Do you ever wonder what other people thought the first time they heard some of the most iconic voices of the culture? That’s what ‘The First Time I Heard…’ is all about. We will connect with other rap artists, industry executives, DJs and other voices from the culture and ask them to reminisce about the first time they heard some of the most iconic voices of our culture.

Photo Credit: Antoine Lyers

Rapper Big Pooh is a lyricist, songwriter, and member of the critically acclaimed Hip Hop group Little Brother. Hailing from Virginia, he joined forces with Phonte and producer 9th Wonder in the early 2000s, forming a trio that would redefine underground Hip Hop with their soulful beats and sharp lyricism. 

As a solo artist, Pooh has built an impressive catalogue. Projects such as ‘Sleepers’ and ‘Words Paint Pictures’ showcase his ability to blend storytelling with social commentary.

Though Little Brother disbanded in 2010, they reunited in 2019 for the album ‘May The Lord Watch.’

We caught up with Rapper Big Pooh to talk about the first time he heard…EPMD.

The Hip Hop Museum: What was your reaction the first time you heard EPMD? Do you remember what song it was?

Rapper Big Pooh: The first time I heard EPMD, I think the only thing I could think of was like, Yo, wow, what the f*ck is this? I think I was nine or ten years old. And the first song I heard was “So Whatcha Sayin’.”  

Photo credit: Fresh Records

I remember being so drawn into how Erick and Parrish played off each other—the rhyming, the cuts in the beat, the beat being funky and dope. Erick Sermon always had bass lines you could groove and bop to.

And then that lingo. I was always drawn to how they put lingo in their verses. And that was something that I really enjoyed hearing, especially as a kid from Virginia. Hearing it like, yo, this is how the New Yorkers talk.

THHM: What was it about EPMD that you think made him stand out?

Big Pooh: It was their lingo. It was the way they played off each other. That was the big thing I was drawn to. They could Rap. They weren’t Rakim or Big Daddy Kane to me, but they still had a freshness about them. Hearing EPMD made me feel like, ok, this is for me. This is my crowd. This is where I am now. And even though they were older than me, it felt this was for my age group. That was the first Rap that felt like it was for my age group.

And then, seeing the videos, how they dress, the bucket hats and all that, there was a flash to it. 

THHM: Do you have a favorite EPMD song? And why that song?

Big Pooh: This is the toughest question. I have many favorite EPMD songs. At the moment, my favorite song is “Rampage” with LL Cool J. The way LL set it off made everyone step their game up. 

I love the way the beat drives. It’s funky, it’s dope. Once again, Erick Sermon got the bass line moving, and everybody came off on that joint. Shout out to DJ Scratch.

Follow Rapper Big Pooh on Instagram. Follow EPMD on Instagram.

Read more interviews on The Hip Hop Museum!