Biography & Discography

What do you get when you mix a Louisiana-bred, Watts-raised, valley-educated, church-going boy with a family history deeply rooted in music and rich in talent? Meet keyboard aficionado and super-producer Ervin “EP” Pope, whose accomplishments in the music industry are nothing short of amazing! Having been exposed to many genres of music throughout his life, EP says: “I take a little bit from each of those genres and I blend it in, it’s that gumbo, and I just make good music.”

EP started playing the piano at the age of eleven for the church he attended, where his uncle was the pastor. His uncle replaced an old piano at the church and gave it to EP’s family with the hope that his oldest sibling would take an interest in playing. The piano passed through a few siblings in order of birth, neither of which had an interest in or the talent for the art. EP, the fourth of six children, expressed an interest in playing the piano of his own volition, and no one suspected or could have predicted the awesome gift he possessed (except him, of course-he always knew he was a star, though his quiet, humble, low-key personality would never let him say so)! He would often be the first one up in the morning and would go straight to the piano, waking everyone else up; or play late into the evening, much to the dismay of his family! However, he would not be deterred!

He practiced and played every chance he got, honing and perfecting his craft, and it became very clear that this boy was born to play! The passion and creativity he possessed lead him to form his own gospel group, Perfect Number, which performed at his home church and several others throughout the Los Angeles area for several years. EP also penned several of his own gospel productions at an early age. Though his illustrious career has skyrocketed and he has worked with several top music artists, he remains grounded and faithful to the church under which he received his training and where he got his start, playing nearly every Sunday; and he also plays at several other churches. In 1997, he formed his own jazz band, Route 101, a group of top-notch instrumentalists, which is still going strong, is in great demand, and boasts a large and loyal fan base.

Realizing that working a 9 to 5 was severely hampering his ability to indulge his passion and pursue his aspirations in the music industry, EP took a huge leap of faith, said “See ya!” to the corporate world, and has moved full speed ahead without looking back! He remodeled and upgraded his home studio with the latest high-end equipment and he lives, breathes, eats and sleeps music! He is a master on the keys and his productions have a flavor all his own! From the slow, sexy grooves, to the jazzy tunes, to the up-tempo melodies, to the bass bangin’ street beats--this brother knows no boundaries and can get down with the best of them! His awesome talent and genuine love for what he does is evident in every stroke and every note. He has proven himself to be a force to be reckoned with and that he will not be stopped! He is a consummate professional and his relentless pursuit of a career in the music industry has made the best in the business take note and bring him on their projects as keyboardist, producer, or both, to include working closely with Kanye West for four years.

EP is presently in the studio working with The Game on his upcoming third album. He is also executive producer of the soundtrack to the documentary, “Bastards Of The Party”, which has aired on HBO, and is scheduled to air on BET and be released on DVD in February of 2008. The film has won several awards for “Best Documentary” and the soundtrack will feature artists such as Snoop Dogg, Common, J-Rock (Warner Bros), Glasses Malone (Cash Money Records), Murs (Warner Bros) and more. EP is one of the hottest up and coming producer/musicians out of the West Coast and is putting in some major work to bring the West Coast back!

So what’s his recipe for success? Faith in God, faith in himself, trusting his instincts, hard work, determination, ambition, drive, and perseverance, to name a few. Check what’s been cookin’ in the gumbo pot:

Production and Keyboard Credits:
“Unleash The Beast” - Unleash The Beast, Dorasel (Rap-A-Lot Records)
“F*ck Something” - Unleash The Beast, Dorasel (Rap-A-Lot Records)
“Shame On It” - Unleash The Beast, Dorasel (Rap-A-Lot Records)
“The Strong Will Eat The Weak”, Snoop Dogg Presents…Doggyhouse Allstars: Welcome To Tha House, Vol. 1 , Snoop Dogg (Doggy Style)
“Get Down Like That” - In My Own Words, Ne-Yo (Def Jam Records)
“Lookin’ At You” - Doctor’s Advocate, The Game (Geffen Records)
“Diamond” – Untitled, London (Universal Motown Records)
“Pop, Pop” – The Art Of Love And War, Angie Stone (Stax Records)

Keyboard Credits:
“Talk About Our Love” – Afrodisiac, Brandy (Atlantic Records)
“Dreams” - The Blueprint 2.1, Jay-Z (Roc-A-Fella Records)
“Eye For An Eye” - Beg For Mercy, G-Unit (Interscope)
“I’ll Fly Away”, “Never Let Me Down”, “The New Workout Plan”, “Slow Jamz” and “Last Call” - The College Dropout, Kanye West (Roc-A-Fella Records)
“Roses” and “Celebration” - Late Registration, Kanye West (Roc-A- Fella Records)
“I Want You” and “My Baby” - Damita Jo, Janet Jackson (Virgin Records)
“Dreams” - The Documentary, The Game (Universal Records)
“Slow Jamz” and “Badunkadunk” – Kamikaze, Twista (Atlantic Records)
“Claim My Place” and “Everything I Love” - Press Play, Diddy (Bad Boy Records)
“By My Side” - Fight For Your Mind and Welcome To The Cruel World, Ben Harper (EMI/Virgin)
“Faithful” – Be, Common (Geffen Records)
“Bulls-Eye (Suddenly)” – Chapter 3: The Flesh, Syleena Johnson (Jive Records)
Digital Smoke, Kurupt

Scoring And Theme Credits:
Mission Impossible 3 (Major Release)
Undisputed (Major Release)
Banged Out (blockbuster)
C Walk (documentary)
My Wife & Kids (ABC)
2005 Classic Comic View (BET)
Dance 360 (UPN)
Video Hot Mix (UPN)
Starbucks Double Shot Commercial