Erick Sermon featuring Marvin Gaye ‎– Music - (2001)

Polydor ‎– 497 622-2

I'm putting up two posts today, technically three, all with a certain theme, but you'll get what I mean by that with #2 later today. You're allowed to go a little nuts on your birthday, right? :D

As a huge fan of both Marvin Gaye and EPMD/Def Squad, I was delighted when Erick Sermon dropped the track "Music" in 2001 - even happier that it was a bona fide hit for both parties. 

The song was inspired when Erick Sermon heard an outtake of Gaye's 1982 album track, "Turn On Some Music" (titled "I've Got My Music" in its initial version), Sermon decided to mix the acappella vocals and make his own song with it.

This hip hop and soul duet featuring the two veteran performers was released as the leading song of the soundtrack to the Martin Lawrence & Danny DeVito comedy, "What's the Worst That Could Happen?" (which I've not seen to this day). 

The song became a runaway success in the US rising to #2 on Billboard's R&B chart and was #1 on the rap charts. It also registered at #21 pop giving Sermon his highest-charted single on the pop charts as a solo artist and giving Gaye his first posthumous hit in 10 years following 1991's single, "My Last Chance" also bringing Gaye his 41st top 40 pop hit. 

I can't find the data on what it did in the UK - not much probably, considering the awful mainstream consensus.

There was also a version that removed Erick Sermon's verses, leaving Marvin's vocals over the beat, although that ain't available here.

There's an F bomb on the Album version, so depending on whether you're okay with profanity or not, go with either the Album version or Radio Edit. The Instrumental should be of interest to some more DJ minded folks.

I wish it had the Marvin Gaye-centric mix on here as well for completion, but mostly I'm just happy to have the track. 

This is one brilliant release.

- Kymba x

Tracklist

1. Music (Album Version)
2. Music (Radio Edit)
3. Music (Instrumental)

Discogs page

Download: ES&MG-M.7z | Filesize: 25.4MB