RECEIPTS
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Artist Name
Erinem is often asked if her artist name has any relationship to legendary rapper, Eminem. While the at-a-glance similarity would be impossible to deny, Erinem's artist name has no direct relation to Eminem's artist name.
Erinem gets her artist name from a combination of her first and middle name, Erin Emily.
Born Erin Emily Wheeler, and going by "Erin Em" through much of grade school, the evolution of her artist name was purely organic. Erinem went by other names in the beginning of her career, such as Emcee Erin Emily and, then, Emcee Erin Em, and, finally, Emcee ErinEm. She later dropped the "Emcee" part, feeling it was corny. Then she was left with "ErinEm" which she began spelling in all sentence-case (Erinem) in late 2020, for ease of SEO and branding purposes. In short, the similarity to Eminem in terms of style and lyricism is undeniable. But the similarity in their artist names is a product of coincidence, not design.
Core Values
Erinem stands by a handful of core values as an artist. Here is a list of her non-negotiable moral strongholds:
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She believes in always writing her own lyrics
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She believes in making every part of a song herself, from the beat to the album art
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She believes in hard work and is often called a perfectionist
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She believes in the historical, cultural, and artistic sanctity of hip hop
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She believes in kindness first. First, do no harm. But second, take no shit.
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She believes in keeping a clear head. She won't allow drugs or alcohol in the studio.
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She believes in an organic audience, and speaks out against bot playlists and bad promo
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She believes in educating and mentoring other artists. Her help is always free.
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She believes in power of lyricism, and is obsessive when it comes to her own.
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She believes if you don't care about the work you're doing, you shouldn't be doing it.
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She believes, when it comes to art, the artist should do the work; not get AI to do it for them.
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She believes if you want it bad enough and you just don't quit, you can do the impossible.
Background
Erinem is an American rapper. She lives in Tyler, Texas but musically influenced by classic Detroit rap. Born Erin Emily Wheeler, Erinem gets her artist name from a combination of her first & middle name. Erinem is often asked if her artist name has any relationship to hip hop legend, Eminem. She states that the similarity is a product of coincidence, not design. However, Eminem is the artist she is most often compared to. He is certainly her primary influence. Erinem is a member of American MENSA; paradoxically, after failing out of 9th grade she also went on to graduate from The New School, receiving an MFA. Since then, Erinem remains a devoted student of the game. Her attention cannot be divided. Erinem is known as a skilled rapper, avid lyricist & seasoned producer. She makes her own beats - from total scratch. Her cohort Guy Bartov mixes and masters. While they often work jointly, writing the lyrics and making the beats are things Erinem does 100% alone. She is a known perfectionist, & obsesses over every lyrical detail. Erinem has seen tremendous growth since 2021, when her World Record breaking ultra-fast rapping brought on sudden attention from the press. That single was Iconic! and was the first to generate some industry buzz. With the last 30 seconds of that song, Erinem broke the fastest verse in a hit rap song record, held by none other than Eminem (for his song, "Godzilla"). Her press coverage continued with her 2021 follow-up EP, Y.B.A.L.A. - which was featured in The Source, ThisIs50, HipHopWeekly, & dozens more. Erinem teamed up with D12’s Bizarre for the EP, working out of FBT studio in Detroit. Erinem is known for her work ethic, pulling 14 hour studio sessions every day. Working tirelessly, Erinem is driven by one singular desire: To work with her peers.