Everlast | |
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Background information | |
Birth name | Erik Francis Schrody |
Also known as | Whitey Ford |
Born | Long Island, New York, U.S. [1] | August 18, 1969
Origin | Los Angeles, California, U.S. [1] |
Genres | |
Occupations |
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Instruments |
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Years active | 1987–present |
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Formerly of |
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Website | martyr-inc |
Erik Francis Schrody (born August 18, 1969), [2] known by his stage names Everlast and Whitey Ford, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter who was the frontman for hip hop group House of Pain. His breakthrough as a solo artist came in 1998 with his album Whitey Ford Sings the Blues , which blended rock and hip-hop and garnered him his first Grammy Award nomination for the song "What It's Like". The album peaked at number 9 on the Billboard 200 album chart, while the single peaked at number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. As of 2023, they remain his highest mainstream chart positions for an album and single respectively.
In 2000, Everlast received a Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal with Latin rock band Santana for "Put Your Lights On". From 2006 to 2012, he was also part of the hip hop supergroup La Coka Nostra, which consisted of members of House of Pain and other rappers. In 2008, he was nominated an Emmy Award for the main title theme of the TV series Saving Grace . He has released eight albums in his solo career, each featuring a blend of hip-hop, rock, blues, folk, and Americana. His most recent release is Whitey Ford's House of Pain , which came out in 2018.
Everlast went to Taft High School in Los Angeles at the same time Ice Cube and N.W.A and the Posse member Krazy Dee were attending. Everlast stated about N.W.A in an interview with LA Weekly:
"I was around when Straight Outta Compton was being made. I watched and learned a lot. ... I'm here as a white kid opening up for the likes of Big Daddy Kane, Slick Rick and N.W.A cause I'm rolling with Ice-T. I was just coming up in the game. I opened for them, met them. They were larger than life."[ This quote needs a citation ]
Emerging as a member of Ice-T's group Rhyme Syndicate, Everlast's 1990 debut album Forever Everlasting was a commercial disappointment. [3] Following the album's failure, Everlast teamed up with fellow Taft High alums DJ Lethal and Danny Boy to form the hip-hop trio House of Pain. [3] The group was signed to Tommy Boy Records, and their 1992 self-titled debut album went multiplatinum, spawning the successful DJ Muggs produced single "Jump Around". [3]
Fashioning themselves as rowdy Irish-American hooligans (Lethal is actually Latvian-born), they toured with various rap and alternative rock bands such as the Ramones, Beastie Boys and Rage Against the Machine after their breakthrough. They participated together with Helmet, along with several other rap acts, on the influential 1993 rock-rap collaborative Judgment Night movie soundtrack (Everlast also played a villain in the film). The group eventually disbanded in 1996, and Everlast once again pursued a solo career. [3]
Everlast's 1998 album Whitey Ford Sings the Blues was both a commercial and critical success [3] (selling more than three million copies).[ citation needed ]Whitey Ford Sings the Blues was hailed for its blend of rap with acoustic and electric guitars, developed by Everlast together with producers Dante Ross and John Gamble.[ citation needed ] The album's lead single "What It's Like" proved to be his most popular and successful song, although the follow-up single, "Ends", also reached the U.S. rock top 10.
Everlast followed up this success by collaborating with Santana on the track "Put Your Lights On" on Santana's 1999 album Supernatural . It charted at No. 118 on the pop chart, but did considerably better with rock radio airplay, peaking at No. 8 on the Mainstream Rock Tracks chart. "Put Your Lights On" won Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal at the 2000 Grammy Awards.
Despite the success of Whitey Ford Sings the Blues and his success with Santana, Everlast's follow-up album, Eat at Whitey's (2000), stumbled commercially at first in the United States. However, it was eventually certified gold. The album was also embraced critically, especially by Rolling Stone which reviewed the album between "good" and "great" and focused on it as that month's most important release.
That year, a feud erupted between Everlast and Eminem. Eminem and Everlast crossed paths before a concert in early 1999. Eminem says he did not greet Everlast because he did not recognize him right away, and said Everlast did not acknowledge him. Everlast's version is that he tried to congratulate Eminem on his success, and Eminem blew him off.
Everlast's verse from the Dilated Peoples all star track "Ear Drums Pop (Remix)" contained a thinly veiled reference to Eminem ("Cock my hammer, spit a comet like Haley/I buck a .380 on ones that act shady"), and went on to warn "You might catch a beatdown out where I come from" in his recounting of the incident. [4] Eminem, in turn, blasted Everlast several times in public and with the song "I Remember (Dedication to Whitey Ford)" released as the B-side to his group D12's 12" vinyl single "Shit on You".
Everlast responded with the track "Whitey's Revenge", released only on his official website. While the song contained references to Eminem's strained relationships with his wife and mother, it was "Better run and check your kid for your DNA", again referring to Eminem's daughter, Hailie Jade Mathers, that set Eminem off. The track ends with the spoken words, "I ain't wasting no more time with you man. Fuck that shit, That's it". [5] [6]
Eminem and D12 responded with "Quitter", the second half of which is a take off on "Hit 'Em Up" by 2Pac and the Outlawz (a diss song mainly aimed at The Notorious B.I.G.). [7] The track ends with the spoken words, "Fuck him, that's it, I'm done, I promise, I'm done, that's it." It was reported that long-time friends of Eminem, group Limp Bizkit, were meant to be featured on "Quitter", but Fred Durst canceled at the last moment. Everlast echoed similar sentiment on the status of this feud, stating in various interviews that he felt everything had been said and he would now refrain from further responses. However, following Eminem's disses towards them on "Quitter", Evidence of Dilated Peoples responded with the track "Search 4 Bobby Fisher".
In a TRL interview, current Limp Bizkit and former House of Pain member DJ Lethal made a statement that if Mathers and Schrody were to fight in real life, Everlast would win. This irked Eminem, and an insulting track aimed at both Everlast and Limp Bizkit appeared on D12's mainstream debut, Devil's Night , as a hidden track called "Girls". B-Real of Cypress Hill claimed that Everlast recorded another diss towards Eminem following the release of "Quitter", but it went unreleased due to him deciding to instead quash the feud. [8] According to Eminem, their fight has settled since then and there is a mutual respect between Mathers and Schrody. [9] Further indicating an end to lyrical hostilities between the two, Eminem seemingly gave a shout out to Everlast on The Marshall Mathers LP 2 song entitled "Baby". [10]
After the sale of the Tommy Boy Records' catalog of master tapes to Warner Bros. Records and its metamorphosis to a dance music label in 2002, [11] Everlast was without a label, but in 2003 he signed with Island/Def Jam. His fourth solo album, White Trash Beautiful (2004), was subsequently released after almost a four-year hiatus. Produced by Everlast and Dante Ross and featuring a lead single of the same name, White Trash Beautiful was described as an "effective mix of hip-hop trope and bluesy strum." [12]
In early 2006, Everlast teamed up with his former House of Pain mates DJ Lethal and Danny Boy to join the hip-hop group La Coka Nostra. The group first came to be due to the former House of Pain hype man Danny Boy starting the group as a collective with rappers Slaine and Big Left (who has since left the group). Soon after the group started Ill Bill of a now disbanded Non Phixion and Everlast joined the group. Their first known song was "Fuck Tony Montana" which features B-Real of Cypress Hill and Sick Jacken. Due to the popularity of the song online, the group released several more online for free.
In 2007, Everlast was chosen to do the theme song for the TV show Saving Grace . The song plays during the show's main title sequence, and was originally released to digital outlets only; however, it was also included on Everlast's fifth solo album, Love, War and the Ghost of Whitey Ford . The album was released on September 23, 2008, on Everlast's own record label Martyr Inc, with distribution by Hickory Records/Sony/ATV Music Publishing. (It was revealed through diditleak.co.uk that the album leaked out early on Friday August 29.) A second single and video, "Letter Home From the Garden of Stone", was released for free download from martyr-inc.com in December 2007. The third single, a cover of Johnny Cash's "Folsom Prison Blues", was released to download on August 19. The music video for "Stone in My Hand" debuted on the Martyr Inc. website on October 28, 2008 making it the fourth video for the album. [13]
The group's debut album A Brand You Can Trust was released on July 14, 2009. The album features guests like Snoop Dogg, B-Real, Bun B, Immortal Technique, Sick Jacken, and Q-Unique. La Coka Nostra then joined the likes of Nas and Ill Bill's brother Necro on Rock the Bells.
In October 2011, his sixth solo album, Songs of the Ungrateful Living , was released through Martyr Inc. in partnership with EMI. Produced by Everlast in collaboration with DJ Lethal, Fredwreck and Darius Holbert, the album featured the lead single "I Get By". Like Love, War and the Ghost of Whitey Ford, a number of tracks on Songs of the Ungrateful Living contained overtly political and social themes.
Everlast left the group in 2012 in order to attend to his daughter's medical issues. [14]
In 2013, Everlast and Eminem were featured on a Busta Rhymes track together. [10] On August 27, 2013, Everlast's acoustic album The Life Acoustic was released via his own record label Martyr Inc. That year, Everlast sued the inflatables company "Jump Around Rentals" for using the phrase "if you want to get down jump around" in their advertising, arguing it belonged to House of Pain. [15] [ needs update ]
Starting in 2017, joining with Divine Styler and Sick Jacken, Everlast released a Warporn mixtape. [16]
On September 7, 2018, Everlast's seventh studio album Whitey Ford's House of Pain was released. [17]
On the day Schrody finished recording Whitey Ford Sings the Blues, he experienced a tightening in his chest. It persisted for five hours, prompting his co-producer and friend John Gamble to insist Schrody go to the hospital. Schrody had a torn aortic valve, and his heart was essentially "drowning in blood". [18]
By 1996, Everlast had converted from Catholicism to Islam. [19] In a 2011 interview he stated, "even though I would consider myself still to be Muslim, I don't really. I really kinda reject all organized religion... when a bunch of people get together and are spiritual and they feel good about each other, great things can happen. But when you start enforcing your philosophy and ideals on other people who don’t necessarily share them all, it turns into Palestine and Israel, and all these kinds of things. Ya know? Indians and Pakistanis, ya know?" [20]
Also in 2015 he said, "To me, Islam is mine. Allah is God of all the worlds, and all mankind and all the Alameen (worlds/universe). Islam is my personal relationship with God. So nobody can put any more pressure on me than I can put on myself. But as far as the mosque where I pray, I have never felt more at home or more welcome." [21]
Everlast's music ranges from blues to hip hop and rock. [22] After having previously established himself as a rapper earlier in his career, Everlast subsequently reinvented himself with a new sound that fused acoustic rock, folk, blues and hip hop under the alias Whitey Ford. [23] [22] According to Stephen Thomas Erlewine, "Nobody ever would have guessed that the leader of House of Pain would come back after a bout of obscurity and a serious heart attack to reinvent himself as a hip-hop troubadour, rasping out bluesy folk-rock to a steady-rolling beat." [24]
Everlast's influences include N.W.A, Beastie Boys, Cypress Hill, Ice-T, Gang Starr, Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, The Rolling Stones, Bruce Springsteen, Neil Young, and Run-DMC. [22] [25]
Year | Nominee / work | Award | Result | Ref. |
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2008 | "Saving Grace" | Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Original Main Title Theme Music | Nominated | [26] |
2000 | "Put Your Lights On" | Grammy Award for Best Rock Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal | Won | [27] |
"What It's Like" | Grammy Award for Best Male Rock Vocal Performance | Nominated | ||
1992 | "Jump Around" | Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group | Nominated |
Studio albums
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House of Pain was an American hip hop trio that released three albums in the 1990s. The group consisted of DJ Lethal, Danny Boy, and Everlast. They are best known for their 1992 hit single "Jump Around", which reached number 3 in their native United States of America, number 6 in Ireland and number 8 in the United Kingdom. The group broke up in 1996.
Leor Dimant, better known as DJ Lethal, is a Latvian-American turntablist and producer and is best known as a member of the groups House of Pain and Limp Bizkit.
Lawrence Muggerud professionally known by his stage name DJ Muggs, is an American DJ, audio engineer and record producer. He has been a member of Cypress Hill, a member of the trip hop band Cross My Heart Hope To Die and the leader of hip hop and art collective Soul Assassins.
The Psycho Realm is a Mexican-American hip hop group started in 1989 by the brothers Sick Jacken and Big Duke both born from Mazatlan Sinaloa raised in the Downtown neighborhood of Pico-Union area of Los Angeles.
William Braunstein, professionally known by his stage name Ill Bill, is an American rapper and record producer from Brooklyn, New York City. Having gained fame in the underground hip hop group Non Phixion, Ill Bill is known for his diverse lyrics and as the producer, founder and CEO of Uncle Howie Records. His brother Ron is rapper and producer Necro.
"What It's Like" is a song by American musician Everlast. It was released in July 1998 as the lead single from his second studio album, Whitey Ford Sings the Blues (1998). The song is typical of the style Everlast embraced after leaving hip hop trio House of Pain, which combines rock, hip-hop and blues while incorporating characterization and empathy towards impoverished protagonists.
Shamrocks & Shenanigans – The Best of House of Pain and Everlast is a best-of compilation album by American hip hop trio House of Pain including solo material recorded by the group's frontman Everlast. It was released on February 10, 2004, through Tommy Boy Records, Rhino Entertainment and Warner Records. Production was handled by DJ Muggs, Dante Ross, John Gamble, Bilal Bashir, Diamond D, Helmet, Scheme Team Productions, Quincy Jones III and House of Pain. It features guest appearances from Cokni O'Dire, Diamond D, Divine Styler, Donald D, Helmet, Ice-T and N'Dea Davenport.
Daniel O'Connor, better known as Danny Boy or Danny Boy O'Connor, is an American rapper, art director, and the executive director of The Outsiders House Museum. O'Connor spent his childhood in New York, before moving to Los Angeles in the 1980s. In the 1990s, O'Connor co-founded the rap group House of Pain, with fellow rapper Erik Schrody (Everlast) and DJ Leor Dimant. Based on their cultural heritage they fashioned themselves as rowdy Irish-American hooligans. O'Connor played the role of art director, designing logos, branding, hype man, and co-rapper. In 1992, with the singles "Jump Around" and "Shamrocks and Shenanigans", their self-titled debut album, also known as Fine Malt Lyrics, went platinum.
Eat at Whitey's is the third solo studio album by American recording artist Everlast. It was released on October 17, 2000, via Tommy Boy Records. The album's audio production was primarily handled by Dante Ross and John Gamble. According to AllMusic, the album continues from the folk rock style of Everlast's previous album, Whitey Ford Sings the Blues. It featured guest appearances from various musicians, such as Carlos Santana, B-Real, Rahzel, N'Dea Davenport, Cee-Lo Green, Warren Haynes, and Kurupt.
Whitey Ford Sings the Blues is the second solo studio album by American recording artist Everlast, and the first one following his departure from House of Pain. It was released on September 8, 1998, via Tommy Boy Records, a full eight years after his solo debut album Forever Everlasting and after he had a major heart attack. "Whitey Ford" in the album title refers to the New York Yankees pitcher of the same name.
Derek W. Murphy, better known as Sadat X, is an American rapper, best known as a member of alternative hip hop group Brand Nubian. Originally known as Derek X, Sadat takes his name from former Egyptian president Anwar Sadat.
La Coka Nostra is an American hip hop supergroup currently composed that of Danny Boy, Slaine, DJ Lethal, and Ill Bill. In 2004, its creation started when Danny Boy brought two young artists, Slaine and Big Left, to meet Dj Lethal his DJ from his former group House of Pain. They decided to make a group, whose name came about when O'Connor teased other members with that nickname after they had a night out. They started releasing music on MySpace, and went viral.
"Legend" is a song by American hardcore hip hop trio House of Pain, written by members Everlast and DJ Lethal, and released in 1994. Production was handled by Lethal, with DJ Muggs serving as executive producer.
Love, War and the Ghost of Whitey Ford is the fifth solo studio album by American recording artist Everlast. It was released on September 23, 2008 via his own record label Martyr Inc, with distribution by Hickory Records/Sony/ATV Music Publishing. This album sees Everlast moving away from hip hop in favor of alternative rock and blues. The album peaked at number 15 on the Swiss music charts, number 61 in Germany, number 78 on the U.S. Billboard 200, and number 132 in France.
George Carroll, better known as Slaine, is an American rapper and actor. Born in Boston, Massachusetts, where he spent his childhood and teenage years, Carroll moved to New York City in the mid-1990s, where he adopted the moniker of Slaine and started to rap and record hip-hop. In the early 2000s, Carroll became a growing figure in the Boston hip-hop scene, releasing several mixtapes, and the LP Stereotypez (2007) with his group Special Teamz. Later, A Brand You Can Trust (2009) was released, by the rap supergroup La Coka Nostra, where Carroll is joined by Ill Bill, and House of Pain. Carroll’s first solo album A World With No Skies 2.0. (2011) peaked at 33 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums it, 22 on the Top Rap Albums, 29 on US Independent Albums, and 4 on Top Heatseekers.
A Brand You Can Trust is the debut studio album by American hardcore hip hop supergroup La Coka Nostra. It was released on July 14, 2009 via Uncle Howie/Suburban Noize Records. Production was handled by members DJ Lethal, Everlast and Ill Bill, together with Cynic, Q-Unique, Sicknature and The Alchemist. It features guest appearances from Sick Jacken, B-Real, Bun B, Immortal Technique, Q-Unique, Sen Dog and Snoop Dogg, as well as the group's former member Big Left.
Songs of the Ungrateful Living is the sixth solo studio album by the American recording artist Everlast. It was released on October 18, 2011, a follow-up to Love, War and the Ghost of Whitey Ford, by Martyr Inc Records in partnership with EMI. This was Everlast's second record released on his own label.
Masters of the Dark Arts is the second studio album by American hip hop supergroup La Coka Nostra. It was released on July 31, 2012 via Fat Beats Records. Production was handled by members DJ Lethal and Ill Bill, as well as C-Lance, Sicknature, Beat Butcha, DJ Premier, Jack Of All Trades, Scott "Supe" Stallone and Statik Selektah. It features guest appearances from Vinnie Paz, Sean Price, Sick Jacken, Thirstin Howl III and Big Left.
To Thine Own Self Be True is the third studio album by La Coka Nostra released on November 4, 2016, via Fat Beats Records.
Whitey Ford's House of Pain is the eighth solo studio album by American recording artist Everlast. It was released on September 7, 2018, via Martyr Inc. Records, and is Everlast's first album in four years and first of original material in seven years. Production was handled by Divine Styler, Bryan Velasco, Everlast, Evidence, RichGains, Dj Skizz and the Alchemist. It features contributions from Maiya Sykes on backing vocals, Corey Cofield on bass, Philip Fisher of Fishbone on drums, and Artyom Manukyan on cello, with guest appearances by fellow rappers Aloe Blacc of Emanon, Slug of Atmosphere, and beatboxer Rahzel.
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