Podcast Summary: The Herd with Colin Cowherd — Joe and Jada with Eric Sermon

Date: December 4, 2025
Episode Focus: “Dynamic Duos” — Eric Sermon on Hip-Hop Legacy, Missed Moments, and the New Album
Guests: Eric Sermon (legendary rapper/producer, EPMD), Joe Budden, Fat Joe, Jadakiss

Overview

This special edition of The Herd with Colin Cowherd is a lively, in-depth roundtable hosted by Joe Budden, Fat Joe, and Jadakiss, featuring the iconic Eric Sermon. The discussion centers around Sermon's decades-spanning career, his impact on hip-hop, memorable near-misses with superstars, the realities of the music industry, and the making of his collaborative new album, Dynamic Duos, featuring legends like Tupac, Biggie, Mobb Deep, Snoop, and more. The episode is rich with reflections, humor, braggadocio, and lessons for artists and fans alike.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Eric Sermon's Legacy, Genius & Underappreciation

• [03:20] Joe Budden opens with an epic introduction, praising Eric as “iconic,” an “underrated pillar in hip-hop,” and a “genius” in production, creating labels, chemistry, and sound.
• [06:51] Eric reflects: “Yes, I was involved in selling over 70 million records...I just want to put that flex out there.”
• [09:13] Eric speaks on underappreciation:

  “If we would have had this type of social media back then, it would probably be more...but we didn’t have it. People just heard records. It wasn’t about the producer, about the artist. Nobody knew who made shit.”

2. Sampling and Early Hip-Hop Production

• [12:51] Eric’s earliest influences were the records his family already owned — “Parliament, Earth, Wind & Fire, BT Express, The Whispers, Patti Labelle...Whatever was in front of them speakers.”
• [14:37] On learning to structure songs:

  “That’s when I learned how to make a chorus. Before that, I had no clue. So I owe them that because now when I’m making ‘You a Customer’, now I’m knowing how to format.”

3. “Could Have Signed” Superstars & Missed Opportunities

• [16:49-20:55] Fascinating recount of nearly signing Redman, Biggie, Nas, Raekwon/Wu-Tang, Rick Ross, Ludacris, The Game, Hitmaker, and more.

  “I don’t know that many people that got my story of those MCs that came to me Uno first that I could have had, but, you know, could have had the crew...” (Eric, [19:47])

• On priorities then: “I already got money, I got my own groups...my focus wasn’t there.” (Eric, [18:27])

4. Business Lessons, Money, and Evolving Artist Hustle

• [25:04] Fat Joe stresses the freedom the podcast affords — “You have freedom, no boss.” Stephen A. Smith expresses envy at this.
• [29:13] Comparing the new artist landscape: “The young ones are getting it...They came in a time where the money’s heavy for them. It wasn’t like that for us. We had to hustle.” — Eric
• [41:19] Joe and Eric discuss lack of early financial guidance for hip-hop artists.

  “Nobody taught us. Those people just happened to know. My man told me to make clothes...I looked at him like he was crazy. I’m a rapper, I make music.”

• [58:41] Eric details industry accounting tricks, the business of sampling, the exploitation artists face, and calls for artists to retain their rights and go direct-to-consumer.

  “We didn’t know about money. Everybody had the same program — lawyer, accountant, business management... The lawyer was working with the label.”

5. Publishing, Streaming & Revenue Realities

• [61:51] Eric on Spotify economics:

  “The president...made $300 million [in 2024]...They’re giving us 0.4 cent. Now Congress passed the law — they’re giving us one penny. So 1 million streams get you 14 grand; before, 100,000 streams got you $200. This whole system is fucked up for us but not for the labels.”

• [65:39] Eric advocates for self-publishing and direct sales:

  “If you have a name, why would you want to go and do all that work…and go put it on that platform?...Do the marketing promotion on yourself and bring them to your platform.”

6. Producer-Focused Insight: Sampling Costs & Lawsuits

• [69:18-71:10] Fat Joe asks about the cost of clearing Marvin Gaye samples; Eric reveals:

  “It cost $200,000...$150K to the wife, $50K to the lawyer. But Clive gave me $4 million, so that whole thing, how it went…”

• The Pharrell/Marvin Gaye “Blurred Lines” lawsuit comes up as a key lesson.

7. Making of “Dynamic Duos” Album

• [72:14-80:42] Eric opens up about assembling a historic album, “Dynamic Duos,” that took nearly four years, as COVID, legal, and estate delays (Tupac, Biggie, Nate Dogg, Sean Price, etc.) all made it an “odyssey.”

  “I get Biggie cleared, but the Tupac estate…I offered $100,000…she didn’t say yes or no fast enough...” (Eric, [76:58])

• The project features living and posthumous verses: “Redman, Method Man, Snoop Dogg, Nate, Helter Skelter, M.O.P., Cypress Hill, EPMD, Dogg Pound, Conway the Machine, Game, Lil Wayne, Mobb Deep...” ([80:11])
• Joe Budden requests a feature on Volume 2.

  “I got you.” (Eric, [80:46])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments (with Timestamps)

• Fat Joe on Eric Sermon’s genius:

  “Eric Sherman, a genius. That’s the words he missed out. You’re a fucking genius. You’re ahead of your time.” [05:14]

• Eric Sermon on being underappreciated:

  “We didn’t have social media...people just heard records...producers were anonymous.” [09:13]

• Joe Budden on financial lessons:

  “We thought, we know. I tell him shit, he don’t listen to me...every time you perform, I see you drinking water… Why don’t we sell water?” [41:40]

• Eric Sermon on direct-to-fan sales:

  “8,000 people give me $50...that’s $400,000 from only 8,000 people.” [68:14]

• On industry exploitation:

  “This is the only business that glorifies you getting rolled.” (Fat Joe, [64:01])

• On missed signings:

  “I don’t know that many people that got my story.” — Eric ([19:47])

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 03:20-06:51: Epic Eric Sermon introduction, Genius/legacy/underrated discussion
• 12:51-15:00: Origins of sampling, early production stories
• 16:49-21:31: List of near-misses on signing now-famous artists (Redman, Biggie, Wu-Tang, etc.)
• 25:04-29:13: Artist financial freedom, podcast vs. corporate, new-gen vs old-gen
• 41:19-43:06: Missed creative business opportunities
• 58:41-61:51: Music industry business pitfalls, lawyers and accountants, IRS
• 61:51-68:14: Streaming, Spotify payments, direct sales model
• 69:18-71:10: The price of samples, Pharrell/Marvin Gaye lawsuit
• 72:14-80:42: The making of “Dynamic Duos”: clearances, delays, final lineup
• 83:01-93:34: World premiere of tracks, breakdown of featured artists, reactions

Music Premieres & Album Previews

• [83:01] Unveiling tracks “Sidewalk Executives” with M.O.P. (“This is street certified. Fire off weapons, you with the sidewalk executive…” — Jadakiss, [83:12]) and “Where You At” with The LOX.
• [94:16] Teases a track with Conway the Machine, Lil Wayne, Game.
• Discussion of working with legends’ vocals — “You’re going to think them two (Biggie and Tupac) was in it together.” (Eric, [90:51])
• Enthusiastic, almost reverent in-studio reactions to the tracks played.

Humor, Camaraderie & Realness

• Frequent friendly teasing about names, hair dye (“The Rolls Royce of hair coloring” — Fat Joe, [07:16]), missed studio sessions, and homage to “sidewalk executives.”
• Self-deprecating honesty about missed investments (“We thought... water is free. Nah, I’m telling you, if you sold water…” — Fat Joe, [42:17])

Final Reflections & Takeaways

Eric Sermon’s appearance is a celebration and a masterclass in hip-hop history, artist business, and perseverance. The hosts, all titans themselves, reinforce the principle that legacy, savvy, and self-ownership are crucial in a changing music industry.

Fat Joe sums up the vibe:

“We pay homage to the true legends. Yeah, we got you right now...this is your house. This is the house that you built. Me and him, we just here enjoying the time we get to sit with our Legends.” [47:15]

For aspiring artists and genre enthusiasts, this episode is essential listening for both the wild stories and the real-life lessons on money, ownership, and adaptation in hip-hop.