A PORTION OF THE NFT PROCEEDS TO BE DONATED TO SUPPORT INDIAN RESIDENTIAL SCHOOL SURVIVORS SOCIETY

LISTEN TO LATEST SINGLE MESSENGER 
FEATURING ERICK SERMON, SAUKRATES AND OUTLAW BY NATURE

TORONTO, ON – October 13, 2021 – Legendary recording artist Erick Sermon of the iconic hip-hop group, EPMD, has teamed up with renowned Canadian-Indigenous artist, record producer, engineer and long-time collaborator, David Strickland, and The NFT Agency, to create an official non-fungible token (NFT) collection celebrating the hip-hop luminary’s esteemed career. On October 20, the collection will be featured as a curated drop at Crypto.com/NFT, the global cryptocurrency platform’s NFT marketplace. It will include six NFTs featuring original artwork by Strickland — highlighting moments from Sermon’s career as a member of EPMD, the founder of Def Squad and as a solo artist. A portion of the proceeds from each piece will be donated to Indian Residential School Survivors Society. 
 
“I have created an extensive body of work in hip-hop and I’m looking forward to this new digital medium,” Erick says. “I am pleased to announce that I will be releasing a collaboration with David Strickland. I have watched this dude evolve, and this is an example of that. No matter what, he always had my back — ready to work. NFTs are a game changer. Def Squad Digital.”
 
David adds, “I am very excited to be entering the NFT space with my art and hopefully use it as a medium to raise money for causes that are dear to my heart and community.” 
  
The announcement follows acclaimed new music releases by both artists. The NFT collection itself is being released in promotion of Strickland’s latest single, Messenger, a collaboration with Sermon, Toronto rap veteran, Saukrates, and Outlaw by Nature — a supergroup consisting of Treach from Naughty by Nature and the late Hussein Fatal of the Outlawz, a collective famously founded by Tupac Shakur. Sermon also recently appeared alongside EPMD groupmate, Parrish Smith, and Eminem on Nas’ ode to the iconic group, EPMD 2 — one of the most buzzed-about tracks from the latter’s acclaimed 2021 album, King’s Disease II.


“Erick Sermon is a hip-hop legend with such an illustrious career, and he’s one of those special few who continues to release timeless music that still resonates,” said Crypto.com Executive Vice President and Global Head of NFT, Joe Conyers III. “The work he’s doing with David Strickland is really interesting, both conceptually and artistically, and the cause they’re supporting is so important and timely. We’re very excited to give them a platform for this collection.”
 
A Grammy-winning engineer who has worked on projects by artists including Sermon, EPMD, Drake, Method Man, Redman, Pete Rock and Keith Murray as well as a who’s who of both the Toronto and Indigenous hip-hop communities, Strickland is also an accomplished visual artist who connects with his Mi'kmaq ancestry — as well as his passion for music and hip-hop culture — to create works that have been displayed at major galleries including the McMichael Canadian Art Collection.
  
Earlier this year, Strickland won three International Indigenous Hip Hop Awards for his acclaimed 2020 album, Spirit Of Hip Hop. The album brought together artists from various North American hip-hop communities while continuing to champion Indigenous hip-hop artists. Among those featured include Supaman, Snotty Nose Rez Kids, Artson, Que Rock, Drezus, Leonard Sumner, Joey Styles, Chippewa Travellers and more alongside hip-hop icons EPMD and Def Squad (Redman, Erick Sermon and Keith Murray) as well as Canadian legends, Saukrates, Maestro Fresh Wes and a posthumous verse from King Reign.