Photo: Simon Abrams from Brooklyn, USA · CC BY-SA 2.0 · credits

Tier 3 · vertical & regional

Erick Sermon

Person · male · United States · Upper Eastside · born 1968 · recording since 1993

American rapper and record producer

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Also known as E. Sermon · Eric Sermon · Erick S. Sermon · Sermon Erick · エリック・サーモン

Debut: 1993
Recording span: 32 years
Release groups: 28
Timeline events: 15
Wiki language versions: 18

Compare this artist Read the biography Jump to timeline

Timeline

15 events▣ Album 13◦ Birth 1★ Debut release 1

1960s
1. 25 November 1968 · Birth
  Born 1968-11-25
  source: wikidata
1990s
1. 1993 · Debut release
  Debut release: Stay Real
  First documented Single in the MusicBrainz discography.
  source: musicbrainz
2. 19 October 1993 · Album
  Album: No Pressure
  Album
  source: musicbrainz
3. 7 November 1995 · Album
  Album: Double or Nothing
  Album
  source: musicbrainz
2000s
1. 30 October 2001 · Album
  Album: Music
  Album
  source: musicbrainz
2. 19 November 2002 · Album
  Album: React
  Album
  source: musicbrainz
3. 22 June 2004 · Album
  Album: Chilltown, New York
  Album
  source: musicbrainz
2010s
1. 25 September 2015 · Album
  Album: E.S.P. (Erick Sermon’s Perception)
  Album
  source: musicbrainz
2. 20 April 2018 · Album
  Album: The Funk Lord Instrumentals
  Album
  source: musicbrainz
3. 30 May 2018 · Album
  Album: E Double
  Album
  source: musicbrainz
4. 19 April 2019 · Album
  Album: Vernia
  Album
  source: musicbrainz
5. 22 May 2019 · Album
  Album: Erick Sermon History (Mixed by DJ Mel-A)
  Album (DJ-mix)
  source: musicbrainz
2020s
1. 7 August 2020 · Album
  Album: Erick Sermon History, Vol. 2 (Mixed by DJ Mel-A)
  Album (DJ-mix)
  source: musicbrainz
2. 16 February 2022 · Album
  Album: The Funk Lord Instrumentals 2
  Album
  source: musicbrainz
3. 5 December 2025 · Album
  Album: Dynamic Duos Vol. 1
  Album
  source: musicbrainz

Biography

English biography555 words · 5 sectionssource: wikipedia-en · licence CC BY-SA 4.0 · revision 1368411764

Biography

Erick Sermon (born November 25, 1968) is an American rapper and producer. He is best known as one-third—alongside Parrish Smith & DJ Scratch—of 1980s/1990s hip hop group EPMD and for his production work.

Early life

Erick Sermon was born on November 25, 1968, in Bay Shore on Long Island, New York.

Career

Sermon started professionally in 1986 as a producer and artist of the 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. EPMD disbanded a second time in 1999.

In 2000, Sermon moved over to J Records, and released the album MusicMusic30 October 2001 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 16 tracks1Rapture0:062It’s Nuttin’3:123Come Thru3:134Music3:435Skit I1:066Now Whut’s Up3:397I’m That N***a3:118Genius E Dub3:379Skit II1:4310Ain’t No Future… 20014:1111Do‐Re‐Mi3:4412I’m Hot3:4913Up Them Thangs3:3814The Sermon3:0515Skit III1:5016Music (remix)3:37 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 number 22 on the Billboard Hot 100 and number 2 on the R&B chart. Sermon's second album on J Records, ReactReact19 November 2002 · Studio albumSpotify YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 17 tracks1Intro0:402Here I Iz2:013We Don’t Care3:404Party Right3:005React3:386Skit I0:577To tha Girlz3:338Love Iz3:469Go Wit Me4:1610Skit II1:2311Hold Up Dub3:1212Tell Me3:0313Skit III1:0114S.O.D.4:1115Hip Hop Radio3:3816Skit IV (Khari)0:5317Don't Give Up6:10, was released in 2002. React's title track peaked at number 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.
Sermon went on to establish his Def Squad imprint with Universal Records and released his sixth solo album, Chilltown, New YorkChilltown, New York22 June 2004 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 17 tracks1Home (intro)3:282Wit Ee’s3:153Relentless3:224Jackin’ for Rhymes (skit)1:265Street Hop3:496Chillin’3:327Like Me3:048Matrix (skit)0:569God Sent3:0810I’m Not Him3:4311MC One Bar (skit)1:3712Feel It3:4213Future Thug3:4414Do You Know3:5415Listen3:3416Hip‐hop (skit)0:2417Can U Hear Me Now3:54, 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.
In 2018, Sermon teamed up with Lost Boyz' own Mr Cheeks & broadcaster Ryan Verneuille to become the executive producer on their FM radio program, "The Ryan Show".
Sermon is part of Tracklib's Creators Advisory Board.

Personal life

On September 25, 2001, Sermon was injured when he fell from the third floor of an apartment building. Police claimed Sermon attempted suicide, but he claimed it was accidental.
On November 12, 2011, he suffered a heart attack, from which he recovered.

Video games

Def Jam Fight For NY (2004) as Himself
Def Jam Fight for NY: The Takeover (2006) as Himself

Discography & profile

Normalised profile

Percentiles are computed over every artist in the database, so a tier-3 artist can still sit in the 95th percentile on a single axis.

Normalised profile metrics with percentile rank
Metric	Value	Percentile
Wikipedia language versions	18	78.1th
Spotify monthly listeners	—	no data
Release groups in DB	28	89.8th
Studio albums	13	93.5th
Awards recorded	0	0th
Timeline events	15	91.2th
Recording span (years)	32	70th
Genres	5	88.3th

Percentiles are computed at render time; missing values mean the artist has no data on that axis.

Discography (28 release groups · 13 studio albums)

Albums · 13

No Pressure
1993 · studio album
Search Spotify Search YouTube Music
Tracklist · 17 tracks · 54:28
1Intro0:34
2Payback II3:58
3Stay Real3:55
4Imma Gitz Mine3:31
5Hostile3:38
6Do It Up4:01
7Safe Sex3:43
8Hittin’ Switches3:56
9Intro0:10
10Erick Sermon3:19
11The Hype4:04
12Lil Crazy4:23
13The Ill Shit3:25
14Swing It Over Here2:54
15Interview1:24
16All in the Mind3:37
17Female Species3:56
Double or Nothing
1995 · studio album
Search Spotify Search YouTube Music
Tracklist · 17 tracks · 47:38
1Intro (skit)1:03
2Bomdigi3:36
3Freak Out3:09
4In the Heat2:11
5Tell ’em2:36
6In the Studio (skit)1:03
7Boy Meets World3:17
8Welcome3:57
9Live in the Backyard (skit)2:22
10Set It Off3:35
11Focus3:55
12Move On3:57
13Smooth Thought (skit)0:33
14Do Your Thing3:36
15Man Above4:03
16The Message (skit)0:51
17Open Fire3:54
Music
2001 · studio album
Search Spotify Search YouTube Music
Tracklist · 16 tracks · 47:24
1Rapture0:06
2It’s Nuttin’3:12
3Come Thru3:13
4Music3:43
5Skit I1:06
6Now Whut’s Up3:39
7I’m That N***a3:11
8Genius E Dub3:37
9Skit II1:43
10Ain’t No Future… 20014:11
11Do‐Re‐Mi3:44
12I’m Hot3:49
13Up Them Thangs3:38
14The Sermon3:05
15Skit III1:50
16Music (remix)3:37
React
2002 · studio album
Search Spotify Search YouTube Music
Tracklist · 17 tracks · 49:02
1Intro0:40
2Here I Iz2:01
3We Don’t Care3:40
4Party Right3:00
5React3:38
6Skit I0:57
7To tha Girlz3:33
8Love Iz3:46
9Go Wit Me4:16
10Skit II1:23
11Hold Up Dub3:12
12Tell Me3:03
13Skit III1:01
14S.O.D.4:11
15Hip Hop Radio3:38
16Skit IV (Khari)0:53
17Don't Give Up6:10
Chilltown, New York
2004 · studio album
Search Spotify Search YouTube Music
Tracklist · 17 tracks · 50:32
1Home (intro)3:28
2Wit Ee’s3:15
3Relentless3:22
4Jackin’ for Rhymes (skit)1:26
5Street Hop3:49
6Chillin’3:32
7Like Me3:04
8Matrix (skit)0:56
9God Sent3:08
10I’m Not Him3:43
11MC One Bar (skit)1:37
12Feel It3:42
13Future Thug3:44
14Do You Know3:54
15Listen3:34
16Hip‐hop (skit)0:24
17Can U Hear Me Now3:54
E.S.P. (Erick Sermon’s Perception)
2015 · studio album
Search Spotify Search YouTube Music
Tracklist · 15 tracks · 44:05
1The Sermon2:11
2Daydreamer3:07
3Angry2:58
4Lyrics0:14
5Make Room3:46
6Serious4:00
7One Shot3:14
8Jokes (skit)0:35
9Clutch3:48
10With You3:58
11Culture4:13
12Still Getting It3:52
13Neva Take4:56
14Jack Move2:23
15Imposters0:50
The Funk Lord Instrumentals
2018 · studio album
Search Spotify Search YouTube Music
Tracklist · 14 tracks · 52:31
1Its Going Down4:18
2Bomdigi3:35
3Safe Sex3:26
4Head or Gut4:07
5We Getz Buzy3:47
6Keep It Real3:19
7Get Lifted4:05
8The Most Beautifullest Thing in This World3:50
9This That Shit4:06
10All She Wanted3:51
11To da Beat Ch'all4:09
12Cant Wait4:00
13Tonights da Night3:02
14Funkorama2:56
E Double
2018 · studio album
Search Spotify Search YouTube Music
Tracklist · 12 tracks · 50:29
1Breaker 1, Breaker 23:22
2If You Dont Know3:59
3Da Heatwave4:03
4We Getz Busy3:51
5I Get Down Like That6:15
6Spellbound3:31
7Rock Ya Knot Quick3:04
8You Aint Never Been Down3:25
9Whats My Name3:42
10Betti Bye Bye4:34
11Countdown3:58
12Def Squad Delight6:45
Vernia
2019 · studio album
Search Spotify Search YouTube Music
Tracklist · 13 tracks · 44:09
1Payne Intro2:29
2Wake Up/No Fear2:54
3Da Wave3:05
4Tha Game3:48
5Go3:36
6My Style3:33
7That Girl3:53
8Cabinet2:33
9Stay Real Part 22:57
10Zion3:45
11May Sound Crazy3:40
12300 E4:26
13Vernia3:30
Erick Sermon History (Mixed by DJ Mel-A)
2019 · DJ-mix
Search Spotify Search YouTube Music
Tracklist · 27 tracks · 1:21:16
1Hip Hop Radio (Mixed)3:20
2Man Above (Mixed)3:08
3It's That Hit (Mixed)3:08
4Funkorama (Mixed)2:24
5On The Regular (Mixed)2:51
6Intrigued (Mixed)2:56
7Welcome (Mixed)3:40
8So Sweet (Mixed)3:02
9Run It (Mixed)3:03
10Symphony 2000 (Mixed)3:52
11Jane 3 (Mixed)1:58
12Move On (Mixed)3:09
13Richter Scale (Mixed)3:04
14Hostile (Mixed)2:36
15You're A Customer (Mixed)4:47
16Do-Ré-Mi (Mixed)3:13
17K.I.M (Mixed)3:49
18U Got Shot (Mixed)3:07
19Yo (Mixed)3:15
20Never Seen Before (Mixed)2:16
21I'm Hot (Mixed)3:10
22Tell Me (Mixed)2:41
23Tape Daytona Khari It's Nuttin' (Mixed)2:56
24Payback 2 (Mixed)3:46
25Can't Stop (Mixed)2:42
26Music (Mixed)1:54
27React (Mixed)1:29
Erick Sermon History, Vol. 2 (Mixed by DJ Mel-A)
2020 · DJ-mix
Search Spotify Search YouTube Music
Tracklist · 17 tracks · 50:44
1Never Defeat 'em3:26
2Open Fire3:08
3Get da Money3:14
4Feel Me Baby2:56
5Rap Is Still Outta Control3:04
6Now Whut’s Up3:14
7Don't Get Gassed2:16
8Set It Off3:02
9It’s Nuttin’3:08
10Boy Meets World2:32
11Vangundy4:24
12Run It3:24
13Bomdigi2:58
14Actin’ Up2:53
15Tonights da Night0:15
16Fear3:16
17What You Talkin3:34
The Funk Lord Instrumentals 2
2022 · studio album
Search Spotify Search YouTube Music
Tracklist · 12 tracks · 40:14
1Big Dogs (Instrumental)3:25
2Blow Your Mind (Instrumental)3:52
3Crossover (Instrumental)3:48
4Full Cooperation (Instrumental)1:27
5Headbanger (Instrumental)3:45
6Hittin' Switches (Instrumental)2:42
7I'm Outstanding (Instrumental)4:07
8Lick a Shot (Instrumental)3:41
9Part II (Instrumental)4:06
10Say (Instrumental)3:58
11Smoke Buddah (Instrumental)1:27
12Y.O.U. (Instrumental)3:56
Dynamic Duos Vol. 1
2025 · studio album
Search Spotify Search YouTube Music
Tracklist · 15 tracks · 34:39
1Intro1:51
2Look at ’em2:50
3Sidewalk Executives2:48
4Like That3:23
5Maya Crockett (skit)1:08
6God Mode2:40
7How Do You Know2:32
8How Long2:09
9Test Me2:32
10Pimp Gators (skit)1:14
11The City3:10
12Spectacle2:32
13No Gimmicks (remix)2:44
14Back 2 the Party2:29
15Outro0:37

Single · 7

Single release groups, by first release date
Year	Title	First release
1993	Stay RealSearch Spotify Search YouTube Music Tracklist · 2 tracks · 7:53 AStay Real (Radio Edit)3:54 BStay Real (Instrumental)3:59	1993
1995	BomdigiSearch Spotify Search YouTube Music Tracklist · 7 tracks · 22:49 1Bomdigi (radio version)3:33 2Bomdigi (LP version)3:33 3Bomdigi (instrumental)3:33 4Bomdigi (a cappella)3:28 5Tell 'em (radio version)2:35 6Tell 'em (LP version)2:35 7Bomdigi (remix)3:32	1995
1995	Bomdigi (remix)Search Spotify Search YouTube Music Tracklist · 2 tracks ABomdigi (remix) BBomdigi (remix instrumental)	1995
2001	MusicSearch Spotify Search YouTube Music Tracklist · 3 tracks · 11:42 A1Music (album version)3:54 A2Music (instrumental)3:54 BMusic (radio edit)3:54	2001
2001	Got Me a ModelSearch Spotify Search YouTube Music Tracklist · 4 tracks · 12:10 1Got Me a Model (radio edit with rap)4:14 2Got Me a Model (radio edit without rap)3:30 3Got Me a Model (instrumental)4:14 4Got Me a Model (Call Out Hook)0:12	2001
2018	It's My Thing FrestyleSearch Spotify Search YouTube Music Tracklist · 1 track · 3:25 1Its My Thing Freestyle3:25	4 September 2018
—	ReactSearch Spotify Search YouTube Music Tracklist · 1 track · 3:49 1React3:49	—

Other · 2

Other release groups, by first release date
Cover	Year	Title	Notes	First release
	1993	Stay Real (Remix)Search Spotify Search YouTube Music Tracklist · 2 tracks · 8:20 AStay Real (Remix)4:10 BStay Real (Remix Instrumental)4:10		1993
	1996	If YouSearch Spotify Search YouTube Music Tracklist · 3 tracks A1If You (dirty) A2If You (clean) BIf You (instrumental)		1996

Album · 4

Album release groups, by first release date
Year	Title	Notes	First release
1996	Insomnia: The Erick Sermon Compilation AlbumSearch Spotify Search YouTube Music Tracklist · 13 tracks · 42:32 1Intro0:32 2Funkorama3:03 3The Vibe3:10 4As the...3:15 5Beez Like That (Sometimes)2:52 6It's That Hit4:07 7Up Jump the Boogie4:08 8Caller's Interlude2:29 9I Feel It4:24 10On the Regular3:11 11Fear3:57 12Ready for War3:37 13Reign3:47	Compilation	23 April 1996
2012	Breath of Fresh AirSearch Spotify Search YouTube Music Tracklist · 23 tracks · 1:05:29 1Sucka Free (skit)0:48 2Clout2:56 3What Happened2:31 4Ain’t Me3:31 5Fix Your Face4:09 6A Way Out3:51 7Lyrics (skit)0:11 8Twon’s Theme2:05 9Tregram3:39 10Dodge This2:50 11I’m Good4:02 12Head (skit)0:35 13Headgames3:32 14Lil Nikki3:36 15Like Me3:24 16Commander and Chief2:28 17Talk This4:23 18Jokes0:33 19Typical Nigga2:29 20Look3:38 21Set It Off4:15 22Look Out2:48 23Whiskey and Coke3:15	Compilation	16 February 2012
2017	Green Eyed RemixesSearch Spotify Search YouTube Music Tracklist · 20 tracks · 1:15:54 1Bomdigi (remix)3:34 2Gimme Yours (remix)3:13 3Funkorama (Double Green remix)2:49 4Get Lifted (remix)4:17 5Lookaway (remix)4:09 6The Plaform (remix)3:24 7I Shot the Sheriff (remix)3:27 8Dip Dip Di (You Remix Me)3:47 9Time 4 Sum Aksion (remix)3:15 10Stay Real (remix)4:09 114, 3, 2, 1 (E-dub remix 6)5:01 12I Confess (remix)3:58 13Tonights da Night (remix)3:42 14Safe Sex (remix)4:24 15Me & Those Dreamin' Eyes of Mine (Def Squad remix)4:39 16Get on Up (Def Squad remix)3:00 17Just the Way (remix)2:59 18Funkorama (remix 2)2:53 19Hey Lover (remix)4:06 20Feenin' (remix)5:08	Remix	28 November 2017
2018	Green Eyed Remixes 2Search Spotify Search YouTube Music Tracklist · 16 tracks · 1:02:26 1Vibin’ (remix)4:35 2Soopaman Lover (remix)3:32 3Rockafella (remix)4:36 4Never Seen Before (remix)2:54 5Body Movin (remix)3:19 6One Woman Man Def Squad (remix)4:29 7Ba Bump (remix)3:09 8I’m Outstanding (remix)3:56 9She Ain’t Right for You (remix)3:40 10Naughty Girl (remix)3:51 11Borrowed Time (remix)3:30 12Just the Way (remix)2:59 13No More Rain (remix)4:17 14Feenin’ (remix)5:08 15Runaway Love (remix)4:18 16I Feel It (remix)4:13	Remix	3 August 2018

EP · 2

EP release groups, by first release date
Cover	Year	Title	Notes	First release
	2002	ReactSearch Spotify Search YouTube Music Tracklist · 3 tracks · 11:11 A1React (album version)3:38 A2React (instrumental)3:44 B1I'm Hot (radio mix)3:49		2002
	2025	3 PieceSearch Spotify Search YouTube Music Tracklist · 4 tracks · 8:44 1The Warning (Intro)1:01 2Right Cross2:41 3The Hook2:31 4The Uppercut2:31		21 February 2025

Stats & PK

Percentile within all 23,672 published artists.Put Erick Sermon head-to-head →

Erick Sermon metrics with percentile rank among published artists
Metric	Value	Percentile
Wikipedia language versions	18	78.1th
Spotify monthly listeners	—	no data
Release groups in DB	28	89.8th
Studio albums	13	93.5th
Awards recorded	0	0th
Timeline events	15	91.2th
Recording span (years)	32	70th
Genres	5	88.3th

Awards & honours

No awards recorded

No major awards are stored for this artist yet.

Browse the best-documented artists

Line-up

Band line-up and band memberships with dates
Name	From	To
Def Squad(band)	—	present
EPMD(band)	—	present
Hit Squad(band)	—	present

Where this record comes from

portrait—Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 2.0 · retrieved 11 October 2026
https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Erick_Sermon_%289288240438%292.jpg
aliases/urls—musicbrainz · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://musicbrainz.org/artist/7fdb6168-64a8-4b5a-9a6a-e39803e4aec1
discography—musicbrainz · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://musicbrainz.org/artist/7fdb6168-64a8-4b5a-9a6a-e39803e4aec1
core—wikidata · CC0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1347285
genre—wikidata · CC0 · retrieved 11 October 2026
https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1347285
seed-list—wikipedia · CC BY-SA 4.0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erick_Sermon
biography—wikipedia-en · CC BY-SA 4.0 · retrieved 10 October 2026
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erick_Sermon

Why this artist is in the database

List of hip-hop musicians

Tier rule: curated genre/region list
Image: Simon Abrams from Brooklyn, USA · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Wikidata: Q1347285 · MusicBrainz: 7fdb6168-64a8-4b5a-9a6a-e39803e4aec1

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