Sermon is best known as one half of the late-1980s/1990s hip-hop group EPMD. He began recording solo albums for Def Jam in 1993.
In 1997, he rejoined EPMD. The following year, Sermon, Keith Murray and Redman recorded a cover version of "Rapper's Delight" by The Sugarhill Gang, the first hit hip-hop record. EPMD disbanded a second time in 1998. In 2000, Sermon moved over to J Records, and released the album Music the following year. The title track (a Top 40 pop hit that also made it to #2 on the R&B music charts), featured guest vocals from late soul music legend Marvin Gaye, culled from unreleased recordings which Sermon reportedly found in a small record shop in London. React was released in 2002.
In 2003, J Records dropped Erick Sermon due to poor record sales. However, he still went on to establish his Def Squad imprint with Motown Records. At this time, he recorded an album, Chilltown, N.Y., which was released a year later 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 moderate 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 hasn't stopped doing music altogether, as he has produced the song "Goldmine" on Busta Rhymes' album, The Big Bang in 2006. Very soon after, Sermon recorded "Don't Make No Sense" with Def Squad.
Sermon joined up again for a special EPMD worldwide tour in 2006, were he was being held company by Keith Murray among others.
I Do Em
Erick Sermon Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
No game, for no-names
On the mic I spit flames, Rockwells to Janes
I'm the nicest without me in the game
it's a crisis - I control all mic devices
Scratch and E yo, we keep shit poppin
Control the mic, keep spittin and keep droppin
Lose 'em or bruise 'em, ruin 'em
Keep pursuin 'em, keep doin 'em
all night til the crowd start booin
and when we get thumped by uh, Nuf and Clue and them
Yo, I keep shit comin from the bassment
Make hardcore cats take the route that Mase went
Not the God, but just plain quick
from fuckin with that D-E-F Squadron shit
This is my house, I told you before
Trespass on my shit, I catch you at the door
Jump off the rail, from the second floor
and kill you in here, without breakin the law
I do 'em, do 'em, do 'em somethin awful
I do 'em, do 'em somethin awful
I do 'em, do 'em somethin awful
I do 'em, do 'em somethin awful
DJ Scratch came with somethin mean
My jewels be gold, dough be Mitch Greene
[DJ Scratch] Awwwwwwww shit!
I fucked up and did somethin STUPID right there
{*mumbling*}
[Erick Onasis]
Let's go!
Scratch came with somethin mean
My jewels be gold, dough be Mitch Greene
Rock Air Nike's with a raw Karl jean
Fresh black .45 tool by the spleen
Yeah, who wanna Abdul like Kareem?
I'm in the game of death, I'll cave your chest
Yo Scratch got the beat pumpin - iron
Reppin in sets of ten, I catch my wind
so I can, thicken for those who thinkin me hard-est
No forgivin, I'm leavin 'em scared
Pull you card, jump, go 'head catch a nitfit
You a bitch walkin around with smudged lipstick
I catch wreck cause I'm better than
anyone bring it South with the Mexican
Boy I bake like ovens, refresh like Tropical Plug-Ins
out the wall I'm ready to brawl
Siamese gat spittin, y'all hold y'all gats sittin
Take care witcha hardware
Are you a dope MC or relevant?
All y'all lightweight; me - I'm elephant
Top that! Sy Scott, Khyree and me
Meet the new arsenal nigga, for 2G
I do 'em, do 'em, do 'em somethin awful
I do 'em, do 'em, do 'em somethin awful
I do 'em, do 'em, do 'em somethin awful
I do 'em, do 'em somethin awful
Yeah, yeah.. word up..
In the song "I Do Em," Erick Sermon, also known as Erick Onasis, declares his dominance in the rap game, claiming that he controls all mic devices and that without him, there would be a crisis in the industry. He boasts about his talent and ability to keep crowds hyped up all night, disregarding any opposition from other artists like Nuf and Clue. Sermon also mentions his affiliation with D-E-F Squadron, a former hip hop collective, and his confidence in his ability to defend his territory from trespassers. He ends his verse with the repetition of the chorus, "I do 'em somethin awful," emphasizing his superiority over his competition.
The song features DJ Scratch, who adds his own flair to the track with his scratching and instrumental beats. Sermon's lyrics are filled with hip hop references, such as name-dropping famous brands like Rockwell and Nike, and mentioning Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, a basketball player known for his skyhook shot. The song also features aggressive lyrics, with Sermon threatening to "kill" anyone who crosses him without breaking the law.
Line by Line Meaning
No game, for no-names
I don't play around with small-time artists or amateurs.
On the mic I spit flames, Rockwells to Janes
My skills on the microphone are unrivaled and I can captivate audiences with my lyrics.
I'm the nicest without me in the game
My talent is so great that without me, the game of music would lack real talent.
it's a crisis - I control all mic devices
Without me, the rap industry would be in shambles because I am the one controlling the music scene with my talent.
Scratch and E yo, we keep shit poppin
Together, Scratch and I keep the music scene lively with our creativity and talent.
Control the mic, keep spittin and keep droppin
We maintain control of the lyrics, keep rapping and releasing new material.
Lose 'em or bruise 'em, ruin 'em
I destroy and humiliate other artists with my skills on the mic.
Keep the madface screwin 'em
I provoke and anger other artists until they react with negative emotions.
Keep pursuin 'em, keep doin 'em
I relentlessly continue to attack and overpower other artists until I am the last one standing.
all night til the crowd start booin
I keep rapping until the audience loses interest and starts booing me off the stage.
and when we get thumped by uh, Nuf and Clue and them
Even if I face competition from other well-known artists like Nuf and Clue, I will not fall to their level.
Yo, I keep shit comin from the bassment
I keep releasing hit after hit from the underground scene.
Make hardcore cats take the route that Mase went
I force other hardcore artists to soften up their lyrics and take the commercial route like Mase did.
Not the God, but just plain quick
I am not a deity, but I am damn good and quick-witted.
from fuckin with that D-E-F Squadron shit
Due to my association with the rap group D-E-F Squadron, I gained the skills and connections to become successful.
This is my house, I told you before
The rap industry is my domain and I have established my dominance.
Trespass on my shit, I catch you at the door
If anyone tries to intrude on my success, I will confront them and defend my empire.
Jump off the rail, from the second floor
I am willing to take the risk and jump off a high place to fight and protect what is mine.
and kill you in here, without breakin the law
I can take care of business and get rid of my enemies without needing law enforcement intervention.
DJ Scratch came with somethin mean
Scratch is a talented producer who created a great beat for me.
My jewels be gold, dough be Mitch Greene
I am wealthy with gold jewelry and money like Mitch Green, a boxer who had success in and out of the ring.
Fresh black .45 tool by the spleen
I carry a powerful gun for protection in dangerous situations.
Yeah, who wanna Abdul like Kareem?
Who wants to compete with me and lose as badly as one would lose against Kareem Abdul-Jabbar?
I'm in the game of death, I'll cave your chest
I am ruthless and will cause serious injury or even death to anyone who challenges me.
Yo Scratch got the beat pumpin - iron
Scratch's beat is energetic and strong like lifting weights.
Reppin in sets of ten, I catch my wind
I rap with intensity and take breaks to catch my breath and continue.
so I can, thicken for those who thinkin me hard-est
I take a moment to prepare for the toughest opponents and prepare to dominate them.
No forgivin, I'm leavin 'em scared
I show no mercy and make other artists scared of challenging me again.
Pull you card, jump, go 'head catch a nitfit
I dare other artists to confront me and fight me to their own demise.
You a bitch walkin around with smudged lipstick
You are weak and appear fragile like a woman wearing smeared makeup.
I catch wreck cause I'm better than
I create destruction because I am a more skilled rapper than anyone else.
anyone bring it South with the Mexican
Even if someone from the southern United States, especially with Mexican heritage, challenges me, they will still lose.
Boy I bake like ovens, refresh like Tropical Plug-Ins
I am always hot and fresh with my lyrics, like freshly baked bread or a tropical air freshener.
out the wall I'm ready to brawl
I am aggressive and ready to fight aggressively if necessary.
Siamese gat spittin, y'all hold y'all gats sittin
I use a powerful gun to shoot and attack, while other artists don't have the skill or weaponry to fight back.
Take care witcha hardware
Other artists should take care of their weaponry and defense, knowing they will face me someday.
Are you a dope MC or relevant?
Are you a truly talented rapper or just popular but talentless?
All y'all lightweight; me - I'm elephant
All other rappers are lightweights compared to me; I am the strongest and most powerful.
Top that! Sy Scott, Khyree and me
I am part of a new generation of talented rappers with Sy Scott and Khyree also in this group.
Meet the new arsenal nigga, for 2G
We are the new group of rappers to watch out for in the upcoming 2nd millennium.
I do 'em, do 'em, do 'em somethin awful
I overpower and humiliate other artists with my skills and talent.
I do 'em, do 'em somethin awful
I continue to dominate other artists with my creativity and lyricism.
I do 'em, do 'em somethin awful
I am unstoppable and take pleasure in destroying other artists with my skills and talent.
I do 'em, do 'em somethin awful
Other artists should fear me because I will destroy them and leave them in ruin.
Yeah, yeah.. word up..
This is the real deal, and everyone should recognize me as one of the greatest rappers of all time.
Contributed by Amelia T. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Marcell Wegener
This Beat & Rap is the golden REAL DEAL. Thx
Adil Mourjane
how da fuck this track is only getting 880 views? this is a sad day for hip hop. ey yo erick hows life treating ya??
Kimchi Yamz
Redman as well.
Gimmix89
Best producer for me. Ericks funk is untouchable.
David Johnson
My shit!!!