Customer Reviews

No Pressure

5 star:		(7)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Yo! real hip-hop followers,this is exactly fo'ya.If u have ever liked EPMD u can't sleep this.Ral hardcore beats, dope sound ,crazy feeling and so on and so on.This is da ultimate rap album that serves as a model.E-DUB ain't sellin' out so u can always expect the best from him.The classical east coast sound with da classical east coast artist-Erick Sermon.

When it comes to producers in the Hip Hop world, Erick Sermon can be rated very highly in my opinion. He showed the world his production when he was with Parrish Smith, back in his EPMD days. After splitting from Parrish after their Business Never Personal, Erick decides to head south to Atlanta, Georgia. Now, from what I've witnessed personally, when rappers move to ATL, the quality of their music seem to decline (don't believe me, a certain rapper from Oakland moved here $hortly after Erick did, and he's bordered garbage ever since). But as for Erick, I find it to be his strongest production wise.

Some of the songs that stood out to me was the lead single "Stay Real" as that shows why he is one of the best producers. "Payback II" has some nice heavy drumlines and features Joe Sinistr. Later on in the album, the song "Do It Up" has some head banging production. "Safe Sex" carries a nice sample with more heavy drum and bassline sound, followed by "Hittin' Switches" is another banging track. "The Hype" is nice track about pulling some females for a weekens. "Lil Crazy" features the group, Shadz Of Lingo, and is a solid cut. A favorite of mine is the is "Ill ****", because once again has some great Erick Sermon production. That song also features Kam and Ice Cube. "Swing It Over Here" is a little Def Squad cut (Erick, Keith, and Redman). Ending the album with "Female Species" runs along the same lines as "The Hype" subject wise.

Overall No Pressure is a great album from 1993. Erick shows that when he goes for solo, that he has no problem holding his own. I find it odd that Def Jam has this album out of print. In fact, all of Erick Sermon's albums are no longer in print, with the exception of Chilltown, New York. While Erick's next albums doesn't show the chemistry that he had on this album, I also recommend Double or Nothing, good, but not as great as No Pressure. Peace!

Lyrics: A-
Production: A+
Guest Appearances: A
Musical Vibes: A

Top 5 Tracks:
1. Stay Real
2. Safe Sex
3. Ill **** (featuring Kam and Ice Cube)
4. Hittin' Switches
5. Swing It Over Here (featuring Redman and Keith Murray)

Honorable Mention:
1. Do It Up
2. The Hype

I still remember Erick Sermon's first album, especially the blistering basslines in Stay Real. Sermon lashes at fake rappers who don't back up what they say. This song just jumps at you at first listen, as it has this funky, ballistic sound. Erick must have had the keyboards really revved up on this song--it's still one of my favorite solo songs from him! And once again, like in EPMD, Zapp and Roger Troutman are heavy sampled on this song. Also, another number, Hittin' Switches, has this truck-speakers blasting kind of music and beats as it leaps and bounces up and down in the chorus. He even lashes at his ex-EPMD member Parrish Smith, without saying his name on the song. The rest of the album is strong, as he has Redman and a group he found, Shadez of Lingo featured on some songs. Sermon proves that he could do it on his own outside of EPMD. His later albums got better.

After EPMD broke up Erick went solo and did it right. Of his 4 solo albums I have ( I don't have "Double or Nothing") this is probably tied for my 2nd favorite (with "Chilltown NY"). With 14 songs, 5 are ok, 8 are good, and 1 is almost a classic, no classics or bad ones. Guests rap on 6 songs and he showcases his Def Squad crew, and guests also do 2 hooks. Production is off the wall for a '94 release, as Sermon does all the production (he co-produces one of them). His lyrics aren't the beat as we all know, but the beats wil make you bop your head all day long. A great album for his fans or fans of true old school hip-hop to have.

#2 - 9 (f/ Joe Synystr -- tight beat)
#3 - 9 (tight beat)
#4 - 8
#5 - 9.5 (f/ Keith Murray -- great beat)
#6 - 7.5 (nice beat)
#7 - 8 (dirty song -- f/ Debra Killings -- nice beat)
#8 - 8.5 (tight beat)
#10 - 8
#11 - 7.5 (f/ Derrick Culbreath)
#12 - 7.5 (f/ Shadz of Lingo -- nice beat)
#13 - 8.5 (f/ Ice Cube & Kam -- tight beat)
#14 - 8.5 (f/ Redman & Keith Murray)
#16 - 7 (f/ Soup)
#17 - 6.5 (another dirty song)

Erick Sermon -- b. 11/25/68 -- Brentwood, Long Island, NY
Check all my reviews

This album released in 1993, marked Erick Sermon's first album w/o Parrish Smith (PMD). "No Pressure" came 1 year after EPMD released "Business As Usual," & "Business Never Personal," both in 1992 and both are the duo's best albums. After the break-up, Sermon was on a mission to prove that he is the wealth of talent and creativity behind EPMD (which we all knew he was, but after this release all critics & doubters were silenced).

This LP is stuffed full of fresh & funky beats and rhymes. It's as if dropping PMD only allowed Sermon to fully reach his pinnacle and focus all his concentration on his solo projects and more importantly it gave him the necessary space & time to prpoperly mold and mentor his deciples; Redman & Keith Murray (this Def Squad trio is hands down one of Hip-Hop's greatest rap acts ever). Check out track #14, Swing It Over Here feat. Keith Murray & Redman. An interesting fact, track #5, Hostile, is Keith Murray's introduction to the world...his first track ever. This album holds pieces of Hip-Hop history.

Every track is sick, reminding me of EPMD's best work, but minus PMD (which only makes things better).

Bottom Line: Any fan of EPMD, Def Squad or anyone who just enjoys funky, up-beat, east-coast Hip-Hop, needs this album in their collection. A perfect 5 stars. Peace.

Erick Sermon...a must if you like keeping it real. Definitely not for posers or wack artists of todays hip-hop era. I'mma let you finish but...

Erick Sermon brings heat on his first solo after EPMD split. 1993's No Pressure has a lot going for it. He may have competition in the MC department, but the production is what we like most about his albums. The beats are simply immaculate. I love the East-West collabo with Kam and Ice Cube, on "The Ill S---;" the title is self explanatory with each givin' A-1 performances rippin the mic to shreds, and the beat suits each one's styles well. All 3 have aawesome chemistry together. I love the Zapp and Roger samples on tracks like "Stay Real" where u can hear Roger's talk box sampled in the hook. Redman and Keith Murray make appearances, and that just adds to the entertainment. All in all, simply, this album slaps all the way thru!

After the break up it was clear that erick wasn't going out the game and showed he had what it takes with this release. He made his onw beats and done them well. He had a style that you could tell from anyone because of his voice and the way he flowed. He started up def squad also produced for redman, keith murray, jamal and others. Although he started the hit squad with parrish smith and redman, das efx and k-solo were on there, redman joined ericks def squad. Anyway, this album is tight and has some really nice tracks that bring back memories everytime you hear it becaue it's a classic. I like ericks flow, it's strange, I don't know if he's trying to be serious or not, but it sounds like just fun and not too hard but works excellent with his production. So, if you want a classic album that is from the the time when hip hop was alive and real get this, and also get the untcouchable 'double or nothing' too, one of my favourites. Peace!

CLASSIC.
LYRICS ---------- 10/10
PRODUCTION COURTESY OF GREEN EYED BANDIT -------- 10/10
THEME --------- 10/10
ALBUM COVER --------9/10
CONCEPT ---------- 10/10
GUEST APPEARANCE --------- SHADES OF LINGO,KEITH MURRAY&RED MAN
STAND OUT TRACKS ---------- ALL TRACKS
OVERALL ---------- CLASSIC.

O.KAKA GOD'S GIFT TO DA UNDERGROUND.

I remember Erick Sermon being on Rap City when this came out. They interviewed him from this new house he had bought in Atlanta. He had a drum kit in his studio and he played it while rappping "Stay Real." I think Reggie "Redman" Noble showed up on that episode too. BET was still good back then.