Erick "Easy E." Maddox--- The UnOfficial Untold Story..Until Now! "EXCLUSIVE"

Erick (Easy E) Maddox

 Once upon a time during my school days (not the Spike Lee version) as a Scotsman or for those unfamiliar with the term this means those of us who graduated from McDuffie High. Most were not Scottish but we were the few the Proud,  from a High School that basically resided smack dab near the center of Anderson’s South-Side, where most of us late eighties alumni can remember two things that will go down in infamy.

Easy E performing at the VFW 2015

 One being the popular-packed Friday Night lunchroom jams provided by Cedric Patterson also known as my mentor slash Dee-Jay legend Dj Dr. C and the other is this light-skinned off the dome freestyle rapping dude named Erick Maddox that moved from up north down to the A.N.D. in August of 1984 along with his brother at the threshold of the GOLDEN ERA. This probably doesn’t amount to any significance in the minds of trap rapping millennial's by today’s standard but in those days not many were gifted with that ability. Freestyling I mean of course.

This is where the forgotten untold story of Erick “Easy E” Maddox takes its roots and becomes my primary motive for penning this short blurb after bumping into him recently.  Yeah we have all heard of many urban ghetto legends and hood stars from various documentaries spanning from the Eastcoast to the Westcoast right? But this time I wish you to focus on one of the many we’ve had here, either passing through or home-grown right here in the city of Anderson. Infamous names like Delacey and Fitzgerald Rice, Fred Smith, Walt Johnson, Doc Webb, Baby Hulk, Willie (Chill Will) Martin, Daquan and Bae Boy two talented brothers who both played B-Ball at South Side park, Dj Andrew Goosby, Sandy (Dj Superman J) Henry just to name a few. The list can go on and on as I reminisce, bringing to mind a Pete Rock and CL Smooth classic song. Mr. Maddox whom we dubbed as Easy E before the famous Eric Wright of N.W.A. fame that most are familiar with from Compton California, who rose to prominent stardom. No! No! No! Don’t get me confused yall.

Chill Will and I recently 2017...

 Most folks in Anderson are simply just unaware of the cream history of the music scene here in the A.N.D. and not to mention its many urban street legends. It’s sad to say but most don’t even care but that’s where I find my lane, my niche, in its storied history which I attempt to document on my website. With his primary influences being iconic hip hop artist such as Kurtis Blow, Grandmaster Flash, Shirl the Pearl on down to RUN-DMC in his early youth, how could he not be reared in the finer arts of Tru Skool Hip Hop? At the tender age of eight Erick shared with me that he was inducted into his first group titled the Cut Up Crew. Raised in the Tru SKool era he learned much about the art of hip hops key components like break dancing, writing your own lyrics and battle rapping which he claims to have never lost to any opponent. True or not we may never know!

Original A.N.D. Tru Skoolers..

  Erick gained his reputation swiftly at McDuffie High it appeared to seem as soon as he arrived. I remember Easy E battle rapping against other dudes on the bleachers’ before the start of basketball games in the gym or either beating rhythmically  on lunchroom tables while simultaneously reciting head bobbing dope freestyle raps. As my recollection would have it Erick has always demonstrated a natural innate competitive zeal to be the best in whatever he indulges in. Even to this day when we talk I still detect behind that nonchalant smile the spirit of competition that made him a fierce and feared emcee back in his hay day. These were the days when verbal raw lyrical skills were highly respected, unlike the gimmicky mumbling commercial rap era we live in today. 

McDuffie High The School Where we first Met

 Easy E and I hit it off from the start back in school because of our unequivocal love and appreciation for hip hop music and its culture of learning to hone ones fundamental emceeing skills. Yeah for those that can remember and to set the record straight. I started spitting lyrics as an emcee using the alias M.C. AD (Awesome Daryl) after hooking up with one Jamal Oliver and Christopher (Ni’gai) Wardlaw aka Dj Hi-Five, which I will detail in an upcoming article soon. Erick strolled the halls of McDuffie flamboyantly navigating between classes popping fly off the head lyrics drawing crowds, akin to what this generation refers to as swag today. McDuffie High was a trade school and E brought down with him his own naturally gifted curriculum hard-knock verbal trade. Called how to be an E-M-C-E-E! In today’s music climate of get rich or die trying artist, kicking freestyles is considered antiquated and a useless forgotten craft. Little do they realize early word-smiths such as Easy E  with fundamental skills of the craft or art form whom preceded  their generation, just happen to lay the cement for the foundation they stand-upon today.

 Erick Maddox is just one of a plethora of unsung talented folks whom just may have been ahead of his time. You may know folks who come to mind of whom you went to school with just like myself. A person of immense talent, whether in sports, dance, singing etc. It makes you wonder just what if they had all the technology of today back then. Such as Facebook, YouTube, Snap Chat, Instagram etc. Would they have achieved the success of other artist we hear on the radio whose talents are clearly inept compared to raw unbridled talent! That is a question we may never know if we are to be honest. But E is one of those special type people you feel fortunate to have met early in life.

A brother who will always keep me pondering in the back of my mind, that illusive notion---WHAT IF? Thanks for the priceless memories at McDuffie..

Da A.N.D. Representa Dj Tuc

ABOUT DJ TUC:
Dj Tuc is a well-known legendary respected ground breaking dj, producer, promoter, remixologist, writer, freelance photographer, emcee, businessman from the city of Anderson, SC and is the founder and publisher of  djtuc999.com the website and djtuc999 the mobile apps which are available on Google Play  and the Apple app store also visit our Official Facebook page at Facebook/Djtuc999TheMobileApp.com