Erick Sermon, a seasoned figure in the music industry, has had a storied career filled with remarkable achievements. However, one of the most significant opportunities he passed up was the chance to sign the iconic hip-hop mogul 50 Cent.
In a recent interview with Math Hoffa on his My Expert Opinion podcast, Sermon shared the fascinating story of how he crossed paths with 50 Cent and how the rising star nearly became a part of his Def Squad.
Sermon began his recollection by tracing the fortuitous introduction that set the stage for this missed opportunity. He revealed that Cory Rooney, the Senior Vice President of Sony, which was the parent company of 50 Cent’s former label Columbia Records, happened to be his next-door neighbor at the time. This serendipitous connection brought 50 Cent into the picture.
“Cory lived next door to me,” Sermon recounted. “Well, Cory Rooney, then Senior Vice President of Sony, the parent company of 50’s former label Columbia, lived next door to me, alright? And Cory was with Sony and production duo Trackmasters who worked with 50 Cent early in his career. So he brung 50 to the crib. And you know, this is early 50. 50 used to come to the house all the time, and we’d do records. So, he was Def Squad… Cory just felt that it was best for him to be over here.”
Sermon reminisced about producing one of 50 Cent’s early tracks, “Da Heatwave,” which was a significant milestone in the young rapper’s career. “That was the first single that I did after ‘How to Rob,’” he said, mentioning that Fif’ shouts both him and Def Squad out in the record’s outro. “That was his first single before he got shot up in May 2000.”
At the time, 50 Cent had earned a reputation for his bold diss tracks, notably “How to Rob,” where he targeted various prominent figures in the industry. Sermon, however, remained unfazed by 50 Cent’s penchant for controversy. He explained, “As far as the barking — whoever he was dissing, I didn’t care. If you roll with me, it was cool. I wasn’t tripping on that. If you are with me, then they’re gonna have to say something to me, too.”
Erick Sermon’s recollection of this near-collaboration with 50 Cent sheds light on the opportunities and choices that define careers in the music industry.
