did a record that was freestyles and unlike EPMD and that's where we kind of lost the interest 'cause "Back in Business" did 700,000 in sales and we came out with this one and it did 300,000, so we kind of got discouraged.

thaFormula.com - And it wasn't even those albums that I was talkin' about Erick, I was talkin' about your last album "React" and wondering if you still felt the same way as you did on that "Crossover" track?

Erick Sermon - Yeah I feel that way now on my new situation. See music is nothing that I haven't been doing. To the new people its something brand new but to me I been funkin' it forever so that music record was me doing a "Crossover," "Gold Digger," or whatever it is that Erick Sermon do its a one two. I've been doing a one two. I think that on the "React" record I was influenced by the label to use producers so I used the Just Blaze's and the Ric Roc's 'cause like I said before maybe I thought that you know what maybe I might not be in tune so you know I got twisted for a quick moment cause I was signed to Clive Davis' label and more overwhelmed and anxious and the whole nine, but you know…but if people would get that tape and hear it they would hear that I had some issues that I was also angry on that "React" CD to but they didn't get a chance to really get it because nobody knew the album was even in the stores because I had no promotion and marketing on that.

thaFormula.com - That's another thing I noticed. Both albums that you dropped on J Records never seemed to have gotten any promotion at all…

Erick Sermon - I think that's why Busta Rhymes left J Records too. I think the first album didn't get pushed from Busta. I think Busta Rhymes made that happen. Busta Rhymes made that remix with Puff and then they made a dope video so he kind of steered his career to working for himself but as far as Clive he just didn't get it. He was like don't worry you got 4000 spins. Like he believed in radio but didn't believe the market and promotions. See Bad Boy was through Clive but that was an independent so Puff knew about that. LaFace Records was through Clive but LaFace knew about that. Like Cassidy right now with all that airplay and whatever, he didn't do what he should have. You think that it's supposed to happen with all that airplay but hey? But going back to the question, yeah I agree with some people as far as that situation. I never got a chance to even get heard. Nobody even knew my record was in the stores. I didn't have a commercial, a radio drop, or nothing. I just was put out there 'cause I was on tour with Scarface so I'm thinkin' that while I'm on the road that people are working but they wasn't.

thaFormula.com - Did you guys ever get any problems with the crossover tracks as far as what you guys were speaking on?

Erick Sermon - Nah we didn't care about that. The people, whoever felt it, they felt it. EPMD just happened to speak about the truth and diss radio and all of a sudden it's your biggest record. So controversy sells.

thaFormula.com - But shit like that doesn't seem to happen no more man?

Erick Sermon - Nah but Kanye West proved it. I think that even though he was a part of a situation, nobody believed in Kanye, he shot his own video and next thing you know boom, he sold 400,000 pieces the first week. But his conversation is real as far as what he speaks about as far as Hip-Hop is concerned. I just think that he did the right thing that's why I can't wait 'till Common come out cause I know he's coming out with a vengeance, I can't wait for Talib to come out. I like Dilated Peoples even though I feel that they record right now is a, you know a radio jam, but they are really a real underground group too. Anybody that's being creative I just appreciate 'cause that's what Hip-Hop was, is creative people.

thaFormula.com - Is it possible for an artist to drop what they want to drop? I mean honestly can an artist or group drop a complete album of what they want to drop being on a major?

Erick Sermon - Well its not possible but you gotta do what you gotta do. Me I just happen to be a part of something where I'm okay with coming out and not moving the units.

thaFormula.com - What's up with the Run DMC track you did for their comeback album?

Erick Sermon - That was just something that was asked by Jam Master Jay. I tried to find that record, I couldn't even find it no where. What album is that on?

thaFormula.com - That was on the "Down With the King" album.

Erick Sermon - You know what I gotta find it 'cause I don't even remember how that even sounds anymore 'cause that was so long ago. We tried to download it but couldn't find it.

thaFormula.com - You know even though you have produced for EPMD, Redman, Red & Meth, Das, Keith Murray, and more you are never mentioned when speaking of top producers…It seems like producers that mainly produce within their circle like Havoc or Muggs are always slept on?

Erick Sermon - Man I wish I can tape these interviews because every interviewer asks that question and there has to be a problem, it ain't just me that you all ask that same question. 'Cause I used to be like "yo maybe they are gonna say something about me." Like if they're gonna mention rap, they gotta mention my name or if they gonna mention Hip-Hop they gotta mention my name, but it never happens. So me I'm just as shocked as you. I don't know what to say. Before I used to be like "okay whatever," but now I see that this is the way it is. I'm just gonna be this underground nigga that they all know as being a underground muthafucka, but when they talk about these people you know I have put so much work in this game. I have done so much for the game but again slept on. My name comes last. See I produce a lot but I don't talk. People who know read and see I did D'Angelo, Xzibit, Jay-Z, you know my track record is illness in production. It's just the fact that I don't do the publicity part as far as like "hey I'm working on the new so and so project." That's my fault though. So of course nobody knows. So when you read the discography or they hear about it they are like "damn we had no idea he did that." But that's my fault but I thought that I didn't think I had to do that. I thought that they was gonna automatically know or someone was gonna give me the accolade but they didn't.

thaFormula.com - Though you've been slept on at the same time you have always managed to stay current and compete with today's top dogs. How does it feel though when you see so many of your peers from the late 80's and early 90's just start disappearing one by one? Does that ever put any pressure on you?

Erick Sermon - It really doesn't 'cause like I said before uh I still see Dre and he's exceeded the time and the sales and I still see Scarface, LL Cool J, its like 3 or 4 of us. People see me as a legend and as a old schooler and as a Icon, but I came out when I was a 17 year old kid so my colleagues are my age and that's why I still rock I think, because they see me as this person that they grew up to but I was your age too, I just happened to have a record out. Also me being a producer uh…if I'm in the studio with all these people that I'm producin' it keeps me current and then in my own squad there is Redman. So it keeps me current. To have Red & Meth doing that whole whatever how many years that we did with them it kept me current. Doing Keith Murray kept me current, me doing R&B kept me current and like I said before I can't fall of on the rhymes cause my boy is a rappers rapper which is Doc and right now the way rap music is right now you ain't gotta even say shit to me I might look like Jay-Z compared to some people 'cause they ain't sayin' shit.

thaFormula.com - Do you think now we have reached the end of the complete wackness or is it gonna get even worse?

Erick Sermon - You know, a lot of what you said was right. I think that…and see people need to hear you say that too. I think that right now that's why I'm so excited, that's why I'm so glad I made a record like this. That's why I'm so glad I got a record like "Chillin'" on my album with Talib Kweli and a record like "Street Hop" on my tape because of the fact that it's just straight Hip-Hop, you're on my turf now. I'ma show you what it's gonna be like on my turf. I got a song called "Rap Like Me," on my tape where its just straight lunchroom rhymin'. I'm just keepin' it all the way Hip-Hop and you on my turf.

thaFormula.com - So then you think this corny gay shit is over with?

Erick Sermon - I think it's coming to a close.

thaFormula.com - Did you do the whole production on your new album "Chilltown NY?"

Erick Sermon - I did every song and I'm not playing like I said before. "The E-Dub I come from the gutter, the Ving Rhames of rap, these guns are butter, I make this happen rapid, the game don't wanna act right we kidnap it, get on the floor, I rob it like Napster, its gonna be slow singin' and flower bringin', so call the pastor, the Roger Moore of the rap game he's 007, I'm E-Double the veteran, the name, the way I do it is Mean Joe Green, I abandon nigga check the pamphlet, on my CD you won't hear the same, its two special guests and the rest is my name, you won't hear the bling or the champagne nothing, you won't hear a nigga on the microphone frontin' and no love song, I'm not serenading, I'm just now riding the streets on my beats." That's what you will hear on my CD!

thaFormula.com - Now that's the E-Double right there baby...what's the deal with the Def Squad right now?

Erick Sermon - Def Squad right now I think we all in different places. Me, like myself this may be my last harrah as far as me rappin'. I got other plans to be an Exec so I can be able to bring this new stuff in. I gotta be able to bring this Hip-Hop in so we can get rid of that other stuff so me being an Exec is very important. I wanna bring artists through. I have a Redman album droppin' in July.

thaFormula.com - Did you do a lot of the tracks on the new Redman album?

Erick Sermon - Well me and Rockwilder split it. I did like maybe 9 and Rock did like 7 or 6 you know and me last time on the "React" record like I said before I was influenced to do other producers. So I did the Megahertz and Just Blaze and Ric Roc 'cause my label told me to try producers. You know people buy your CD because it's for your CD, that's why I tried to hold my own on the microphone by myself 'cause you know damn the whole world is special guesting. Even though I got a couple but just two, and like I said before I'm not using them for singles or like that. I'm using Talib 'cause I like his conversation. I'd love to work with Common and Kanye and others doing the real shit. But right now I'm holding my own for New York.

thaFormula.com - Now was it true that you were gonna do an album with Dr. Dre called "Chairmen of the Boards?"

Erick Sermon - Yeah it was. It was supposed to go down right before Eminem blew up (laughs).

thaFormula.com - Did you guys ever work on anything together man?

Erick Sermon - Yeah I was down there working on "Detox" but he closed the project. I was doing a bunch of tracks and I was working on Joe Beast and Game earlier in the year.

thaFormula.com - So when is the new album "Chilltown, NY" droppin' man?

Erick Sermon - June 22nd "Chilltown NY," holla at ya' boy!!!

feedback: info@thaformula.com

Be  sure to join the over 600,000 Industry Heads that have signed up to our exclusive mailing list!!  Click here to join and receive exclusive interviews only available to members. Leave contact info ( name, email address, city, state, and country) at info@thaformula.com.