Artist: Erick Sermon
Album: Vernia
Label: Def Squad
Producers: Artist, Boogeyman, Ty Fyffe, Rockwilder, DJ Battlecat, DJ Kanzer, Mic Chek, Apathy
If you have knowledge of hip hop, you definitely have to add Erick Sermon to the catalog. As one half of EPMD, Erick Sermon along with Parrish Smith laced out classics from "So Whatcha Saying", "Crossover" to the posse cut gem "Headbanger". The memories of not only as part of EPMD but put together the most memorable hip hop group Hit Squad introducing the world to Das Efx, K-Solo and Redman. The albums speak for itself from Strictly Business to Business Never Personal and made foregone conclusions tracks including "Hip Hop is Out of Control".
Then Erick Sermon accentuated his style catapulting his popularity into a solo artist with No Pressure and Double or Nothing introducing the world to Keith Murray to form Def Squad with Redman. The Green Eyed Bandit production gained critical success producing for top hip hop and R&B artists in the game while mentoring new artists. Erick Sermon's resume is highly impressive with top caliber talent and head nodding production.
Now in 2019, Erick Sermon returns with his own album "Vernia". Erick Sermon sticks to the module if it ain't broke don't fix it and this works very well. The album starts off with "The Intro" when Erick Sermon's new talent RJ Payne spits heavy bars over the DJ Kanzer production. Guest appearances balance the album properly as it should. AZ and Styles P gives the perfect assist in "The Game" handled by the E Double and Mic Chek. One of the standout tracks is the Boogeyman produced mellow out "My Style" that brings the hunger out of Raekwon and Noreaga while Erick Sermon throws the braggadocios line: Everything I got on cost a hundred a grand and Rockwilder's "300 E" drum pattern matches Erick flow and Kami Marsden singing ability.
E-Double stands behind the boards as well. The self produced "Wake Up/No Fear" brings the energy that we all felt in the 90's and the eloquently well put together "Cabinet" brings out the political side assigning artists in prominent positions. The crafty slick "That Girl" definitely swings well as a club banger as E-Double teams up with K.I.R.T. and Rico Barrino describing the ideal woman in their lives and Erick Sermon put the solidified bounce behind the board with "Stay Real part 2" featuring Def Squad's Keith Murray and QB's Nature and the remarkable title track "Vernia" sheds light to the track with Erick Sermon dedicates his life to the matriarch of the family delivered over the Apathy beat.
Vernia is a breath of fresh air that many hip hop heads are looking for: dope rhymes and heavy top notch production. Majority of the hard hitting songs are either self produced or solo tracks. Nevertheless, Vernia stands out remarkably in 2019 and definitely a must listen.
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