In Control: Erick Sermon & Keith Murray
as told to Sa’id | photography Jared Ryder
With Keith Murray fiending for more funk, Erick Sermon gets down to business.
The most beautifullest thing in this world is the marriage of a dope beat and a hot rhyme. Just ask veteran EPMD producer/MC Erick Sermon. In 1993, on his first solo album, No Pressure, E introduced the world to Keith Murray, and then went on to pair him with his funk-inspired tracks for the bulk of his tumultuous recording career.
So when it came time for Keith to follow his 2004 Def Jam debacle with Rapp-Murr-Phobia, his inaugural offering on Koch Records, it was only fitting that E-Double step in to supply him with his unique brand of sonic boom.
The past few years have seen Erick Onassis quietly rack up multiple joints on fellow Def Squad member Redman’s Red Gone Wild and Method Man’s 412: The Day After, as well as “Goldmine” on Busta Rhymes’ The Big Bang. The 37-year-old Long Island-native has also been busy with rhyme partner Parrish Smith prepping the forthcoming EPMD comeback album.
With Mr. Murray’s project hitting stores, the Green Eyed Bandit invited Scratch for a session in his Strong Island studio with Keith to witness the creation of a headbanger.
Still Diggin’
Erick listens to an assortment of soul and funk records that he’s previously transferred to CD, which play though a Pioneer CDJ-1000, running into his Yamaha Motif ES8 workstation. “I don’t download, I dig,” he says. “[I] put ’em on CD, then write down where I got it from, just in case I want to go back to it.” He settles on a faint hi-hat loop from a Bill Withers compilation CD, and samples it directly into the Motif.Second Round K.O.
Erick shuffles through the Motif’s preset drums. He adjusts the pitch of a snare he likes, then lays down a simple 4/4 snare pattern, adds a few kicks, and listens to how the hi-hat sample blends with the drums before scrapping the pattern all together. He ultimately settles on a drum program with two less kick hits and more swing.
—————————————
This is only a preview! To read the full story on ERICK SERMON & KEITH MURRAY and read the rest of the In Control section, pick up the SEPT/OCT issue of Scratch, on stands NOW!
2 Responses to "In Control: Erick Sermon & Keith Murray"
Sep.8 at 7:40 pm
Dutch McVeigh says:
Big up to Scratch for the spread on “Mr. Illiotic”, himself, Keith Murray and The Green-Eyed Bandit, my dude, E-Dub. Keith’s new joint, Rap-Murr-Phobia, is definitely one of the best hip hop albums of the year. No disrespect to Juelz, but THIS is what the game’s been missing. By the way, how about a cover story on the dude, Erick Sermon. That is long overdue. Keep up the good work, Scratch.
Oct.9 at 7:02 am
Rigid says:
This should’ve been the cover
Comments