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After the popular, praised 1997 comeback album Back in Business, Erick Sermon and Parrish Smith returned with another solid effort that proved they remained one of the best combos in hip-hop, as relevant and tight in 1999 as they were ten years earlier. Most of the tracks are in-house productions (either Sermon or Smith), a true rarity in the '90s hip-hop world, and they lend the album a continuity sorely lacking considering the legion of rap albums that feature a different producer for each track. And as the duo has done for ages, EPMD does more than just trade in familiar riffs to drive the tracks on Out of Business. The only familiar sample is on the "Intro," and even there, Sermon and Smith turn "Fanfare for Rocky" into something over and above the original. The pair's raps have definitely progressed in the past ten years, as "Pioneers," "U Got Shot," "Right Now," and "Hold Me Down" more than prove. One of the album highlights is the anti-crossover diatribe "Rap Is Still Outta Control," featuring Busta Rhymes (another rapper who's been around long enough to know) and including great lines like, "They took our music and our beat and tried to make it street/And then got in the magazine to try to sound all sweet." Still, EPMD occasionally falls prey to current trends, with obligatory string-sample productions on "Symphony" and "Symphony 2000" (the latter with Redman, Method Man, and Lady Luck) that serve only to obscure the great guest raps. Despite the title, in the liner notes EPMD dispels any rumors that this could be the duo's last album.
© John Bush /TiVo
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Bill Conti, ComposerLyricist - Erick Sermon, ComposerLyricist - EPMD, MainArtist - PMD, ComposerLyricist - Gaines Spivey, ComposerLyricist - D.J. Scratch, Producer
℗ 1999 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Tommy Uzzo, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Erick Sermon, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - EPMD, MainArtist - PMD, Mixer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1999 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Erick Sermon, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Charlie Marotta, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - EPMD, MainArtist - PMD, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1999 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Tommy Uzzo, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Erick Sermon, ComposerLyricist - EPMD, MainArtist - PMD, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Angel "8 Off" Aguilar, Producer, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1999 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Eric Murry, ComposerLyricist - M.O.P., FeaturedArtist - Tommy Uzzo, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Erick Sermon, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - EPMD, MainArtist - PMD, Mixer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Gaines Spivey, ComposerLyricist - Lil' Fame, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1999 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Tommy Uzzo, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Erick Sermon, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - EPMD, MainArtist - PMD, Mixer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1999 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Busta Rhymes, FeaturedArtist, ComposerLyricist - Tommy Uzzo, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Erick Sermon, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - EPMD, MainArtist - PMD, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1999 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Tommy Uzzo, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Erick Sermon, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - EPMD, MainArtist - PMD, Mixer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1999 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Dominic Frontiere, ComposerLyricist - Tommy Uzzo, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Erick Sermon, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - EPMD, MainArtist - PMD, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1999 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Dennis Coles, ComposerLyricist - Russell Jones, ComposerLyricist - Tommy Uzzo, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Erick Sermon, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - EPMD, MainArtist - PMD, Mixer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - Robert F. "Prince Rakeem" Diggs, ComposerLyricist - Derrick Harris, ComposerLyricist - 215, FeaturedArtist - Angel "8 Off" Aguilar, FeaturedArtist, ComposerLyricist - A. Nathaniel, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1999 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Tommy Uzzo, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Erick Sermon, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - EPMD, MainArtist - PMD, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1999 The Island Def Jam Music Group
D. Turner, ComposerLyricist - Norman Whitfield, ComposerLyricist - Tommy Uzzo, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Erick Sermon, Mixer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - EPMD, MainArtist - PMD, Producer, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1999 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Eric Murry, ComposerLyricist - Method Man, FeaturedArtist - Redman, FeaturedArtist - Tommy Uzzo, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Erick Sermon, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - EPMD, MainArtist - PMD, ComposerLyricist - Lady Luck, FeaturedArtist - Gaines Spivey, ComposerLyricist - Lil' Fame, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1999 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Rick James, ComposerLyricist - Tommy Uzzo, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Erick Sermon, Mixer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - EPMD, MainArtist - PMD, Producer, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1999 The Island Def Jam Music Group
DISC 2
Parrish Smith, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Erick Sermon, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Charlie Marotta, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - EPMD, MainArtist
℗ 1999 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Parrish Smith, Producer - Robert Bell, ComposerLyricist - Dennis Ronald Thomas, ComposerLyricist - Richard Westfield, ComposerLyricist - Donald Wesley Boyce, ComposerLyricist - George Melvin Brown, ComposerLyricist - Charles Smith, ComposerLyricist - Tommy Uzzo, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Troutman, ComposerLyricist - Erick Sermon, Producer, ComposerLyricist - EPMD, MainArtist - Robert Spike Mickens, ComposerLyricist - PMD, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1997 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Parrish Smith, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Erick Sermon, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Charlie Marotta, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - EPMD, MainArtist
℗ 1999 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Parrish Smith, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Billy Nichols, ComposerLyricist - George Clinton, ComposerLyricist - Garry Marshall Shider, ComposerLyricist - Erick Sermon, Producer, Rap Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer, ComposerLyricist - Charlie Marotta, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - EPMD, MainArtist - Juni Morrison, ComposerLyricist - PMD, Rap Vocalist, AssociatedPerformer - Alan James Williams, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1999 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Parrish Smith, Producer - Erick Sermon, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Charlie Marotta, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - EPMD, MainArtist - PMD, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1999 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Parrish Smith, Producer - Sam Taylor, ComposerLyricist - Erick Sermon, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Charlie Marotta, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - EPMD, MainArtist - PMD, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1999 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Parrish Smith, Producer - Erick Sermon, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Charlie Marotta, Mixer, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - EPMD, MainArtist - PMD, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1999 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Parrish Smith, Producer - George Clinton, ComposerLyricist - RONALD NORMAN MILLER, ComposerLyricist - Erick Sermon, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Charlie Marotta, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - EPMD, MainArtist - Ivan "Doc" Rodriguez, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - PMD, ComposerLyricist - Bertram Charles Reid Jr., ComposerLyricist - Philippe Escalante Wynn, ComposerLyricist - Mr. Bozack, Producer, Co-Producer - Everett "Eplugg" Ramos, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1990 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Parrish Smith, Producer - Jimmy Mccracklin, ComposerLyricist - Lowell Fulson, ComposerLyricist - LL Cool J, FeaturedArtist - Erick Sermon, Producer, ComposerLyricist - Charlie Marotta, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - EPMD, MainArtist - Ivan "Doc" Rodriguez, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - PMD, ComposerLyricist - Mr. Bozack, Producer, Co-Producer - Everett "Eplugg" Ramos, Asst. Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel
℗ 1990 The Island Def Jam Music Group
David Gamson, ComposerLyricist - Tommy Uzzo, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Troutman, ComposerLyricist - Erick Sermon, Producer, Mixer, StudioPersonnel, ComposerLyricist - EPMD, MainArtist - PMD, Producer, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1992 The Island Def Jam Music Group
Parrish Smith, Producer - George Clinton, ComposerLyricist - Dave Greenberg, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Redman, FeaturedArtist - Erick Sermon, Producer, ComposerLyricist - EPMD, MainArtist - Ivan "Doc" Rodriguez, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - PMD, ComposerLyricist - Edward Anthony Green, ComposerLyricist - K-Solo, FeaturedArtist - Ronald Alfred Banks, ComposerLyricist - Mr. Bozack, Producer, Co-Producer
℗ 1992 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Carlton Ridenhour, ComposerLyricist - Joseph Modeliste, ComposerLyricist - Arthur Neville, ComposerLyricist - George Porter Jr., ComposerLyricist - Leo Nocentelli, ComposerLyricist - Erick Sermon, Producer, ComposerLyricist - EPMD, MainArtist - James Henry Boxley III, ComposerLyricist - Parish Smith, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1997 UMG Recordings, Inc.
C. Smith, ComposerLyricist - Rockwilder, Producer, Co-Producer, ComposerLyricist - Adam Nathaniel Yauch, ComposerLyricist - JOHN KING, ComposerLyricist - JAMES BROWN, ComposerLyricist - Matt Dike, ComposerLyricist - Tommy Uzzo, Recording Engineer, StudioPersonnel - Erick Sermon, Producer, ComposerLyricist - EPMD, MainArtist - Ivan "Doc" Rodriguez, Mixer, StudioPersonnel - Michael S. Simpson, ComposerLyricist - PMD, ComposerLyricist - Michael Louis Diamond, ComposerLyricist
℗ 1997 UMG Recordings, Inc.
Album review
After the popular, praised 1997 comeback album Back in Business, Erick Sermon and Parrish Smith returned with another solid effort that proved they remained one of the best combos in hip-hop, as relevant and tight in 1999 as they were ten years earlier. Most of the tracks are in-house productions (either Sermon or Smith), a true rarity in the '90s hip-hop world, and they lend the album a continuity sorely lacking considering the legion of rap albums that feature a different producer for each track. And as the duo has done for ages, EPMD does more than just trade in familiar riffs to drive the tracks on Out of Business. The only familiar sample is on the "Intro," and even there, Sermon and Smith turn "Fanfare for Rocky" into something over and above the original. The pair's raps have definitely progressed in the past ten years, as "Pioneers," "U Got Shot," "Right Now," and "Hold Me Down" more than prove. One of the album highlights is the anti-crossover diatribe "Rap Is Still Outta Control," featuring Busta Rhymes (another rapper who's been around long enough to know) and including great lines like, "They took our music and our beat and tried to make it street/And then got in the magazine to try to sound all sweet." Still, EPMD occasionally falls prey to current trends, with obligatory string-sample productions on "Symphony" and "Symphony 2000" (the latter with Redman, Method Man, and Lady Luck) that serve only to obscure the great guest raps. Despite the title, in the liner notes EPMD dispels any rumors that this could be the duo's last album.
© John Bush /TiVo
About the album
- 2 disc(s) - 27 track(s)
- Total length: 01:40:37
- Main artists: EPMD
- Composer: Various Composers
- Label: Def Jam Recordings
- Genre: Hip-Hop/Rap
© 1999 The Island Def Jam Music Group ℗ 1999 The Island Def Jam Music Group
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