While most focus on the power of New York Hip Hop surging from the Five Boroughs of New York City, it should not be overlooked that Long Island is also an essential component of it all. A tradition that runs deep, in the 1980s, you had the likes of Public Enemy (out of Freeport and Roosevelt), De La Soul (out of Amityville), Eric B & Rakim (out of Wyandanch), Biz Markie (spending his time between Patchogue and Brentwood), plus the one and only EPMD (coming from Brentwood).
All intricate parts of the international Hip Hop movement, EPMD made a big splash with their 1987 single “It’s My Thing,” leading into the outstanding 1988 debut album Strictly Business. Moving onto 1990’s Business as Usual and 1992’s Business Never Personal, by 1993, the duo of Erick Sermon and Parrish Smith were set to pursue solo careers. A split that surprised many fans, it also ushered in a new chapter for Erick Sermon, who lit up charts in 1993 with his debut solo album, No Pressure. Spawning hits like “Hittin’ Switches” and “Stay Real,” this debut became a staple of early ‘90s Hip Hop. In fact, as Hip Hop progressed in the 1990s, Erick Sermon was right at the forefront of it all, with an extensive solo career (including eight albums through 2019’s Vernia). Furthermore, all of this happened while Sermon was becoming a prolific producer for the likes of Redman, Keith Murray, Das EFX, D’Angelo, SWV, and so many more.
A genuinely remarkable career: in 2025, he released the highly ambitious and exciting album Dynamic Duos, Vol. 1. Released December 5, 2025, through Sermon’s own Def Squad Records, it is really an homage to the historical art of duo MCs joining together on energized tracks. A cool concept that brings you back to the Golden Era of Hip Hop, this album is overloaded with Hip Hop collaborations, including Sermon’s reunion with Parrish Smith for the track “Test Me.” The first track the duo has recorded together in a decade, “Test Me,” is classic-sounding EPMD in every sense of the word.
A central selling point for the record if you are an EPMD fan, other highlights include Method Man and Redman joining up on the single “Lake At ‘Em,” Snoop Dogg teamed with unreleased vocals of the late Nate Dogg on “Like That,” Public Enemy’s Chuck D and Flavor Flav on “How Long,” Salt-N-Pepa on the danceable “Back 2 The Party,” Cypress Hill’s B-Real and Sen Dog on “How Do You Know,” M.O.P.’s Billy Danze and Lil’ Fame on “Sidewalk Executives,” Tha Dogg Pound’s Kurupt and Daz Dillinger on “The City,” and Heltah Skeltah on “Spectacle.” Giving you a moment to take all of that in and say ‘wow,’ each track is full of genuine energy that has Erick Sermon’s classic style all over them with thick basslines and funky instruments.
A total of 15 tracks that zip by in under 35 minutes, it is a cohesive masterpiece that follows the theme of duos in an exciting, enjoyable way. Amid the modern era of over-polished mainstream Hip Hop, much praise should be awarded to Erick Sermon for seeing this concept through. Let us hope there are subsequent volumes to follow sooner rather than later. Until then, Cryptic Rock gives Erick Sermon’s Dynamic Duos, Vol. 1 5 out of 5 stars.
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