The Breakfast Club — INTERVIEW: Erick Sermon Clarifies Diddy Incident, Owning His Publishing, Iconic Sound + More

Date: December 11, 2025
Hosts: DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, Charlamagne Tha God
Guest: Erick Sermon

Episode Overview

In this candid, wide-ranging interview, hip-hop legend Erick Sermon sits down with The Breakfast Club to clear the air about his involvement in the recent Diddy documentary, explain his unique approach to business and publishing ownership, reminisce about his influential history in hip-hop, and reflect on personal hardships—including addiction and grief. The conversation is loaded with behind-the-scenes tales, advice for new artists, and an unfiltered view into both the music industry and Sermon's storied journey.

Main Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Diddy Story and Netflix Documentary

[03:21 – 11:13]

• Erick Sermon clarifies the viral story from the Diddy doc, emphasizing he never embellished events and never intended disrespect toward Misa (Diddy's then-girlfriend) or Diddy.
  • "What I said was the truth. I never capped... Me and Misa’s friends... I was just giving my story." — Erick Sermon [03:43]
• Breakdown of the actual incident:
  • Sermon and Misa (in the driver’s seat of his truck) were talking outside her house; Diddy approached, angry but no physical fight ensued ("He never touched me. Come on, stop it now.").
  • After tensions cooled, they discussed music, including Keith Murray and upcoming artists.
• Media Misrepresentation:
  • Sermon notes the Netflix doc “looks crazy” and “I look crazy, like I didn’t belong there, you know, when you see everybody else.” — [11:13]
• Documentary Appearance:
  • He was unaware that anecdote would be kept, and stresses his friendship with both Misa and Diddy.
  • “I would have never, ever tried to put Misa in a situation on that… it was just like a friend thing, you know?” — [09:42]
• Aftermath:
  • Misa is upset, hasn’t spoken to Sermon, but he hopes to clear the air (“I didn’t mean to do nothing to her because she is my friend.” — [10:44])

Memorable Quote

“Since 1989... this is my first time being this on fire... number one Netflix, 49 countries... and the album coming at the same time. I didn’t have this.” — Erick Sermon [11:26–12:28]

2. Resurgence, New Album & Industry Evolution

[12:28 – 14:22]

• Sermon discusses the postponed release of his album "Dynamic Duos," originally made during the pandemic. Signed as a partner with Kevin Liles' label, the album faced years of industry “politics,” including estate clearances (Prodigy, Nate Dogg, Sean Price).
• When the record finally dropped, it coincided with global Netflix exposure from the documentary.
• Charlamagne insists Sermon has a long record of reinvention: “You reinvented yourself so many times.” — [11:55]

3. Legacy, Influence, and the East Coast Sound

[14:22 – 19:01]

• DJ Envy and Charlamagne laud Sermon’s underappreciated impact as an architect of the East Coast sound.
• Sermon reflects on his idols (Larry Smith, Marley Marl, Jermaine Dupri), mixed musical influences from upbringing (“Parliament, Zap, BT Express, Led Zeppelin, Van Halen”), and the origins of the EPMD sound—blending genres and pioneering sampling despite being unaware of the ‘producer’ title as kids.
  • “All the records that mom had against the speaker... you just picked whatever you picked...” — [16:04]
• The effortless chemistry between EPMD (“It was all Run DMC... Everything that we did was Run DMC...”) and their DIY approach to getting signed.

Memorable Quote

“EPMD was a mixture of stuff that we grew up with and stuff that we... found in the crib. And that became whatever the sound was...” — Erick Sermon [17:49]

4. Financial Wisdom, Publishing, and Artistic Ownership

[23:01 – 25:57]

• Envy highlights Sermon as a rare example of sustained wealth, asking why other hip-hop figures encountered financial pitfalls but he did not.
• Sermon explains his early real estate lessons from Parish of EPMD, and the value of owning publishing:
  • “After the breakup, I started buying all type of shit... but then I had so many groups, so many deals... I ended up selling my half... and giving 40% away. But Clive Davis came in... $4 million... kept on doing what it was doing. Publishing is what you see now, don’t forget, I never sold because I didn’t have to.”
• On the value of publishing:
  • “Weekend does I Don’t Want to Know... 1.9 billion streams brings you $250,000 every quarter for 4% on one record.” — Erick Sermon [25:57]

Financial Reality for Artists

“If you own your publishing... here’s what can feed you, like a 401k or some type of retirement... if you own your publishing.” — Erick Sermon [25:57]

5. Personal Struggles: Addiction and Recovery

[27:01 – 39:19]

• Sermon speaks openly about his 12-year battle with painkiller addiction, triggered by an accident and back surgery (“from my balls all the way down to my legs was all numb” — [33:07]).
• Initially prescribed Vicodin in 2001, later Percocet after surgery in 2009, he details how rehab in 2022 finally helped him get clean.
  • “I went to rehab in 2022... not celebrity rehab, a rehab upstate with regular people.” — [34:24]
  • "The first five days is you doing detox... you get this shit called the shake... restless legs. So your leg is kicking, and then your arm starts kicking so you can't sleep." — [35:26]
• His mother’s illness and words kept him from relapsing:
  • “My mother said if you do that, I’m not going to make it. So once she said that, there’s no way I’m going to touch the pill.” — [37:06]
• Finding healing in work and support (“Kanye called and said, it happened to me too... he was there for me”), music, and new beginnings after tragedy.

6. Business Models: Ownership, Streaming & Merch

[40:22 – 46:47]

• Sermon critiques modern streaming rates and advocates for artists to monetize directly via websites, merchandise, and exclusive releases.
  • “The president of Spotify… made $425 million [in 2025]… and we still making less than a penny.” — [42:44]
  • “If I get 8,000 fans to give me $200, that means merchandise, records, the whole night, I made $1.6 million. I don't need a million people.” — [43:14]
• Encourages established artists to reclaim value by selling directly on their own platforms; contends that “the website is back. Make it dope again, make it colorful... Shopify, Bandcamp, whatever… that’s the model.” — [44:10]
• Pushes back on the industry idea that music is just promo for touring or merch:
  • “You should be getting paid off the music too.” — Charlamagne [47:04]

7. Missed Opportunities & Legacy Acts

[48:13 – 50:53]

• Sermon recounts almost signing (but not) artists like 50 Cent, Rick Ross, Akon, and the Fugees—explaining that he was caught up with his own massive Hit Squad roster at the time.
• Reflects on artists who fit the Sermon/Hit Squad mold but left (Cannabis, Raekwon) due to bigger deals elsewhere.
  • “I was really going to sign Raekwon by himself first, but again time go by, you know...”

8. "Dynamic Duos" Album & Hip-Hop Collaborations

[50:53 – 54:03]

• Sermon previews future volumes, hints at tracks with The Lox, CNN, Blackstar, Eightball & MJG, Raekwon and Ghostface, and more.
• Shares vision for curating duos (Wish-list: OutKast, UGK, Slick Rick & Doug E. Fresh).

Notable Quotes & Moments (with Timestamps)

• On the Diddy Story:
  "He never touched me. Come on, stop it now. Stop. Come on now. Just me, okay? He... he swung on me. So now at the end of the day, me being respectful... I didn’t want to do that in front of her." — Erick Sermon [04:51]
• On his documentary inclusion:
  "I look crazy, like I didn't belong there, you know... Everybody who saw said the same, 'What is Eric doing in that documentary?'" — Erick Sermon [11:13]
• On publishing and generational wealth:
  “I never sold because I didn’t have to... 1.9 billion streams brings you $250,000 every quarter for 4% on one record.” — Erick Sermon [25:57]
• On artist independence:
  “The website is back. Make it dope again, make it colorful... Shopify, Bandcamp, whatever… that’s the model.” — Erick Sermon [44:10]
• On musical influence:
  "EPMD was a mixture of stuff that we grew up with and stuff that we... found in the crib. And that became whatever the sound was...” — Erick Sermon [17:49]
• On addiction recovery:
  “My mother said if you do that, I’m not going to make it. So once she said that, there’s no way I’m going to touch the pill.” — Erick Sermon [37:06]
• On almost signing major artists:
  “50 Cent, Rick Ross, Akon, Fugees... at the time... I had my own groups, so I didn’t look at what somebody else was doing.” — Erick Sermon [48:13]

Light Moments & Camaraderie

• Sermon and the hosts joke about his childhood footwear and earliest days with Paris (“He snapped on me… What kind of sneakers you got on? These are Pumas. ‘Nah, those ain't the real Pumas’”—[19:01])
• Several playful "pause" moments about health stories, dancing, and in-studio banter—keeping the vibe both nostalgic and humorous throughout.
• Running jokes about clickbait, documentaries, and internet rumors regarding the Diddy doc for comic relief (“I need to make sure that we got clickbaits. So start something up real quick.” — Sermon [54:05–56:10])

Segment Timestamps

• Intro/Ads: 00:00–03:01
• Diddy Incident Clarification: 03:21–11:13
• Album, Documentary, Career Highs: 11:26–14:22
• Legacy, Sound Creation, EPMD Origins: 14:22–19:01
• Financials & Publishing Mastery: 23:01–27:01
• Addiction and Recovery: 27:01–39:19
• Dealing with Grief, Kanye Collaboration: 37:06–40:29
• Streaming Economics & Direct-To-Fan Model: 42:21–47:04
• Stories of Almost Signing Major Acts: 48:13–50:53
• Dynamic Duos Project, Hip-Hop Legacy: 50:53–54:03
• Wrap-up, Clickbait Banter, Final Jokes: 54:05–57:30

Conclusion

Erick Sermon’s session with The Breakfast Club is a compelling blueprint for both emerging and established artists: Value your story, your relationships, your business, and your health. His candor about struggles—be they personal or professional—reminds listeners of hip-hop’s enduring spirit and the ever-evolving importance of true ownership and self-worth, both in and beyond the industry.