Happy 30th Anniversary to Erick Sermon’s second studio album Double or Nothing, originally released November 7, 1995.
Erick Sermon is one of hip-hop’s most respected heroes. He’s arguably best known as one-half of EPMD, the pioneering duo whose music influenced countless rappers and crews. But Sermon has also crafted a very respectable career as a solo artist, first striking out on his own after EPMD’s first break-up back in the early 1990s. Of the eight albums that he’s put out as a solo artist, it’s Double or Nothing, released 30 years ago, that is his best.
Sermon released Double or Nothing on Def Jam a little over two years after his solo debut No Pressure (1993). That album seemed like a musical extension of Sermon’s work while a member of EPMD. Sermon’s production hallmarks through the late 1980s and early 1990s was creating a heavy, funk-laden sound, and No Pressure featured similar musical stylings. Perhaps because the album was not a commercial success, Sermon refined his craft as the mid-1990s began.
Sermon shifted his approach to beat-making on Double or Nothing. Almost completely gone are the funk-dredged tracks. Instead, the Long Island resident opted for a more soulful, smoother sound, sampling jazz records and using live instrumentation to create his beats. The album is ultimately more accessible than some of his earlier work, but it does not sacrifice quality. In fact, Double or Nothing featured some of Sermon’s best production at that point of his career.
“Bomdigi,” the album’s first single, blends Sermon’s earlier beat-making sensibilities with his updated production style. It serves as the optimal entry into the new album, incorporating portions of Mary Jane Girls’ “All Night Long” to go with jangling guitars and subtle keyboards. It’s one of the catchiest tracks on the album, bolstered by Sermon’s energetic delivery.
Though Sermon’s production is the clear star of Double or Nothing, one third of the Def Squad crew (along with Redman and Keith Murray) showed he was a more than competent lyricist. Tracks like “Set It Off” show he can deliver punchline-laden raps like his peers. He channels his anger and righteous indignation to great effect on “Focus,” lambasting “fake hardcore emcees with fake hardcore crews,” as well as a nameless acquaintance that he developed beef with.
Sometimes Sermon sounds more comfortable when paired with other emcees. “Freak Out” is a lively duet, as Sermon trades verses with Redman, who makes his first of numerous appearances on the album. Produced by Rod “KP” Kirkpatrick, the song sounds like it could have been lifted from Redman’s Dare Iz a Darkside (1994) sessions, with the pair rapping exuberantly to the watery synths from Jean-Jacques Perrey’s “E.V.A.” “’Cause my funk rolls thicker than Bisquick,” Redman boasts, “if it's mixed with that same funky sticky stuff I roll my spliffs with.”
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Sermon introduced some up-and-coming young talent on No Pressure. However, aside from Keith Murray, few ever had much of a career following the album’s release. Sermon brought together an almost completely new roster of artists during this period, many of whom were featured in some capacity on Double or Nothing.
Some of these new voices have familial connections to Sermon and crew. Kim, Sermon’s sister, drops a solid verse on the “In the Studio” interlude. Meanwhile, Roz, a.k.a. Redman’s sibling, holds more than her own on “Tell ’Em.” Alongside Sermon and Keith Murray (who kicks a verse that partially appeared on Mary J. Blige’s 1994 album My Life), Roz steals the show, rhyming with determination over the slowed-down opening notes of Bobby Hutcherson’s “Secrets My Love (Reprise).” “In any form I’m doing work over beat breaks,” she asserts. “Now even cheapskates is peeping my tape’s release date.”
Passion also makes an impression as a talented lyricist. First appearing on Keith Murray’s oft-forgotten posse-cut/B-side “Pay-Per-View” and a few other Def Squad-adjacent tracks, she joins Sermon and Redman on “Move On.” With her husky voice and rugged delivery, she verbally kicks in the door with lines like, “Strychnine rules the mind on the verge of destruction / Blood starts to boil like a lyrical combustion.”
Yet again, most of these guests didn’t achieve much post-Double or Nothing’s success. The sole “guest artist” that had long-term impact was producer Rockwilder. As one half of the crew Xross Breed, Rockwilder had some solid lyrical chops, but here he produces a pair of songs. While “Boy Meets World” is a solid head-nodder, “Welcome,” the album’s second single, is one of Double or Nothing’s best offerings.
“Welcome” is one of the strongest mid-tempo club jams of that decade, strengthened by layers of synths and a filtered bassline, contrasted with the hardest hitting drum track on the album. Aaron Hall makes an appearance, delivering boisterous vocals on the chorus and ad-libs. Sermon’s lead-off verse is his strongest on the album, as he raps, “I pack the house like Woodstock when I rock / A three-day event of me dropping the illest shit.”
Sermon recorded two other club-centered tracks for Double or Nothing. “Do Your Thing” centers on Sermon’s escapades while enjoying the nightlife. Redman hooks up a relatively muted track, stepping pretty far out of his comfort zone. The oddly titled “Man Above” (which is about seeking female attention rather than anything remotely spiritual) is notable as it features the first appearance on record of Jazze Pha, now a renowned vocalist and producer in his own right.
Double or Nothing ends with “Open Fire,” an exuberant lyrical brawl by the Def Squad. Musically, it’s the album’s densest offering, filled with layers of instrumentation, vocal samples, and sounds of gun shots. Though Redman and Sermon both excel on the mic, Murray shines bright, packing more syllables into a 16-bar verse than seemingly possible. “My rap style is like my lifestyle, rougher than turbulence,” he raps. “Ever since I commenced to subject you to my bullshit.”
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Sermon’s production renaissance would continue through the mid-1990s. Months after Double or Nothing, he would release the Insomnia compilation (1996) through Interscope Records, featuring many of the up-and-coming talents that he affiliated himself with. He really perfected his production techniques on Keith Murray’s Enigma (1996) and Redman’s Muddy Waters (1996), which are among each emcee’s best albums of their respective careers.
Double or Nothing helped re-focus Sermon’s career path for the next half decade, as he concentrated on his production work, before eventually finding his biggest success as a solo artist at the start of the 21st century. He evolved and progressed with his craft, further solidifying himself as one of the best beat-makers working. Double or Nothing holds up as a smooth and enjoyable listening experience, ideal for playing on the dance floor, in the car, or through the headphones.
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