Erinem is an American rapper, living and working as a full-time artist in Tyler, Texas. Born Erin Emily Wheeler, Erinem gets her artist name from a combination of her first and middle name. First going by the artist name Emcee Erin Emily, the name eventually evolved to be Emcee ErinEm, and then finally just Erinem.

 

Erinem is often asked if her artist name might have some relationship to the hip hop legend Eminem. While she welcomes the comparison, Erinem confirms that the similarity in artist names was unintended; though it was something she decided was kind of fitting, as the two artists have remarkably similar lyrical styles. Still, given the amount of times she's had to explain this, she also considers the likeness in their names to be somewhat of a mixed-blessing. However unintended the resemblance in their artist's names, Eminem is the artist which Erinem was most singularly influenced by, and is certainly the one artist she is most often compared to in her work to-date. It is a comparison that she is humbled and honored by.

 

Erinem is  a member of Mensa and has received a Master's degree from famed New York college, The New School. Regardless of what opportunities these accolades might have ensured Erinem, the only thing she's ever really felt fulfilled by is music. These days, the only studies Erinem pursues are practiced-lyricism and the art of rap. She's a devoted student of the game, and her attention cannot be divided.

 

Erinem has made hip hop her sole focus in life. As a result, she has enjoyed some recent moments of notoriety. With her first studio album, "The Gambit" (released in March of 2021) being extremely well-received in the blog circuit, it was no surprise that her second studio album received copious amount of immediate press coverage.

 

On March 25th, 2022, Erinem released "Y.B.A.L.A.", her second studio album in as many years. With the warm reception from the press that she enjoyed after releasing her freshman album, it was no surprise when her latest release garnered almost-instantaneous critical attention, with glowing reviews and widespread acclaim from the press, all within days of the album's release. Smaller blogs began reporting on the album's upcoming release within hours of the pre-save campaign going live. Some of these blogs and publications were given early access to the EP, (for the purposes of their critical review), allowing “Y.B.A.L.A.” to hit the press circuit nearly a week before its official release day.

 

Then, within 48 hours of the official release of "Y.B.A.L.A.," Erinem was already featured in The Source Magazine, ThisIs50, Underground Hip Hop Blog, Boom Bap Nation, and more. She also received 18 subsequent reviews by some of the smaller blog publications. Syndication of the review from The Source was found in as many as four major news outlets, within a day of it hitting the internet, and the review continues to surface in various publications who have picked up the story since then.

 

Erinem has also had the recent privilege of working with notable artists, including a feature from Bizarre of D12, who appears on the second track from "Y.B.A.L.A." marking the only time Erinem has given an official feature-spot to another artist.

 

Erinem is all about taking pride in the music and content she puts out there. She stands by lyricism, hard work, and integrity in one's field. She believes in long hours, a focused working environment, and perseverance in spite of hardships or less-fortunate circumstances (both are things that Erinem is well acquainted with). Despite never having much in the way of money, Erinem isn't in the game for wealth, clout, or fame. Her motives can best be defined by the thing she is most often heard saying, which is: 

     "I just want to work with my peers."