Def Squad Presents Erick Onasis is the third solo studio album by American rapper and record producer Erick Sermon. It was released on June 27, 2000, via DreamWorks Records.
| Def Squad Presents Erick Onasis | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | June 27, 2000 | |||
| Recorded | 1999–2000 | |||
| Studio |
| |||
| Genre | Hip hop | |||
| Length | 47:09 | |||
| Label | DreamWorks | |||
| Producer |
| |||
| Erick Sermon chronology | ||||
| ||||
| Singles from Def Squad Presents Erick Onasis | ||||
| ||||
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |   [1] |
| RapReviews | 7.5/10[2] |
The recording sessions took place at L.I.T.E. Recording Studios in Long Island, Mirror Image Recorders and Masterdisk in New York, and Urban House Studios, Inc. in Atlanta. The album was produced by Sermon, DJ Scratch, Redman, and Suave House Productions, Inc. It features guest appearances from Khari, Redman, Sy Scott, Big Kim, Billy Billions, Boe & Ruck, Dave Hollister, DJ Quik, Eazy-E, Ja Rule, Keith Murray, Noah, Nolan Epps, Peter Moore, PMD, Slick Rick, Too $hort, and Xzibit. It also features the recording debut of rapper Rick Ross, who went by his original name Teflon da Don.[3]
The album peaked at number 53 on the Billboard 200 and number 15 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts in the United States. It was supported with three singles: "Focus", "Get da Money" and "Why Not".
Album title significance
editThe album title is based on an alias that Sermon briefly adopted at the time for this particular album. In regards to the meaning, he stated:
"The name is something I came up with when I was watching the [coverage of the] death of JFK Jr. They [were] talking about him and his family and his mom came up, and then Aristotle came up. Then I read something on him, about four or five pages. And it was interesting to me, about how he was, how spiritual he was, how he was just coming up in the game until he mastered his field and became who he became. So I took that name".
Another reason for the album's title was due to contractual issues stemming from Sermon's previous label Def Jam Recordings.[3] Because of the issue, Def Squad Presents Erick Onasis was promoted as a compilation album, despite Sermon's appearance and production on most of the songs.
Track listing
edit| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Talk to Me" (Intro) | Erick Sermon | Erick Sermon | 1:41 |
| 2. | "I Do 'Em" |
| DJ Scratch | 2:23 |
| 3. | "Don't Get Gassed" | Erick Sermon | 2:41 | |
| 4. | "Why Not" (featuring Slick Rick) |
|
| 3:00 |
| 5. | "Live It up (Interlude)" (featuring Redman and Khari) |
| Redman | 2:40 |
| 6. | "Hostility" (featuring Redman and Keith Murray) |
| Erick Sermon | 2:52 |
| 7. | "Mastering With E" (Skit) |
| Erick Sermon | 0:28 |
| 8. | "So Sweet" (featuring Eazy-E) | Erick Sermon | 3:17 | |
| 9. | "Focus" (featuring DJ Quik and Xzibit) |
| 4:25 | |
| 10. | "Feel Me Baby" (featuring Khari and Sy Scott) |
| Erick Sermon | 3:16 |
| 11. | "Can't Stop" (featuring Dave Hollister and Peter Moore) |
| Erick Sermon | 4:05 |
| 12. | "Get da Money" (featuring Ja Rule) |
| Erick Sermon | 3:38 |
| 13. | "Ain't Shhh to Discuss" (featuring Teflon Da Don and Noah) |
| Suave House Productions, Inc. | 3:36 |
| 14. | "Sermon" (Speech) | E. Sermon | Erick Sermon | 0:56 |
| 15. | "Vangundy" (featuring Big Kim, Sy Scott, Nolan Epps, Boe & Ruck, Billy Billions and PMD) |
| Erick Sermon | 4:51 |
| 16. | "Fat Gold Chain" (featuring Too $hort) |
| Erick Sermon | 3:20 |
| Total length: | 47:09 | |||
- Sample credits
- Track 3 contains excerpts from "Don't Believe the Hype" written by James Boxley, Carlton Ridenhour and Eric Sadler, performed by Public Enemy.
- Track 6 contains excerpts from Public Enemy's It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back.
- Track 8 contains excerpts from "New Style" written by Rick Rubin, Adam Horovitz, Adam Yauch and Michael Diamond, performed by the Beastie Boys.
- Track 9 contains an interpolation from "I Play the Talk Box" written by Larry Troutman and Roger Troutman.
- Track 11 contains excerpts from "Electric Relaxation" written by Malik Taylor, Ali Muhammed-Jones, Ronnie Foster and John Davis, performed by A Tribe Called Quest.
Personnel
edit- Erick Sermon – vocals, producer (tracks: 1, 3, 4, 6-12, 14-16), mixing (tracks: 13, 15), executive producer, sleeve notes
- Richard "Slick Rick" Walters – vocals (track 4)
- Reginald "Redman" Noble – vocals (tracks: 5, 6), producer (track 5)
- Khari Santiago – vocals (tracks: 5, 10)
- Keith Murray – vocals (track 6)
- Eric "Eazy-E" Wright – vocals (track 8)
- David "DJ Quik" Blake – vocals and additional producer (track 9)
- Alvin "Xzibit" Joiner – vocals (track 9)
- Sy Scott – vocals (tracks: 10, 15)
- Dave Hollister – vocals (track 11)
- Peter Moore – vocals (track 11)
- Jeffrey "Ja Rule" Atkins – vocals (track 12)
- William "Rick Ross" Roberts – vocals (track 13)
- Noah Stephenson – vocals (track 13)
- Kim "Big Kim" Sermon – vocals (track 15)
- Nolan Epps – vocals (track 15)
- T. Warren – vocals (track 15)
- Robert Sherman – vocals (track 15)
- Harrell Dixon – vocals (track 15)
- Parrish "PMD" Smith – vocals (track 15)
- Todd "Too $hort" Shaw – vocals (track 16)
- George "DJ Scratch" Spivey – producer (track 2)
- Triston "T-Mix" Jones – producer (track 13)
- Darryl "Pop" Trotter – co-producer (track 4)
- Tommy Uzzo – engineering & mixing (tracks: 2, 4, 11)
- Marc Berto – engineering & mixing (tracks: 3, 5, 8-10, 12, 15, 16)
- Troy Hightower – engineering & mixing (track 6)
- Bernard Alexander – executive producer, marketing
- Jaycen Joshua – associate executive producer
- Johnny Sparkles – art direction, design
- Jonathan Mannion – photography
- Ron Handler – A&R
- Kisha Maldonado-Madrid – A&R, project management
- Chris Tricarico – project coordinator
- Deborah Mannis-Gardner – sample clearances
Chart history
edit| Chart (2000) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Billboard 200[4] | 53 |
| US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[5] | 15 |
References
edit- ^ DiBella, M.F. "Def Squad Presents Erick Onasis Def Squad". AllMusic. Retrieved April 4, 2019.
- ^ "Erick Onasis :: Def Squad Presents Erick Onasis :: Dreamworks". RapReviews. July 19, 2000. Retrieved April 4, 2019.
- ^ a b Burgess, Omar (May 18, 2011). "Rick Ross Recalls Drawing Inspiration From EPMD". HipHopDX. Retrieved April 4, 2019.
- ^ "Def Squad Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved April 4, 2019.
- ^ "Def Squad Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved April 4, 2019.
External links
edit- Def Squad Presents: Erick Onasis on Bandcamp
- Def Squad Presents Erick Onasis at Discogs (list of releases)