Out of Business | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | July 20, 1999 | |||
Recorded | 1998–1999 | |||
Studio |
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Genre | Hip hop | |||
Length | 47:15 | |||
Label | Def Jam | |||
Producer | ||||
EPMD chronology | ||||
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Singles from Out of Business | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Entertainment Weekly | A− [2] |
NME | 3/10 [3] |
RapReviews | 3.5/10 [4] |
The New Rolling Stone Album Guide | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Out of Business is the sixth studio album by American hip hop duo EPMD. [6] [7] The album was originally scheduled for a December 1998 release under Def Jam Recordings, but had been delayed numerous times as a result of a merger between Seagram's PolyGram (Def Jam's parent company) and Universal Music Group's MCA Records, [8] [9] combining Def Jam and Island Records' operations together under the Island Def Jam Music Group. Ultimately, the album was released on July 20, 1999. [10] It is the first official Def Jam album released under the newly-formed Island Def Jam Music Group and the group's last album released under the label as they left the imprint a year later before going inactive for the second time.
Recording sessions took place at Mirror Image Studio East in Dix Hills, Mirror Image Recorders and Northshore Soundworks in New York and Ian London Studios in Long Island. Production was handled by members Erick Sermon and PMD, as well as DJ Scratch, with 8-Off Agallah serving as co-producer. It features guest appearances from 215, 8-Off Agallah, Busta Rhymes, Lady Luck, Method Man, M.O.P. and Redman. The album peaked at number 13 on the Billboard 200 and number 2 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums in the United States, with 73,000 units sold in its first week. [11] Its only single, "Symphony 2000", reached only No. 62 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, No. 28 on the Hot Rap Songs and No. 58 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay in the US.
The duo changed its initialism for the release from 'Erick & Parrish Making Dollars' to 'Erick & Parrish Millennium Ducats'. [12] A limited-edition issue of the album was released with a bonus greatest hits album. [10]
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
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1. | "Intro" | DJ Scratch | 2:18 | |
2. | "Pioneers" |
| Erick Sermon | 3:14 |
3. | "Right Now" |
| Erick Sermon | 3:51 |
4. | "Check 1, 2" |
|
| 3:16 |
5. | "Symphony" (featuring M.O.P.) |
| Erick Sermon | 3:01 |
6. | "Hold Me Down" |
| Erick Sermon | 3:34 |
7. | "Rap Is Still Outta Control" (featuring Busta Rhymes) |
|
| 3:33 |
8. | "The Fan" |
| Erick Sermon | 3:03 |
9. | "Draw" |
| Erick Sermon | 3:22 |
10. | "U Got Shot" (featuring 215 and 8-Off Agallah) |
| Erick Sermon | 3:38 |
11. | "House Party" |
| PMD | 3:52 |
12. | "The Funk" |
| PMD | 2:08 |
13. | "Symphony 2000" (featuring Redman, Method Man and Lady Luck) |
| Erick Sermon | 4:03 |
14. | "Jane 6" |
| PMD | 4:22 |
Total length: | 47:15 |
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The New Rolling Stone Album Guide | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Producer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|---|
1. | "It's My Thang" |
| EPMD | 5:37 |
2. | "You Gots 2 Chill" |
| EPMD | 3:27 |
3. | "Strictly Business" |
| EPMD | 4:39 |
4. | "So What Cha Sayin'" |
| EPMD | 4:28 |
5. | "Big Payback" |
| EPMD | 4:04 |
6. | "Get the Bozack" |
| EPMD | 4:33 |
7. | "Please Listen to My Demo" |
| EPMD | 2:49 |
8. | "Gold Digger" |
|
| 5:02 |
9. | "Rampage" |
|
| 3:49 |
10. | "Crossover" |
| EPMD | 3:48 |
11. | "Headbanger" |
|
| 4:51 |
12. | "Never Seen Before" |
| Erick Sermon | 2:50 |
13. | "Da Joint" |
|
| 3:26 |
Total length: | 1:40:38 |
Chart (1999) | Peak position |
---|---|
UK R&B Albums (OCC) [14] | 18 |
US Billboard 200 [15] | 13 |
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard) [16] | 2 |
Reginald Noble, better known by his stage name Redman, is an American rapper, DJ, record producer, and actor. He rose to fame in the early 1990s as an artist on the Def Jam label.
EPMD is an American hip hop duo from Brentwood, New York. The duo's name is a concatenation of the members' names "E" and "PMD" or an acronym for "Erick and Parrish Making Dollars", referring to its members: emcees Erick Sermon and Parrish Smith. During an interview on college radio station WHOV in 1987, Parrish Smith stated that the name evolved from the original: "We were originally known as "EEPMD", but chose to go with EPMD because it was easier to say." He also stated that they dropped the two "E's" because N.W.A.'s Eric Wright was already using "Eazy-E" as his stage name. The group has been active for 36 years.
The Platform is the debut studio album by American hip hop trio Dilated Peoples. It was released on May 23, 2000, through Capitol Records. Recording sessions took place at Audio X in Burbank, D&D Studios in New York, Can Am Studios in Tarzana and Threshold Studios in Santa Monica. Production was handled by members Evidence and DJ Babu, as well as Alchemist, Joey Chavez, E-Swift, KutMasta Kurt and T-Ray. It features guest appearances from Aceyalone, B-Real, Everlast, and Likwit Crew members Defari, Phil Da Agony, Planet Asia and Tha Alkaholiks. The album represents a movement of several California underground hip hop artists away from the violence and misogyny of gangsta rap, towards a more traditional, conscious form of rap.
Erick Sermon is an American rapper and producer. He is best known as one-third—alongside PMD & DJ Scratch—of 1980s/1990s hip hop group EPMD and for his production work.
Dare Iz a Darkside is the second studio album by American rapper Redman. It was released on November 22, 1994, by Def Jam Recordings. The album debuted at 13 on the US Billboard 200. The album was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).
Business Never Personal is the fourth studio album by hip hop duo EPMD. It was released on July 28, 1992, on Def Jam Recordings. 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 lead single, "Crossover," became its biggest success, nearly reaching the Top 40 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song is about keeping it real and not crossing over to the mainstream, but became EPMD's biggest mainstream success.
Back in Business is the fifth studio album by the hip-hop duo EPMD, released on September 16, 1997, through Def Jam Recordings. It was their first album since 1992, when the pair had broken up due to money issues. The single "Da Joint" became their second Billboard Hot 100 appearance.
The Professional 2 is the second studio album by American record producer DJ Clue. Originally scheduled for a November 1999 release, it was ultimately released on February 27, 2001 via Roc-A-Fella Records, a division of UMG's Def Jam Recordings. It serves as a sequel to his 1998 debut studio album The Professional.
El Niño is the only studio album by American hip hop group Def Squad, composed of rappers Redman, Erick Sermon and Keith Murray. It was released on June 30, 1998, via Def Jam Recordings. Recording sessions took place at Mirror Image Recordings in Dix Hills, New York. Production was handled by Erick Sermon and Redman. It features guest appearances from Biz Markie, Mally G, Too $hort and the Drama Squad.
Generation EFX is the fourth studio album by American hip hop duo Das EFX. It was released on March 24, 1998 via EastWest Records America. Production was handled by Agallah, Solid Scheme, Rashad Smith, Mike Lowe, Tony L, and PMD, who also served as executive producer. Unlike the first three Das EFX albums, it features a number of guest appearances from Redman, Agallah, EPMD, Miss Jones, M.O.P., Nocturnal and Teflon. The album debuted and peaked at number 48 on the Billboard 200, selling 22,000 copies in its first week. In its second week of release, the album dropped to number 89 on the Billboard 200, selling 14,000 copies bringing the two week total to 36,000 copies.
Insomnia is a hip-hop compilation album presented by American rapper and record producer Erick Sermon. It was released on April 23, 1996 via Interscope Records. Recording sessions took place at Mirror Image, at the Music Palace, and at Rockin' Reel Recording Studios in New York, and at Chuck Simone Studio. Production was handled primarily by Sermon, who also served as executive producer, Redman, and co-producers Rockwilder and Ty Fyffe. Beside Sermon, it features contributions from fellow artists affiliated with or discovered by him, such as Calif, Domo, Duo, Jamal, Keith Murray, L.O.D., Passion, Redman, The Wixtons, Xross-Breed, and Thomas "Tommy Gunn" Blincoe, who was murdered shortly before the album's release, and to whom this album is dedicated. The album peaked at number 53 on the Billboard 200 and number 10 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums in the United States. It spawned three singles: "Funkorama", which peacked at No. 81 on the Billboard Hot 100, "It's That Hit" and "I Feel It".
Rap-Murr-Phobia is the fifth solo studio album by American rapper Keith Murray. It was released on July 31, 2007 through Koch Records. Production was handled by Erick Sermon, except for two tracks which were produced by Mike City and Shuko. It features guest appearances from L.O.D., Junior, Baggy Bones, Bosie & Ryze, Def Squad, Jamal, Method Man, Ming Bolla, Taya, Tyrese and Unique. The album debuted at number 52 on the Billboard 200 and number 7 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums in the United States, selling 13,000 units in its first week.
The Hit Squad is an American hip hop collective of East coast hip hop artists. Originally formed in the 1990s by Erick Sermon and Parrish Smith of the rap group EPMD, the group included rap artists such as K-Solo, Redman, Das EFX, Top Quality, and Knucklehedz. When EPMD broke up for the first time in 1993, the collective separated, with Sermon forming Def Squad and Smith retaining the Hit Squad name.
Parrish J. Smith, better known as PMD, is an American rapper from Brentwood, New York, a member of EPMD and Hit Squad.
Bad Newz Travels Fast is the only studio album by American rapper and record producer DJ Pooh. It was released July 15, 1997, through Big Beat/Atlantic Records. Recording sessions took place at Digital Shack Studios in Sherman Oaks and at the G-Spot Studio in El Monte, California. Production was handled by DJ Pooh himself, who also served as executive producer, with Rashad Coes, Stealth and Tony G. It features guest appearances from Threat, Mista Grimm, Kam, Bad Azz, Big Tray Deee, Charlie Wilson, Roger Troutman, Tha Low Life Gangstas and Tee Lee. The album peaked at number 116 on the Billboard 200 and number 34 on the Top R&B Albums charts in the United States. The album spawned two singles: "Nowhere to Hide" and "Whoop! Whoop!", with the latter made it to number 73 on the US R&B airplay charts.
Strictly Business is the debut album by hip-hop duo EPMD. It was released on June 7, 1988, by Fresh/Sleeping Bag Records around the world and BCM Records in Germany. It peaked at No. 80 on the Billboard 200 soon after release, yet it earned an RIAA gold album certification within four months of its release. In addition, it has received much positive critical attention since its release. In 2012, the album was ranked number 453 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.
"Crossover" is a single by American hip hop group EPMD released in August 1992 from their album Business Never Personal. The song's lyrics criticize rappers who crossover to R&B or pop in order to sell more. The single became EPMD's highest charting as it climbed the Billboard charts at #42. The song was also certified gold by RIAA, becoming the group's only single to accomplish that feat. The song samples "Don't Worry If There's a Hell Below " by Curtis Mayfield and Roger Troutman's "You Should Be Mine". A music video, colored in blue, was released for the song which features Erick Sermon and Parrish Smith rapping around a building under construction with other people around doing various activities like break-dancing.
"Head Banger", also "Headbanger", is the second single released from EPMD's fourth album, Business Never Personal.
"Da Joint" is the first single from EPMD's fifth album, Back in Business. Produced by Erick Sermon and Rockwilder, "Da Joint" became EPMD's second and final single to make it to the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at 94 on the chart with approximately 100,000 copies sold in the first week. "Da Joint" was released a week before the Back in Business album, making it to the first release by the newly reformed EPMD since the group's 1992 single, "Head Banger".
This is the discography of American rap duo, EPMD.