Nerd's Eye View From Erk Tha Jerk

Erk, born and raised in Richmond, California, is part of a supremely talented rising class of rappers coming from the Bay. He' also holds the distinction of being one of the rare few from that class with the ability to appeal to the underground while at the same time receiving mainstream radio play.

"Right Here," the self-produced melody- and synth-filled sex anthem released earlier this year as the lead single from Nerd's Eye View, is one of the most-played songs on Bay Area powerhouse radio station 106 KMEL in the past year; the song subsequently broke into Billboard Magazine's Hot 100 R&B/Hip-Hop chart, has been added to rotation on MTV Jams, and amassed hundreds of thousands of views on YouTube, asserting Erk as a force to be reckoned with both in the cipher and on the radio, alike.

For Erk, Nerd's Eye View was a long time coming. Crafting the album over a two and a half year period � Erk released a handful of mixtapes of EP's during that time � Erk was in no hurry to rush out lackluster product. "Long nights, weed, and honesty is my formula," says Erk. "I just tried to zone out and capture moments. I didn't want to make 'party' music or 'goon' music. I wanted to capture what I felt at the specific moment in time." The result, a 13-track album on which Erk produced six songs (Traxamillion, Bedrock, and The Invasion handle the rest), finds Erk discussing the failed relationship with the mother of his child, while attempting to explain the situation his young daughter ("How Do You Love Me") with the same ease, maturity, and lyrical clarity as making braggadocios boasts ("Can't Stop Now").

With Nerd's Eye View, Erk, who will be featured in XXL Magazine's upcoming Show & Prove section, shows great range; Erk has spent time in higher education, holding down 9-to-5's, and holding down corners, and the multitude and variety of those experiences are reflected throughout the album. "I wanted the title to be clever yet familiar enough for people to relate to," says the bespectacled rapper, whose cleverness extends throughout the album. "The concept was 'music from my point of view;' not nerd as in 'I know how to do math well,' but nerd as in 'not part of the in-crowd'."