Samuel T. Herring (born April 13, 1984), also known as Hemlock Ernst, is an American singer and rapper from
Baltimore
Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...
,
Maryland
Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...
, best known for being the frontman of the
synth-pop
Synth-pop (short for synthesizer pop; also called techno-pop; ) is a subgenre of new wave music that first became prominent in the late 1970s and features the synthesizer as the dominant musical instrument. It was prefigured in the 1960s ...
band
Future Islands
Future Islands is an American synth-pop band based in Baltimore, Maryland, comprising Gerrit Welmers (keyboards and programming), William Cashion (bass, acoustic and electric guitars), Samuel T. Herring (lyrics and vocals), and Michael Lowry (p ...
.
He was also a member of
Art Lord & the Self-Portraits,
The Snails
The Snails is an American rock band with touches of post-punk, ska and reggae, based in Baltimore, Maryland. It is currently composed of Sandy Snailbelow, Snailliam, Sammy Snail (also known as Snamuel or Snammy), Snailburne, Snailbraham, Snailrel ...
, and Trouble Knows Me.
Early life
Born in
Carteret County,
North Carolina
North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...
, Herring grew up in
Newport and
Morehead City
Morehead City is a port town in Carteret County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 8,661 at the 2010 census. Morehead City celebrated the 150th anniversary of its founding on May 5, 2007. It forms part of the Crystal Coast.
His ...
.
He began
rapping
Rapping (also rhyming, spitting, emceeing or MCing) is a musical form of vocal delivery that incorporates "rhyme, rhythmic speech, and street vernacular". It is performed or chanted, usually over a backing beat or musical accompaniment. The ...
at age 14 at
freestyle battles and cyphers. In 2002, he enrolled at
East Carolina University
East Carolina University (ECU) is a public university, public research university in Greenville, North Carolina. It is the fourth largest university in North Carolina.
Founded on March 8, 1907, as a Normal school, teacher training school, East ...
. Herring is a keen
soccer
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is ...
fan and an avid supporter of
Everton F.C.
Career
In 2003, while attending East Carolina University, Herring and other colleagues started the performance art band
Art Lord & the Self-Portraits, which lasted until 2005.
Some of its former members started
Future Islands
Future Islands is an American synth-pop band based in Baltimore, Maryland, comprising Gerrit Welmers (keyboards and programming), William Cashion (bass, acoustic and electric guitars), Samuel T. Herring (lyrics and vocals), and Michael Lowry (p ...
in 2006, and the band relocated to
Baltimore
Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the List of municipalities in Maryland, most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, and List of United States cities by popula ...
,
Maryland
Maryland ( ) is a state in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. It shares borders with Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware and the Atlantic Ocean to ...
in 2008.
In 2013, Herring took a break from the band's touring in order to spend more time on his solo rap project, writing more, and doing more shows.
Parallel to
Future Islands
Future Islands is an American synth-pop band based in Baltimore, Maryland, comprising Gerrit Welmers (keyboards and programming), William Cashion (bass, acoustic and electric guitars), Samuel T. Herring (lyrics and vocals), and Michael Lowry (p ...
, Herring continued rapping either solo, under the moniker Hemlock Ernst, or with his brother as Flesh Epic. Hemlock was his original writing name on an on-line music board when he was in the 9th grade, from a poem he wrote about
Socrates
Socrates (; ; –399 BC) was a Greek philosopher from Athens who is credited as the founder of Western philosophy and among the first moral philosophers of the ethical tradition of thought. An enigmatic figure, Socrates authored no te ...
taking the
hemlock poison.
Ernst comes from his character in Art Lord & the Self-Portraits who was named Locke Ernst-Frost: a reference to
John Locke
John Locke (; 29 August 1632 – 28 October 1704) was an English philosopher and physician, widely regarded as one of the most influential of Age of Enlightenment, Enlightenment thinkers and commonly known as the "father of liberalism ...
the religious poet,
Max Ernst
Max Ernst (2 April 1891 – 1 April 1976) was a German (naturalised American in 1948 and French in 1958) painter, sculptor, printmaker, graphic artist, and poet. A prolific artist, Ernst was a primary pioneer of the Dada movement and Surrealism ...
, the artist and
Robert Frost
Robert Lee Frost (March26, 1874January29, 1963) was an American poet. His work was initially published in England before it was published in the United States. Known for his realistic depictions of rural life and his command of American colloq ...
, the American poet.
In 2015, Hemlock Ernst teamed up with producer
Madlib
Otis Jackson Jr. (born October 24, 1973), known professionally as Madlib, is an American DJ, music producer, multi-instrumentalist, and rapper. He is widely known for his collaborations with MF DOOM (as Madvillain), J Dilla (as Jaylib), and Fr ...
for a new rap project called Trouble Knows Me.
Entirely produced by Madlib, the self-titled EP was released via
Madlib Invazion
Otis Jackson Jr. (born October 24, 1973), known professionally as Madlib, is an American DJ, music producer, multi-instrumentalist, and rapper. He is widely known for his collaborations with MF DOOM (as Madvillain), J Dilla (as Jaylib), and Fr ...
on September 1, 2015. It was pre-sold at Madlib's show at The Mid in
Chicago
(''City in a Garden''); I Will
, image_map =
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, coordinates =
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, subdivision_name ...
,
Illinois
Illinois ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolita ...
on July 17, 2015, as well as Rappcats' website and a Rappcats popup shop. On March 24, 2016, British musician
Four Tet
Kieran Hebden (born September 1977), known as Four Tet, is an English electronic musician. He came to prominence as a member of the post-rock band Fridge before establishing himself as a solo artist with charting UK albums such as '' Rounds'' ( ...
sat in for
Benji B
Benjamin Benstead, known professionally as Benji B, is a British DJ, radio presenter, and record producer. A longtime BBC Radio producer and presenter, he has presented a weekly show on BBC Radio 1 since 2010 that highlights an eclectic mix of h ...
on
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It specialises in modern popular music and current chart hits throughout the day. The station provides alternative genres at night, including electronica, dance, ...
and played "Rings in the Coffee", an unreleased track by Trouble Knows Me.
On October 25, 2019, he released a rap album, ''Back at the House'', via Ruby Yacht under the moniker Hemlock Ernst. It was entirely produced by
Kenny Segal
Kenny Segal (born December 3, 1979), also known as Syndakit, is an American record producer and DJ based in Los Angeles, California. In 2018, ''Mixmag'' described him as "one of the best hip-hop producers in the city." He has been a member of Team ...
.
Discography
Studio albums
* ''Back at the House'' (2019)
EPs
* ''Trouble Knows Me'' (2015)
Singles
* "Down" (2019)
Guest appearances as Samuel T. Herring
*
Double Dagger
A dagger, obelisk, or obelus is a typographical mark that usually indicates a footnote if an asterisk has already been used. The symbol is also used to indicate death (of people) or extinction (of species). It is one of the modern descenda ...
— "The Lie/The Truth" from ''More'' (2009)
* Microkingdom — "I'm on Fire" (2012)
*
Beth Jeans Houghton
Beth Jeans Houghton (a.k.a. Du Blonde) (born 3 January 1990) is an English multi-disciplinary musician, composer, artist, animator and video director. Their influences range from psychedelic rock, punk, blues, 1960s garage rock and soul. They ...
— "Pelican Canyon" (2014)
*
Du Blonde
Beth Jeans Houghton (a.k.a. Du Blonde) (born 3 January 1990) is an English multi-disciplinary musician, composer, artist, animator and video director. Their influences range from psychedelic rock, Punk rock, punk, blues, 1960s garage rock and So ...
— "Mind Is on My Mind" from ''
Welcome Back to Milk
''Welcome Back To Milk '' is the second studio album by Beth Jeans Houghton and the first for her as Du Blonde, to be released in the United Kingdom on 18 May 2015 (and on May 19 in the United States), by Mute Records. The album was written, compo ...
'' (2015)
*
Gangrene
Gangrene is a type of tissue death caused by a lack of blood supply. Symptoms may include a change in skin color to red or black, numbness, swelling, pain, skin breakdown, and coolness. The feet and hands are most commonly affected. If the ga ...
— "Play It Cool" from ''
Welcome to Los Santos
The music for the 2013 action-adventure video game '' Grand Theft Auto V'', developed by Rockstar North and published by Rockstar Games, was composed by The Alchemist, Oh No and Tangerine Dream in collaboration with Woody Jackson. The game is the ...
'' (2015)
*
BadBadNotGood
BadBadNotGood (stylized in all caps) is a Canadian instrumental band and production team from Toronto, Canada. The group was founded in 2010 by bassist Chester Hansen, keyboardist Matthew Tavares, and drummer Alexander Sowinski. In 2016, they wer ...
— "
Time Moves Slow" from ''
IV'' (2016)
*
Clams Casino — "Ghost in a Kiss" from ''
32 Levels'' (2016)
*
Celebration — "Paper Trails" from ''Wounded Healer'' (2017)
* BadBadNotGood — "I Don't Know" (2017)
*
Nina Kinert — "Chapped Lips" from ''Romantic'' (2018)
*
DJ Shadow
Joshua Paul Davis (born June 29, 1972), better known by his stage name DJ Shadow, is an American DJ, songwriter and record producer. His debut studio album, '' Endtroducing.....'' was released in 1996.
Biography Early years (1989–1995)
DJ Sha ...
— "Our Pathetic Age" from ''
Our Pathetic Age'' (2019)
* PBDY — "Tears or Rain" from ''Careworn'' (2019)
* Chaunter — "Lightning Games" from ''Dream Dynamics'' (2019)
* Kennebec — "Leaving the Canyons" (2022)
Guest appearances as Hemlock Ernst
* Rapdragons — "Gotta Go" from ''Featuring Baltimore'' (2010)
*
Scallops Hotel — "Lavender Chunk" from ''Plain Speaking'' (2015)
* 83cutlass — "Wicked Kingdom" (2015)
*
Milo
Milo may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Milo'' (magazine), a strength sports magazine
*'' Milo: Sticky Notes and Brain Freeze'', a 2011 children's novel by Alan Silberberg
* ''Milo'' (video game), a first-person adventure-puzzle computer ga ...
— "Souvenir" from ''
So the Flies Don't Come'' (2015)
*
Busdriver
Regan Farquhar (born February 12, 1978), better known by his stage name Busdriver, is an American rapper and producer from Los Angeles, California. He has collaborated with rappers such as Myka 9, Milo, Nocando, Open Mike Eagle, 2Mex, and Radioi ...
— "Ministry of the Torture Couch" from ''
Thumbs'' (2015)
* Cavanaugh — "Typecast" and "Lemons" from ''
Time and Materials Time and materials (T&M) is a standard phrase in a contract for construction, product development or any other piece of work in which the employer agrees to pay the contractor based upon the time spent by the contractor's employees and subcontract ...
'' (2015)
*
Curse ov Dialect — "Twisted Strangers" from ''Twisted Strangers'' (2016)
*
Open Mike Eagle
Michael W. Eagle II (born November 14, 1980), better known by his stage name Open Mike Eagle, is an American hip hop artist and comedian. Originally from Chicago, Illinois, he is now based in Los Angeles, California, where he is a member of the h ...
&
Paul White — "Protectors of the Heat" from ''
Hella Personal Film Festival
''Hella Personal Film Festival'' is a 2016 collaborative studio album by American rapper Open Mike Eagle and British record producer Paul White. It was released via Mello Music Group on March 25, 2016. Recorded in London, it features guest appeara ...
'' (2016)
* Words Hurt — "This Is Where I Leave You" (2016)
* Boy Legs — "Something Out There" from ''Pinball Museum'' (2016)
* Watercolor Warewolf — "Wwhat U Wwaitin 4" from ''AM Nights: 92.3 the Beast'' (2016)
* Charge It to the Game — "Bite Me" from ''Urban Hall of Fame'' (2016)
*
JPEGMafia — "Llama Mind" from ''The 2nd Amendment'' (2016)
* Bond St. District — "Terror Era" from ''A Church on Vulcan'' (2016)
* Drew Scott — "Porcelain" and "Dead Cupid" from ''Ill Vessel'' (2017)
*
Passage
Passage, The Passage or Le Passage may refer to:
Arts and entertainment Films
* ''Passage'' (2008 film), a documentary about Arctic explorers
* ''Passage'' (2009 film), a short movie about three sisters
* ''The Passage'' (1979 film), starring ...
— "Krang (Total Reduction Remix)" from ''Worked On'' (2017)
*
Billy Woods
Billy Woods (stylized as billy woods) is an American rapper based in New York. He is also the founder of the record label Backwoodz Studioz. Woods has been a member of Armand Hammer, Super Chron Flight Brothers, and The Reavers.
Early life
Bill ...
— "Illegal Tints" (2017)
* Busdriver — "Tiny Infinities" from ''
Electricity Is on Our Side'' (2018)
* Mister and Curt Cataract — "Approaching Land" from ''Approaching Land'' (2019)
*
Blockhead — "Blue Veil" from ''Free Sweatpants'' (2019)
*
R.A.P. Ferreira
Rory Allen Philip Ferreira (born February 3, 1992), better known by his stage name R.A.P. Ferreira, formerly Milo (often stylized as milo) and Scallops Hotel, is an American Rapping, rapper and Record producer, producer from Kenosha, Wisconsin.
F ...
- "Export The Conundrum" from ''the truly ancient and original lefthanded styles of the hoodwinkers and penny pinchers'' (2019)
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Herring, Samuel T.
1984 births
Living people
American male singers
American male rappers
East Coast hip hop musicians
Rappers from Maryland
Musicians from Baltimore
People from Morehead City, North Carolina
People from Carteret County, North Carolina