At Miami Music Week 2024, we had the pleasure to sit down with Sherm, house producer/DJ, label A&R and manager for Hood Politics Records, and podcaster. Only thirty feet away and behind a curtain, their annual label Miami party was going full strength, packed with dancers, other artists, and positive vibes. Sherm shared with us his vision for the Chicago-based label and his own career, and some words of wisdom for other creators in the dance music space.
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“ We take really good care of our artists, that’s what’s different about us. It’s really about community, not a competition, ”
Sherm reflected. Seeing the smiles on the dance floor and watching people connect confirmed this, especially seeing how much the party has grown over last year’s. Hood Politics has been around for six and a half years now, originally launched by DJ Susan, yet another name committed to spreading joy and positivity in the house music scene. Sherm joined the label two years ago to elevate their momentum, helping to release samplers for Miami Music Week, Amsterdam Dance Event, as well as city-based compilations like Denver All Stars.
Sherm | by Brian Rivera
Sherm’s latest release, Suddenly, is included on this newest MMW sampler, brings a more aggressive and in-your-face tech house sound compared to some of his previous tracks. An ongoing spoken vocal about being lost but only wanting to dance winds over driving syncopated synths and a driving bassline, ready for your 1am sets.
He’s currently on tour to support his previous release Toxic that released on Feb. 16, hitting cities such as San Francisco, Denver, Atlanta, and his first appearance in Los Angeles opening up for Sidepiece.
Asked about advice for newer artists, Sherm reflected on times where you might feel like giving up:
“ A plateau is not going down, you’re staying consistent, you’re doing something better every single day. One-inch punches, right? You learn something new in the studio, you create a new piece of content, you make a new connection, you make a new friend, you start a new collab… that’s going [upwards] like this, just a little bit.
So when you’re in that dark room… as long as you love what you do, and you look yourself in the mirror and say I’m proud of what I’m trying to do, that’s all that matters. ”
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On top of his already packed schedule, Sherm also hosts a podcast called Sherm in the Booth, which just celebrated its 220th episode. He started the podcast as a way to meet people in the industry, advising artists who may struggle to be extroverted in crowds to try unorthodox methods such as this to connect with people.
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In closing, Sherm offered some final words of encouragement:
“ Don’t put so much pressure on yourself to make every day a big win. Love what you do. Don’t feel like you have to set a long term goal… it’s all about the journey. Just because you go back doesn’t mean that you’re slowing down. ”
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Upcoming tour dates:
4/19: Ogden Theatre support for Dombresky
4/26: Academy LA – support for Sidepiece
4/27: Phoenix – Almost Famous – Headline show
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