EPMD
Encyclopedia
EPMD is an American
hip hop
group from Brentwood
, New York
. The group's name is a concatenation of the members' name "E" and "PMD" or an acronym for "Erick and Parrish Making Dollars", referencing its members, emcees Erick Sermon
("E" aka E Double) and Parrish Smith ("PMD" aka Parrish Mic Doc). The group has been active for more than 25 years (minus two breakups in 1993 and 1999), and is one of the most prominent acts in east coast hip hop
. Diamond J, DJ K La Boss, and DJ Scratch
were DJs for the group.
The word "business" is used in every title of the group's albums. Every album also has a track titled "Jane".
, Strictly Business, appeared in 1988, which featured the underground hit "Strictly Business," based on a sample of Eric Clapton
's version of Bob Marley
's "I Shot the Sheriff
." Many critics cite this first album as the group's most influential. The group's brand of funk-fueled sample
-heavy hip-hop proved to be a major force in the genre. Unlike old school hip hop
, which was originally based on disco
hits but eventually became more electronic
, EPMD based its music mainly on lifting funk and rock breaks for samples and helped to popularize their usage, along with Marley Marl
and Public Enemy. "You're a Customer" combined snippets of Steve Miller
's "Fly Like an Eagle
," Kool & the Gang
's "Jungle Boogie
,the bass line from ZZ Top
’s "Cheap Sunglasses
" and drum beat (Roger Linn LM-2 machine). "Jane," about a romantic rendezvous turned bad, would be revisited on no less than five sequels; a first for hip-hop, and, perhaps, rock and roll as well. "You Gots to Chill
" used 1980s funk band Zapp
's "More Bounce to the Ounce," which has become one of the most enduring sample sources for hip-hop. "I'm Housin'" was covered some 12 years later by Rage Against the Machine
. Managed early on by Russell Simmons
' RUSH Management, the group toured with such hip-hop luminaries as Run-DMC, Public Enemy, and DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince
.
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EPMD signed with Fresh/Sleeping Bag Records
, which eventually released its debut album, Strictly Business, by electro funk
pioneer Kurtis Mantronik. Propelled by several strong singles ("You Gots to Chill" and the album’s title track), the album was eventually certified gold, selling over 500,000 copies, as did 1989's follow-up, Unfinished Business
. Financial frustrations followed when Sleeping Bag went under in 1992. The two EPMD albums and Nice & Smooth
’s debut album were acquired by Priority/EMI Records
before the label was sold to Warlock Records. The duo’s Sleeping Bag contract was acquired by Def Jam. EPMD returned in 1990 with Business As Usual
and Business Never Personal
two years later. By 1992, the group presided over an extended family dubbed the Hit Squad
, which included Redman, K-Solo
, Das EFX
, Hurricane G
, and Knucklehedz
.
In 1992, EPMD had a hit with its song "Crossover," which lamented rappers making blatant concessions to pop sensibilities in order to get mainstream attention from music audiences. Ironically, the song became a hit itself peaking at #42 on the Billboard Hot 100 and in doing so becoming their biggest hit to date.
and Rap Pages, in late 1991, Smith's house was burglarized by armed intruders. According to Smith, in the ensuing police investigation, one of the apprehended culprits supposedly gave up Sermon's name as having allegedly paid them to do it. Sermon was arrested and briefly detained for questioning, but no charges were filed. Still, it led to lingering tensions, and by the time of the break-up, Sermon alleged financial impropriety on Smith's part. The duo found itself as solo artists by default: Sermon debuted in 1993 with No Pressure
, followed by Double or Nothing (1995), Def Squad Presents Erick Onasis
(2000), Music
(2001), and React (2002). Smith made his statements on 1994's Shade Business
, followed by Business is Business in 1996.
as the Def Squad
in 1998: El Niño was certified gold that same year. EPMD’s last LP, Out of Business
, was released in 1999 as both a single CD and a limited edition
double CD. The limited edition double CD contained both new material and rerecorded versions of its greatest hits. Smith released The Awakening
(2003) on his own Hit Squad label, and Sermon released Chilltown, N.Y. (2004) on Motown/Universal
. A Hit Squad
compilation LP (overseen by Smith, featuring a new EPMD track) was released on Nervous Recordings in 2004.
Two months later, EPMD and Keith Murray released a new song, titled "The Main Event," produced by DJ Knowhow. In the March 2007 issue of Swedish hip-hop magazine Quote, Erick Sermon and Parrish Smith talked about whether the duo planned to record together again. On its recent tour, the group announced that it was working on a new album, tentatively titled We Mean Business.
On June 27, 2007, the group appeared on BET's Rap City to freestyle. EPMD's new single, "Blow", was released on vinyl from Unique Distribution during August 2007 as a prelude to a new album that is to be released in 2008. The song instantly became a regular feature on the Funkmaster Flex
show. The same month, the duo made a number of surprise live appearances, including the Rock the Bells tour with Rage Against The Machine
, Wu-Tang Clan
, Cypress Hill
, Mos Def
and others.
In June 2008, during an interview with HipHopGame, Erick and Parrish confirmed that We Mean Business
would be released on September 9. The album eventually emerged in December 2008, and featured guest appearances from the likes of KRS-One
and Redman amongst others. In the end of the interview, they mentioned the possibility of a Hit Squad
/Def Squad
double disc album, but that they had problems with K-Solo
.
On August 3, 2008, EPMD joined Method Man
and Redman on stage at the Rock The Bells concert at Jones Beach, New York.
The following month, EPMD took the stage as part of AllHipHop.com's Breeding Ground event at S.O.B.'s in New York City. The duo performed many of their early hits and featured Keith Murray as a guest.
In March 2011, EPMD performed at the Lawyer4Musicians Hiphop showcase at Venue 222 in Austin, Texas. It was the duo's first time performing in Austin, where they performed many of their early hits as well as cover songs and freestyle rhymes.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
hip hop
Hip hop
Hip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...
group from Brentwood
Brentwood, New York
Brentwood is a hamlet of the Town of Islip in Suffolk County, New York. According to the 2000 Census, the population of Brentwood is 53,917.The colony was established on March 21, 1851, on 750 acres of land on Long Island, New York, by Josiah Warren and Stephen Pearl Andrews...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. The group's name is a concatenation of the members' name "E" and "PMD" or an acronym for "Erick and Parrish Making Dollars", referencing its members, emcees Erick Sermon
Erick Sermon
Erick Sermon , in Bay Shore, New York is an American rapper, musician, and producer.Sermon is best known as half of late-1980s/1990s hip hop group EPMD and for production work. He currently resides in Islandia, New York.- Career :...
("E" aka E Double) and Parrish Smith ("PMD" aka Parrish Mic Doc). The group has been active for more than 25 years (minus two breakups in 1993 and 1999), and is one of the most prominent acts in east coast hip hop
East Coast hip hop
East Coast hip hop is a regional subgenre of hip hop music that originated in New York City, USA during the 1970s. Hip hop is recognized to have originated and evolved first in the East Coast...
. Diamond J, DJ K La Boss, and DJ Scratch
DJ Scratch
DJ Scratch is an American hip hop DJ and producer.-Career:DJ Scratch is the 1988 New Music Seminar Battle For World Supremacy DJ Champion, Grammy nominated, Multi Platinum Producer & The 2010 Master Of The Mix World Champion....
were DJs for the group.
The word "business" is used in every title of the group's albums. Every album also has a track titled "Jane".
Early years and mainstream success: 1986–1992
Hailing from Long Island NY, EPMD's first albumAlbum
An album is a collection of recordings, released as a single package on gramophone record, cassette, compact disc, or via digital distribution. The word derives from the Latin word for list .Vinyl LP records have two sides, each comprising one half of the album...
, Strictly Business, appeared in 1988, which featured the underground hit "Strictly Business," based on a sample of Eric Clapton
Eric Clapton
Eric Patrick Clapton, CBE, is an English guitarist and singer-songwriter. Clapton is the only three-time inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame: once as a solo artist, and separately as a member of The Yardbirds and Cream. Clapton has been referred to as one of the most important and...
's version of Bob Marley
Bob Marley
Robert Nesta "Bob" Marley, OM was a Jamaican singer-songwriter and musician. He was the rhythm guitarist and lead singer for the ska, rocksteady and reggae band Bob Marley & The Wailers...
's "I Shot the Sheriff
I Shot the Sheriff
"I Shot the Sheriff" is a song written by Bob Marley, told from the point of view of a man who admits to having killed the local sheriff, but claims to be falsely accused of having killed the deputy sheriff. He also claims to have acted in self defense when the sheriff tried to shoot him. The...
." Many critics cite this first album as the group's most influential. The group's brand of funk-fueled sample
Sampling (music)
In music, sampling is the act of taking a portion, or sample, of one sound recording and reusing it as an instrument or a different sound recording of a song or piece. Sampling was originally developed by experimental musicians working with musique concrète and electroacoustic music, who physically...
-heavy hip-hop proved to be a major force in the genre. Unlike old school hip hop
Old school hip hop
Old school hip hop describes the earliest commercially recorded hip hop music , and the music in the period preceding it from which it was directly descended . Old school hip hop is said to end around 1983 or 1984 with the emergence of Run–D.M.C., the first new school hip hop group...
, which was originally based on disco
Disco
Disco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
hits but eventually became more electronic
Electro (music)
Electro is a genre of electronic dance music directly influenced by the use of TR-808 drum machines, Moog keytar synthesizers and funk sampling...
, EPMD based its music mainly on lifting funk and rock breaks for samples and helped to popularize their usage, along with Marley Marl
Marley Marl
Marlon Williams , better known as Marley Marl, is an American DJ and record producer, who is considered one of the most important and influential hip-hop producers in the history of hip hop.-Biography:...
and Public Enemy. "You're a Customer" combined snippets of Steve Miller
Steve Miller (musician)
Steven H. "Steve" Miller is an American guitarist and singer-songwriter who began his career in blues and blues rock and evolved to a more popular-oriented sound which, from the mid 1970s through the early 1980s, resulted in a series of successful singles and albums.-Early years:Born in Milwaukee,...
's "Fly Like an Eagle
Fly Like an Eagle (song)
"Fly Like an Eagle" is a song written by Steve Miller and by Steve Miller Band guitarist Steve McCarty on the album Fly Like an Eagle. The song went to number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart during the week of January 8, 1977. The single edit can be found on Greatest Hits . The song has an...
," Kool & the Gang
Kool & the Gang
Kool & the Gang are an American jazz, R&B, soul, and funk group, originally formed as the Jazziacs in Jersey City, New Jersey in 1964.They went through several musical phases during the course of their recording career, starting out with a purist jazz sound, then becoming practitioners of R&B and...
's "Jungle Boogie
Jungle Boogie
"Jungle Boogie" is a funk song recorded by Kool & the Gang for their 1973 album Wild and Peaceful. It scored number four as a single and became very popular in nightclubs. The song's spoken main vocal was performed by the band's roadie Don Boyce...
,the bass line from ZZ Top
ZZ Top
ZZ Top is an American rock band, sometimes referred to as "That Little Ol' Band from Texas". Their style, which is rooted in blues-based boogie rock, has come to incorporate elements of arena, southern, and boogie rock. The band, from Houston Texas, formed in 1969...
’s "Cheap Sunglasses
Cheap Sunglasses
"Cheap Sunglasses" is a 1980 single by ZZ Top from their 1979 album Degüello. It is one of their most famous songs and includes the use of some odd instruments. The song captures many of the sounds and beats that ZZ Top is famous for. It is also featured on the greatest hits collections ZZ Top's...
" and drum beat (Roger Linn LM-2 machine). "Jane," about a romantic rendezvous turned bad, would be revisited on no less than five sequels; a first for hip-hop, and, perhaps, rock and roll as well. "You Gots to Chill
You Gots to Chill
"You Gots to Chill" is the second single by EPMD from their album Strictly Business. It reached number 22 on the U.S. R&B chart. The song prominently features a sample from More Bounce to the Ounce by Zapp....
" used 1980s funk band Zapp
Zapp (band)
Zapp is a soul and funk band formed in 1978 by brothers Roger Troutman, Larry Troutman, Lester Troutman, Terry Troutman, Bobby Glover and Gregory Jackson [Cincinnati Ohio Funk Keyboardist]...
's "More Bounce to the Ounce," which has become one of the most enduring sample sources for hip-hop. "I'm Housin'" was covered some 12 years later by Rage Against the Machine
Rage Against the Machine
Rage Against the Machine is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1991, the group's line-up consists of vocalist Zack de la Rocha, bassist and backing vocalist Tim Commerford, guitarist Tom Morello and drummer Brad Wilk...
. Managed early on by Russell Simmons
Russell Simmons
-External links:** * * * * * * from the US Holocaust Memorial Museum* *...
' RUSH Management, the group toured with such hip-hop luminaries as Run-DMC, Public Enemy, and DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince
DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince
DJ Jazzy Jeff & The Fresh Prince is a hip hop duo from West Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Vocalist Will Smith met Jeff Townes while trying to make a name for himself in West Philadelphia's local hip hop scene. After joining forces with Clarence Holmes the team members became local celebrities...
.
Sleeping Bag Records
Sleeping Bag Records is a defunct New York City-based old school hip hop and dance music independent record label that operated from 1981 to 1992...
, which eventually released its debut album, Strictly Business, by electro funk
Electro (music)
Electro is a genre of electronic dance music directly influenced by the use of TR-808 drum machines, Moog keytar synthesizers and funk sampling...
pioneer Kurtis Mantronik. Propelled by several strong singles ("You Gots to Chill" and the album’s title track), the album was eventually certified gold, selling over 500,000 copies, as did 1989's follow-up, Unfinished Business
Unfinished Business (EPMD album)
Unfinished Business is the second album from Hip Hop duo EPMD. Released in 1989, the album built upon the success of the group's previous album Strictly Business, which was released the previous year. The lead single, "So Wat Cha Sayin'," was the only charting single released from the album...
. Financial frustrations followed when Sleeping Bag went under in 1992. The two EPMD albums and Nice & Smooth
Nice & Smooth
Nice & Smooth was an East Coast hip hop duo from New York that consists of Greg Nice and Smooth B . The duo released four albums from the late 1980s to the mid 1990s...
’s debut album were acquired by Priority/EMI Records
Priority Records
Priority Records is an American record label, owned and operated by EMI, which has made a name for itself dealing primarily in hip hop, pop and world...
before the label was sold to Warlock Records. The duo’s Sleeping Bag contract was acquired by Def Jam. EPMD returned in 1990 with Business As Usual
Business As Usual (EPMD album)
Business as Usual is the third album from Hip Hop duo EPMD, and their first on leading rap label Def Jam as a result of being signed over from their former label, Fresh Records...
and Business Never Personal
Business Never Personal
Business Never Personal is the fourth studio album by hip hop duo EPMD, released July 28, 1992 on Def Jam Records. Following mixed criticism of their previous studio effort, 1990's Business As Usual, the duo was able to return to their past acclaim on Business Never Personal. The album is...
two years later. By 1992, the group presided over an extended family dubbed the Hit Squad
Hit Squad
The Hit Squad was a 1990s hip hop collective of East coast hip hop artists formed by Erick Sermon and Parrish Smith better known as EPMD. The collective separated when EPMD broke up for the first time in 1993, later reforming as Def Squad.-Career:...
, which included Redman, K-Solo
K-Solo
K-Solo is an American rapper from Central Islip, New York who, along with EPMD, Redman, Das EFX, and Keith Murray, was part of the Hit Squad in 1990s.-Late years:...
, Das EFX
Das EFX
Das EFX is an American hip hop duo. It consists of emcees Skoob and Dray...
, Hurricane G
Hurricane G
Gloria Rodríguez, better known by her stage name Hurricane G, is an American rapper of Puerto Rican descent. Her 1997 single release Somebody Else charted at #10 by Billborad Magazine on Hot Rap Singles, and at #54 on their Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks chart.-Background:She was born in...
, and Knucklehedz
Knucklehedz
Knucklehedz were a New York City hip hop group and original members of the Hit Squad, along with EPMD, Redman, Das EFX and others. Their only album, Stricktly Savage, was recorded in 1993 for East West Records but was shelved after the breakup of EPMD. It featured production from Erick Sermon and...
.
In 1992, EPMD had a hit with its song "Crossover," which lamented rappers making blatant concessions to pop sensibilities in order to get mainstream attention from music audiences. Ironically, the song became a hit itself peaking at #42 on the Billboard Hot 100 and in doing so becoming their biggest hit to date.
First breakup: 1993–1996
The duo split in January 1993, under controversial circumstances. According to interviews in The SourceThe Source (magazine)
The Source is a United States-based, monthly full-color magazine covering hip-hop music, politics, and culture, founded in 1988. It is the world's second longest running rap periodical, behind United Kingdom-based publication Hip Hop Connection. The Source was founded as a newsletter in 1988...
and Rap Pages, in late 1991, Smith's house was burglarized by armed intruders. According to Smith, in the ensuing police investigation, one of the apprehended culprits supposedly gave up Sermon's name as having allegedly paid them to do it. Sermon was arrested and briefly detained for questioning, but no charges were filed. Still, it led to lingering tensions, and by the time of the break-up, Sermon alleged financial impropriety on Smith's part. The duo found itself as solo artists by default: Sermon debuted in 1993 with No Pressure
No Pressure
-Album:-Singles:"—" denotes releases that did not chart.-Personnel:Information taken from Allmusic.*arranging – Jeffrey Stewart*engineering – Mike Calderon, David Greenberg, George Pappas, Gary Platt, Darin Prindle*executive production – Erick Sermon...
, followed by Double or Nothing (1995), Def Squad Presents Erick Onasis
Def Squad Presents Erick Onasis
-Album:-Singles:"—" denotes releases that did not chart.-Personnel:Information taken from Allmusic.*composing – Arthur "Big Boy" Crudup*engineering – Troy Hightower, Tommy Uzzo*executive production – Bernard Alexander, Erick Sermon...
(2000), Music
Music (Erick Sermon album)
Music is the fourth album and first album on J Records by hip hop artist Erick Sermon. It was received well critically and commercially. Its success was fueled by its title track "Music" which sampled vocals from Marvin Gaye and in terms of chart position is Sermon's most popular song, peaking at...
(2001), and React (2002). Smith made his statements on 1994's Shade Business
Shade Business
-Track listing:#"Shade Business"- 3:43#"In the Zone"- 4:15#"Steppin' Thru Hardcore"- 3:37#"Respect Mine"- 3:32#"Here They Cum"- 3:20 #"Back to the Rap"- 3:04#"I'll Wait"- 5:19 #"I Saw It Cummin'"- 4:00...
, followed by Business is Business in 1996.
First reunion and second breakup: 1997–2005
The duo reunited in 1997, recording a comeback LP, Back in Business. In 1998, a remix of the song "Strictly Business" appeared by the A&R man who signed the duo while at Fresh/Sleeping Bag, Kurtis Mantronik. Sermon released an album with Redman and Keith MurrayKeith Murray (rapper)
Keith Murray is an American rapper and a member of the rap trio Def Squad, which includes fellow rappers Redman and Erick Sermon.-Music career:...
as the Def Squad
Def Squad
Def Squad is a rap supergroup consisting of Erick Sermon, Redman & Keith Murray. Mally G is considered an honorary member of the Def Squad. Before officially forming as a group to release an album in 1998, they had each been featured on tracks by each other...
in 1998: El Niño was certified gold that same year. EPMD’s last LP, Out of Business
Out Of Business
Out of Business is the sixth album from Hip Hop duo EPMD, which changed its initialism for the release from Erick & Parrish Making Dollars to Erick & Parrish Millennium Ducats....
, was released in 1999 as both a single CD and a limited edition
Special edition
The terms special edition, limited edition and variants such as deluxe edition, collector's edition and others, are used as a marketing incentive for various kinds of products, originally published products related to the arts, such as books, prints or recorded music and films, but now including...
double CD. The limited edition double CD contained both new material and rerecorded versions of its greatest hits. Smith released The Awakening
The Awakening (PMD album)
The Awakening is the fourth album by rapper PMD. It was released on June 17, 2003 for the independent record label, Solid Records. The album did not make it on any album charts, nor did it have any charting singles...
(2003) on his own Hit Squad label, and Sermon released Chilltown, N.Y. (2004) on Motown/Universal
Motown Records
Motown is a record label originally founded by Berry Gordy, Jr. and incorporated as Motown Record Corporation in Detroit, Michigan, United States, on April 14, 1960. The name, a portmanteau of motor and town, is also a nickname for Detroit...
. A Hit Squad
Hit Squad
The Hit Squad was a 1990s hip hop collective of East coast hip hop artists formed by Erick Sermon and Parrish Smith better known as EPMD. The collective separated when EPMD broke up for the first time in 1993, later reforming as Def Squad.-Career:...
compilation LP (overseen by Smith, featuring a new EPMD track) was released on Nervous Recordings in 2004.
Second reunion: 2006–present
A reunited EPMD with DJ Scratch performed live at the Rock the Bells Tour in New York on October 14, 2006 at B.B. King Blues Club & Grill, their first NYC show in eight years. The tour also featured former Hit Squad members Keith Murray, Das EFX, and Redman. YouTube currently hosts a number of videos of the EPMD reunion concert.Two months later, EPMD and Keith Murray released a new song, titled "The Main Event," produced by DJ Knowhow. In the March 2007 issue of Swedish hip-hop magazine Quote, Erick Sermon and Parrish Smith talked about whether the duo planned to record together again. On its recent tour, the group announced that it was working on a new album, tentatively titled We Mean Business.
On June 27, 2007, the group appeared on BET's Rap City to freestyle. EPMD's new single, "Blow", was released on vinyl from Unique Distribution during August 2007 as a prelude to a new album that is to be released in 2008. The song instantly became a regular feature on the Funkmaster Flex
Funkmaster Flex
Aston George Taylor, Jr. better known as Funkmaster Flex is an American hip hop DJ, rapper, musician and producer on New York City's Hot 97 radio station and host of the hit MTV show Funk Flex Full Throttle....
show. The same month, the duo made a number of surprise live appearances, including the Rock the Bells tour with Rage Against The Machine
Rage Against the Machine
Rage Against the Machine is an American rock band from Los Angeles, California. Formed in 1991, the group's line-up consists of vocalist Zack de la Rocha, bassist and backing vocalist Tim Commerford, guitarist Tom Morello and drummer Brad Wilk...
, Wu-Tang Clan
Wu-Tang Clan
The Wu-Tang Clan is a hip-hop group from Staten Island that consists of RZA, GZA, Method Man, Raekwon, Ghostface Killah, Inspectah Deck, U-God, Masta Killa, and the late Ol' Dirty Bastard. They are frequently joined by fellow childhood friend Cappadonna, a quasi member of the group...
, Cypress Hill
Cypress Hill
Cypress Hill is an American hip hop group from South Gate, California. Cypress Hill was the first Latino hip-hop group to have platinum and multi-platinum albums, selling over 18 million albums worldwide...
, Mos Def
Mos Def
Dante Terrell Smith is an American actor and Emcee known by the stage names Mos Def and Yasiin Bey. He started his hip hop career in a group called Urban Thermo Dynamics, after which he appeared on albums by Da Bush Babees and De La Soul. With Talib Kweli, he formed the duo Black Star, which...
and others.
In June 2008, during an interview with HipHopGame, Erick and Parrish confirmed that We Mean Business
We Mean Business (album)
-Charts:...
would be released on September 9. The album eventually emerged in December 2008, and featured guest appearances from the likes of KRS-One
KRS-One
Lawrence Krisna Parker , better known by his stage names KRS-One , and Teacha, is an American rapper...
and Redman amongst others. In the end of the interview, they mentioned the possibility of a Hit Squad
Hit Squad
The Hit Squad was a 1990s hip hop collective of East coast hip hop artists formed by Erick Sermon and Parrish Smith better known as EPMD. The collective separated when EPMD broke up for the first time in 1993, later reforming as Def Squad.-Career:...
/Def Squad
Def Squad
Def Squad is a rap supergroup consisting of Erick Sermon, Redman & Keith Murray. Mally G is considered an honorary member of the Def Squad. Before officially forming as a group to release an album in 1998, they had each been featured on tracks by each other...
double disc album, but that they had problems with K-Solo
K-Solo
K-Solo is an American rapper from Central Islip, New York who, along with EPMD, Redman, Das EFX, and Keith Murray, was part of the Hit Squad in 1990s.-Late years:...
.
On August 3, 2008, EPMD joined Method Man
Method Man
Clifford Smith , better known by his stage name Method Man is an American hip hop artist, record producer, actor and member of the hip hop collective Wu-Tang Clan. He took his stage name from the 1979 film The Fearless Young Boxer, also known as Method Man. He is one half of the rap duo Method Man...
and Redman on stage at the Rock The Bells concert at Jones Beach, New York.
The following month, EPMD took the stage as part of AllHipHop.com's Breeding Ground event at S.O.B.'s in New York City. The duo performed many of their early hits and featured Keith Murray as a guest.
In March 2011, EPMD performed at the Lawyer4Musicians Hiphop showcase at Venue 222 in Austin, Texas. It was the duo's first time performing in Austin, where they performed many of their early hits as well as cover songs and freestyle rhymes.
Discography
- Strictly Business (1988)
- Unfinished BusinessUnfinished Business (EPMD album)Unfinished Business is the second album from Hip Hop duo EPMD. Released in 1989, the album built upon the success of the group's previous album Strictly Business, which was released the previous year. The lead single, "So Wat Cha Sayin'," was the only charting single released from the album...
(1989) - Business as UsualBusiness As Usual (EPMD album)Business as Usual is the third album from Hip Hop duo EPMD, and their first on leading rap label Def Jam as a result of being signed over from their former label, Fresh Records...
(1990) - Business Never PersonalBusiness Never PersonalBusiness Never Personal is the fourth studio album by hip hop duo EPMD, released July 28, 1992 on Def Jam Records. Following mixed criticism of their previous studio effort, 1990's Business As Usual, the duo was able to return to their past acclaim on Business Never Personal. The album is...
(1992) - Back in Business (1997)
- Out of BusinessOut Of BusinessOut of Business is the sixth album from Hip Hop duo EPMD, which changed its initialism for the release from Erick & Parrish Making Dollars to Erick & Parrish Millennium Ducats....
(1999) - We Mean BusinessWe Mean Business (album)-Charts:...
(2008) - There's No Business Like Showbusiness (2012) (Announced)