Exclusive LAUNCH Artist Chat

07/07/2000 3:00 AM, LAUNCH
Billy Johnson Jr

Without giving away the entire answer, Erick Sermon decided to adopt his new alias, Erick Onasis, after watching hours of news coverage about the death of John F. Kennedy Jr. The popular hip-hop producer, who got his start as one-half of the legendary rap group EPMD, chatted with LAUNCH.com users while attending his family reunion in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. He remained pretty candid, openly addressing even the most intrusive of questions. He calmly answered one chatter's query regarding how he felt about being labeled "the gay rapper" by a gossipy New York-area ex-deejay, and he even revealed how much he was paid for producing Redman & Method Man's "How High," his most lucrative production gig to date. The most exciting news unveiled during this chat, however, had to do with Keith Murray's release date from jail. It turns out that the third member of the Def Squad (the other two being Erick and Redman) will be a free man soon. How soon? Keep reading, you'll find out soon enough...

defdiva: is keith murray still a member of trhe def squad even though he's on lockdown?

launch_erick_onasis: Yes, and he's comin' home next week.

METHODTRIP: why dont you ever team up with meth@red

launch_erick_onasis: I teamed up with Red and Meth one time on the last EPMD project, on Symphony 2000.

cephus_1_1999: Who's idea was it for you to record the NBA championship version of "Focus."

launch_erick_onasis: The NBA called me and thought it would be a good idea.

ARIESGRL78: man,who did that Focus track

launch_erick_onasis: I did.

calilove909: Any particular artists that you really like workin with?

launch_erick_onasis: I like workin' with everybody...I had a great experience with Mary J. Blige. Just the fact that she was like a singer/ rapper where she did things the way rappers would do, like song-wise, knowing what to do. She knew what to do as far as the track was concerned.

METHODTRIP: where did you get the name onasis

launch_erick_onasis: That just came from Aristotle Onassis. I was sittin' there watching television, a good three hours of when JFK Jr. died in the plane crash, and it was all over the news. The name sounded cool, so I picked it.

swisseta: whats up with epmd?

launch_erick_onasis: Nothin' right now. Our label lost interest, so we're waiting for an urgency to happen again.

deegrin7: hey erick what type of equipment do you use when you produce

launch_erick_onasis: I use a Roland W30, and I use MP3000, and I use keyboard modules.

calilove909: Whats the deal wit the name change?

launch_erick_onasis: I didn't change my name, but this is the title I used for the album. It's a little bit illegal, just like Noreaga calling his album Melvin Flint The Hustler.

flipsidz_99: What's the dopest song that's on the CD?

launch_erick_onasis: Me and Eazy-E.

cephus_1_1999: How did you get permission to include the Eazy E verse on your album?

launch_erick_onasis: I called his wife, and his wife said okay. In 1995, Eric wanted to do a remix for an East Coast version of a song he had made, so I did it, but he had died. So I had the vocals, and I added new vocals myself.

ARIESGRL78: the joints sound kinda left coast

launch_erick_onasis: One thing that the people have to understand, this generation, is the fact that I've been makin' that music, I came in the game doing that style of music, so it's nothing different, although it might sound like it's new.

deegrin7: how many beats have you made that you haven' used yet

launch_erick_onasis: Oh my God. LOL. I mean, a lot. About 700.

deegrin7: erick, how did you discover Khari Santiago

launch_erick_onasis: A girl named Bre brought them to me.

knilhtrae: What was it about Aristotle that you liked so much?

launch_erick_onasis: Just the fact that he mastered his field, and if you read about him he was a religious guy who struggled in the beginning, before he rose to become what he was. He took years to become who he was, and I've been in the game for 12 years, and I'm still mastering my craft. I took comparison with that.

defsquad2g: erick,.was that dj quik song "u ain't fresh relly a beef song ?

launch_erick_onasis: I have no idea about that. I was just rappin'.

cephus_1_1999: How did you take Roger Troutman's death?

launch_erick_onasis: At first I was kind of stunned, but my whole thing is that it was his time, and I just think that there were more plans for him in other places. But we gotta continue to make sure we keep rockin'.

greeneyes_02_11: yo erick how did mosberg die

launch_erick_onasis: I heard about that. I didn't know him that well, but I knew him. That was Quik's boy. I don't know nothin' about that.

hillcorecords: How much do you charge to produce a track?

launch_erick_onasis: It depends on...you know, soundtracks cost a lot more money. It depends on who the artist is. Whoever the artist is, if I like them and we're boys, it's like a trade-off. The most I did get one time was I think was 175 grand, for "How High."

jayeye98: As A producer What was it like to work with DJ Quik & Xzibt?

launch_erick_onasis: Quik, it was like me doin' me. People hear the record, they think he did the record. And Xzibit is like me workin' with Keith Murray, it was constant energy with him. That's one of the nicest guys in the industry today, is Xzibit. Him being with such a large camp and still being that way with such a great personality is incredible to me.

nicky311_2000: How old r u

launch_erick_onasis: 30.

promodiva_2000: why were you late?

launch_erick_onasis: Right now I'm in Myrtle Beach at my family reunion. Doin' mostly beach stuff. It's cool out here right now, it's real nice. Tomorrow morning I leave to go to L.A.

promodiva_2000: does it bother you that peiople think you are the gay rapper?

launch_erick_onasis: I think five years ago it did, when it got really heavy, but I guess after a while, it was a radio DJ by the name of Wendy Williams who said it. She named so many rappers afterwards that I thought it was a joke. She had named so many rappers that after a while I didn't take it personal no more.

avander70: Yo E the CD was all that. You droped it on my birthday. Is it hard staying on top producing fat tracks and dope beats?

launch_erick_onasis: This is a good question, 'cause I think that as long as I'm underground and I never peaked to the high success of being a superstar, I never have to worry about making good music 'cause there's no pressure on me. That's why I come through.

promodiva_2000: because you've been in the game so long, how do you feel about all these new rappers coming up that haven't paiad any dues and are selling millions with wack material?

launch_erick_onasis: Yeah, homeboy who said that, he knows how I feel 'cause that's how he feels. Rap and hip-hop are two different things. My son's a rapper, and he's 8. Hip-hop's a culture, it's different from just rap.

GravyPlaya: Do You Still own a rim shop?

launch_erick_onasis: Yes, right now I have one in Long Island, New York, and it's doing very well.

nerf_b34: how much longer your gonna rap?....

launch_erick_onasis: Well, I feel that I came in the game at 17 years old, which is the same age as these rappers rappin' right now, and it's giving me inspiration. This is my new light right here--I just got started.

deegrin7: erick which do you profer better, MC or Producer? and why?

launch_erick_onasis: I think I prefer being producer of the beat, 'cause there's less pressure.

amerikkkas_nitemare: who do you think is the most underated rapper out there

launch_erick_onasis: Redman. I don't know, man, it just don't match. Hip-hop is what we in, and there are few real MCs, and he's one of them.

deegrin7: whats up with Lil jamal, are you still going to put him out on our label

launch_erick_onasis: Li'l Jamal's on Redman's label now.

cephus_1_1999: What made you record the sermon for your album?

launch_erick_onasis: I wanted to have a song where it was kind of like I was going to tell a story about a situation I was in at one time, but I didn't have enough time, so I wrote a speech.

cephus_1_1999: Do you and Hurricane G get a long for the sake of the kid(s)?

launch_erick_onasis: LOL. Yeah, yeah.

cephus_1_1999: What's your favorite song out right now--that you are not affiliated with?

launch_erick_onasis: I'm really a big fan of Trick Daddy's "Shutup Song." When I first heard it, I lost it, and I don't normally like that style of music but there's somethin' about that beat.

schill289: yo, erik....you remember Grant Lancaster from high school?

launch_erick_onasis: Yeah, I know Grant.

jayeye98: Is it true that You and Dr. Dre will do a album together?

launch_erick_onasis: Yeah, it's called Chairman Of The Board. He's gonna do N.W.A. right now.

jayeye98: As a producer how can I summit tracks

launch_erick_onasis: It sounds corny saying the regular way, but definitely you gotta send it to the company. Somebody with a demo should send his tape everywhere, and keep sending it until they get annoyed with you.

deegrin7: erick how many personal studios do you won

launch_erick_onasis: Two. Atlanta and New York.

rp_diesel: Dr Octagon VS Dr Dooom who would win?

launch_erick_onasis: LOL. Dr. Dooom.

amerikkkas_nitemare: do you know where i got my name from????

launch_erick_onasis: Some rapper said that, I forgot who it was, though.

rp_diesel: Who do you think is the most over rated MC?

launch_erick_onasis: Oh boy. LOL. There's a whole bunch of them.

defsquad2g: i heard that you said in the source that you don't have fun anymore making beats why is that?

launch_erick_onasis: I work hard on my productions, and some songs come out and they blow up and it takes it away from me. Producers, we work hard on these productions, and these popcorn beats come out, and, you know what I mean, they blow.

defsquad2g: are you in eightnball & mjg ever going to make a song and if so who is going to produce it ?you are t-mixx

launch_erick_onasis: Me and Tony Draper is good friends, he's the owner of their record label, and Suave will probably produce it.

avander70: so do you and PMD still chill? Will there ever be another EPMD album?

launch_erick_onasis: I haven't seen them in a while. Life goes on, and this life is better for me.

guyn_clemson_sc: did anyother kind of music infulence you other than hip hop?

launch_erick_onasis: Everything. I grew up listening to all types of music, names you wouldn't imagine. ZZ Top is where "You A Customer" came from. Phil Collins, Led Zeppelin, AC/DC. Everything that came out, black music, I heard it, I knew it, and I got it. On the alternative side, I knew every rock band, too.

deegrin7: hey erick, boxers or briefs?, lol

launch_erick_onasis: Calvin Klein boxers.

drama2463: WHEN IS YOUR ABLUM COMING OUT

launch_erick_onasis: It came out June 27th. Thanks for checkin' in. I really had a great time. My album's in stores now. Thanks for supporting the Def Squad, and look out for the Red & Meth movie, How High, the soundtrack for it, the new Redman album, the new Method Man album, Def Squad 2001 Tsunami, and Keith Murray. And the two new rappers, Khari Santiago and Sy Scott.

launch_host: Thanks for joining us for our chat with Def Squad founder Erick Sermon! Erick had to get back to his family reunion...