Dimitri Ehrlich

Dimitri was born in the same tiny town in New Jersey where hip-hop pioneers the Sugar Hill Gang got their start, and later raised on macrobiotic communes near Woodstock, where he was taught to meditate as a nine year-old.
These twin childhood influences of rap music and spirituality were later reflected a pair of books he wrote: Dimitri's first book: Inside the Music: Conversations with Contemporary Musicians about Creativity, Spirituality and Consciousness, was published by Shambala/Random House in 1998.
His second book, Move the Crowd: Voices and Faces of the Hip-Hop Nation was published by MTV Books/Pocket Books/Simon & Schuster in 1999, and compiled a decade of interview with rap stars.
During a trip to the Amazon rainforest of Ecuador in 1993, he was caught in nationwide rioting, trapped by burning roadblocks and nearly eaten by a crocodile. He published his account in Dave Eggers’ anthology: Shiny Adidas Tracks Suits and the Death of Camp: The Best of Might Magazine (Putnam Berkley 1997).
While his band was paying dues playing around New York City, Dimitri was hired as music editor at Interview Magazine, during which time his writing also appeared in The New York Times, Rolling Stone, Spin, Details, Vibe, Self, London Observer, the London Daily Telegraph, New York Magazine, Mademoiselle and many other magazines.
After landing a job at MTV, he moved from the printed word to the TV screen. In 1997, he wrote and along with along with Janeane Garafaolo, co-hosted MTV’s Indie Outing, which ran on MTV 1997-98. In 2002, he wrote and hosted Sonic Cinema, a weekly series about music and film, on the Sundance Channel.
Since then, he has written a number of shows for MTV, including the MTV Video Music Awards, the Shady National Convention with Eminem, 50 Cent's House Party, and The MTV Movie Awards: Funniest Lil' Fims. He is now head writer for VH1 Hip-Hop Honors. He also wrote the premiere episode of "I Pity the Fool," the new Mr. T show.
He has jammed with Prince and the Beastie Boys, and gotten drunk with Keith Richards.
Dimitri Ehrlich is a singer/songwriter whose most recent album, "August" is filled with smartly crafted pop and rock. The album features Moby playing piano on a beautiful ballad called "Where You End." (Moby liked the song so much that he decided to record his own version of it on his new album, "Hotel," which sold more than a million copies worldwide within 90 days of its release in March 2005). Dimitri Has also written with the Backstreet Boys, Abigal Sziga, Andy Marvel, Andrea Martin, and many others.
Dimitri recently signed a publishing deal with one of the oldest and most prestigious music publishers in the world, Shapiro/Bernstein (a hundred year-old firm whose songs have been recorded by the Beatles, Elvis Presley and many others).
Dimitri's other recent credits include music for a short animated film currently airing on Nickleodeon, and music for several radio commercials, among numerous other projects.
His music has been described as “Lou reed meets the Beatles,” and has been compared to Elvis Costello, Coldplay, Beck, and Counting Crows. Combining sharply crafted lyrics, an ear for classic 70s FM rock melodies, and 21st century grooves, Dimitri’s first two albums earned raves in national press, from Billboard and New York Magazine to the Village Voice, which called him “a cross between Joe Jackson and the Mothership Connection.” His songs have been praised in the New York Daily News, Boston Phoenix, and other national publications including the Trouser Press Guide to Rock. He has released two albums, Everything Is Naked (Stubborn Records, 1994) and As Nervous As You (Tainted Records, 2000). His songs have appeared in numerous independent film soundtracks.