DX: What about Keith Murray? Is he on the CD?
ES: We didn’t do anything [with Keith] yet. We wasn’t trying to put people on [this album] just because they [are crew]. We was making songs that sound dope for the people that we wanted to work with. Of course, Keith [click to read] is the crew, but we didn’t get nothing on there with him yet. So we don’t know, he might not make it. We thinking about putting [him] on the 9th Wonder [click to read] beat though. That shit is crazy.

DX: And, what should people expect from this new EPMD album, is this a throwback…?
ES: Nah, people got it wrong, we aren’t in competition with anybody. Them young dudes are doing what they’re doing. We’re just doing what we’re doing. There’s a marketplace for 25 to 45-year-olds that’s missing, and that’s what we’re catering to.

DX: I wanna go back here to the origins of this new album. You were featured on P’s last solo album, The Awakening, in 2003, and you guys have performed together occasionally in recent years, but how much time have you guys actually spent working together since ’99, since the last group album, Out Of Business?
ES: Well, the most time that we’ve worked [together] has been this year, 2008. Of course, last year we did a couple of shows. But we worked a lot this year, as far as touring and being in the studio.

DX: And why did you guys declare that the group was Out Of Business when it had just been put Back In Business two years before that?
ES: That wasn’t a decision that we made. That’s kinda why I left Def Jam. Kevin [Liles] [click to read] and Lyor [Cohen] thought it was a good idea to [announce the end of the group]. They figured that it would start hype up [and lead to] that question you asked, and it didn’t work. It was something that they did as a marketing plan to like confuse the consumer.

DX: For like another comeback?
ES: Yeah, exactly. They wanted to [have consumers be like], “Damn, this they last tape? Hell no, not again!” And then have everybody run to the store and pick it up. But nah, it didn’t happen that way. [Laughs]

DX: And once you were out of the Def Jam situation, I think I read there were plans for you guys to do an album on J Records when you had a [solo] situation over there?
ES: Yeah, we did sign to J Records [as a group]. But then I left J Records [in 2003] after I was there with two big records [“Music” and “React”] and they didn’t know… ‘Cause it wasn’t just me, it was Busta [Rhymes] [click to read]  who left, and Wyclef [Jean] left. I guess everybody felt the same way, [that] something was going on up there. Like, nobody was trying to market the rap music. And so after I decided to leave, there was no [EPMD] album gonna be made [for J].

DX: Was that always the plan when you guys started doing the group albums again, that there’s still gonna be the solo stuff?
ES: Well, I can’t stop the solos because now I established myself as Erick Sermon. As far as P, that’s what he [did] too. But me, I’m like a group now. Like, I got too many albums to be like… People they request that. Plus I do it ‘cause I love doing it. I was supposed to [already have] come out with my [new] solo LP, The E True Hip Hop Story, but then what happened was I got into the studio with P and [recorded “Blow”]. And also at this particular time I just think Hip Hop is calling for [a new EPMD album]. We got a good response [from “Blow” and “Run It”]. We on the road [touring now]. The shows are sold out. People are asking questions [about the group]. When we went to like Vh1 to do the [“100 Greatest Hip Hop Songs”], the producer was just saying that when he asked other artists who their favorite group is our name comes up. And when you ask who their favorite producer is my name comes up. So I’m still current. And the one group that people still wanna see is EPMD.

And like [we] did with Redman, Keith Murray, Das EFX, and K-Solo [click to read], I’m also trying to bring that [putting new artists on] back in effect too with my boy Vic Damone. I promise you, on the mic he’s a problem. But you know how the politic game is, everybody’s on some business shit. But look at my resume, I never fucked with no rapper that wasn’t somebody. That ain’t my steelo. If it was, I’d have a thousand emcees. But I haven’t signed nobody since Murray. Right now I got this record with Vic and Rick Ross [click to listen]. Rick [click to read] is my man. Don’t forget, he was on my 2000 [solo] album [Def Squad Presents Erick Onasis]. His name was Tephlon then, some people don’t know that… Also right now, Vic has some shit on the Internet with Lil Wayne [click to listen]. He has over 200,000 hits, they’re already making their own ringtones off the record and [Motown] is not even [doing anything to push the song]. I’m like, “Yo, he’s on a record with Lil Wayne, the hottest nigga out – with Rick Ross on his second single! Like, what is the problem?” But I’m not worried ‘cause the boy’s only 24 years-old. It takes time [to get a new artist off the ground]. I got turned down [by labels to sign] Redman. They turned down Keith Murray when he came. They turned down Das EFX when they came. So I’m used to facing rejection [with new artists]. So I’m not even trippin’. Continued on page 3 »