Meet Eric Diep, the Observer's New Music Editor

Allow me to reintroduce myself. My name is Eric, E-R to the I-C.

Some people call me by my nickname, E. Others call me Diep.

I’ve been in Dallas for four years after moving from New York. I chased my dream to become a hip-hop journalist in 2011. I interned at VIBE in the old Harlem offices, worked at the rap magazine XXL and, most recently, was a news editor at Complex while freelancing for different publications. Ten years in the concrete jungle solidified Jay-Z as one of my top five rappers alive, and I thought his lyrics to “Public Service Announcement” were a fitting hook for this intro. Let's debate the rest of my top five the next time you see me at Club Dada.



Leaving New York was a decision to be closer to my mom and brother. After my parents divorced, my dad moved from Oregon to Texas and eventually became a general contractor. All those summers visiting him are vivid memories of the scorching heat, road trips to Schlitterbahn in Galveston and finding ways to get out of doing work at the job site with him. Dallas became a second home with the number of times I flew in to see him. When he passed away in 2014, we moved our mom to live with my brother in the suburbs of Richardson.

My brother and I discussed picking up where my dad left off and starting our own real estate business. I honed my entrepreneurial skills by enrolling in the Small Business Academy at Dallas College to earn a certificate. While going to school, helping to take care of my mom, and adjusting to a calmer pace of life, I started freelancing for the Dallas Observer.

I mostly wrote concert reviews because that’s all I had time for, but each outing opened my eyes to a diverse and lively music scene, from the fans to local openers seizing their opportunity. I came to Dallas without ties to the local music industry, but I discovered new music through my gut feelings and curiosity. But I told myself I would document more Dallas hip-hop because it is often overlooked for its contributions to the genre and culture. The Observer trusted me as their “hip-hop guy,” writing short pieces on Rakim Al-Jabbaar, Yung Nation, BigXThaPlug and Rosama and Montana 700.

When hip-hop turned 50 in 2023, I attended a show Rakim Al-Jabbaar hosted at Armoury D.E., which represented the past and present of Dallas hip-hop. In front of a modest crowd, I got schooled on Pikahsso and Fat Pimp, watching them perform their classics from their eras. I learned about the importance of the Dallas rap group Nemesis through Azim Rashid. Rashid, one of the members of Nemesis and now a music exec, said some words that still stick with me. “There’s a lot of music in Dallas, there’s not enough business in Dallas,” he said. “Until we get this business right, the city is never going to get what it deserves. Too much great music is here, and it’s our time.”

Things are trending in the right direction. More investment is being made in amplifying the local music scene, as shown in initiatives by the Dallas Music Office and the festival lineups this spring and summer, focusing on highlighting local artists. There are plenty of new artist showcases and DJ nights every weekend. It feels like a shift is happening where community-based events gather people from all walks of life to mingle and enjoy music, bringing back an energy that’s been missing. Real systems are being implemented to make Dallas a music-friendly city, elevating local artists and the scene.

My mom passed in 2023, growing my emotional connection to Dallas. I lost both my parents here. I’ve shed many tears in this city, feeling directionless and wondering what’s next. Music has always given me joy and gotten me through some dark times. It has given me purpose. After experiencing my first Dallas Entertainment Awards in January this year, I’ve spent more nights seeing local shows. I’ve seen Astrogiirl perform at a women’s showcase called Pink Matter. I saw Sam Cormier and Kimia Penton sing their hearts out at the Downtown Dallas Arts and Music Festival. Dezi 5 has been an invaluable resource through seminars and a whisperer of all local talent. I want to do my part in telling your story and putting Dallas on the map for the world to see.

My vision for this section is to build more relationships with the music industry, be on the ground and produce more need-to-know stories on local artists from all genres. Our role as music journalists is to document what’s happening and seek the truth, incorporating original, accurate reporting on interesting topics that engage readers. I want to do personality-driven essays because Dallas has many lovable and interesting characters. (I’m manifesting that The D.O.C. will write for us.)

I understand timely trends on the social and cultural level, and I am continuing to build on our contributors' excellent work in coverage for the section thus far. I want this to directly reflect what’s happening in Dallas in local and national conversations. I hope you visit the Dallas Observer’s website and read something you like. Or you can send me your hate mail. That’s cool, too.

I’m honored to take the reins from many brilliant music editors who dedicated themselves to covering Dallas music. It has been an aspiration of mine to be a music editor, specifically at an alt-weekly. Dallas needs an alternative news source outside of the dominant daily newspaper, and this is my chance to prove that. I’m excited to get to work and show my commitment to capturing the city’s vibrancy.