"Strictly Business" | ||||
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Single by EPMD | ||||
from the album Strictly Business | ||||
Released | August 27, 1988 | |||
Recorded | 1987 | |||
Genre | Hip hop | |||
Length | 4:47 | |||
Label | ||||
Songwriter(s) |
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Producer(s) | EPMD | |||
EPMD singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Strictly Business" on YouTube |
"Strictly Business" is a song by EPMD from their debut album Strictly Business . Written and produced by the duo, "Strictly Business" became EPMD's second charting single, becoming a minor hit on the R&B charts. Although not a huge success when it was released, the song has since become a hip hop classic, making it onto several best hip hop songs lists. [1]
Chart (1988) | Position |
---|---|
U.S. R&B Singles | 25 |
U.S. Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales | 17 |
U.S. Dance Music/Club Play Singles | 19 |
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.
George Spivey, known professionally as DJ Scratch, is an American hip hop DJ and producer from Brooklyn, New York.
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.
Whut? Thee Album is the debut studio album by American rapper Redman. It was released on September 22, 1992, by Def Jam Recordings, Rush Associated Labels and Chaos Recordings, a dimension of Columbia Records. Taking place at Ian London Studios, North Shore Soundworks, and Power Play Studios, recording sessions began in 1991 and continued into 1992. The album features production from mentor and fellow Hit Squad member Erick Sermon; as well as Redman himself under his birth name Reggie Noble, with additional production from Pete Rock.
Unfinished Business is the second album by hip hop duo EPMD. Released August 1, 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. It was the second album from the group to hit No. 1 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.
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 hit.
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. Originally scheduled for a February 1999 release, it was released July 20, 1999.
Fresh Records was a New York City-based independent record label that operated from 1985 to 1992. The label was a subsidiary of Sleeping Bag Records that sold hip hop music. The label's roster included EPMD, Nice & Smooth, Just-Ice and T La Rock; house-music pioneer Todd Terry; and electro artists Hanson & Davis and Chocolette.
Act a Fool is the debut studio album by American West Coast hip hop artist King Tee. It was released on November 15, 1988 via Capitol Records. Audio production was handled by DJ Pooh and King Tee himself with Tim Devine as executive producer. It also features guest appearances provided by Mixmaster Spade and Breeze on the track "Just Clowning". The album peaked at number 125 on the US Billboard 200 chart and number 35 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. Its title track reached #26 on the Hot Rap Songs chart, and "Bass", which is remixed on this album, reached #19 on the same chart.
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.
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.
We Mean Business is the seventh studio album released by rap duo, EPMD. It was released on December 9, 2008 through EP Records, making it the group's first album since 1999's Out of Business.
"You Gots to Chill" is a song by EPMD, released as a single from their 1988 debut 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 and "Jungle Boogie" by Kool & the Gang. This song is widely considered a hip hop classic and has been paid homage by various rappers who have quoted the lyrics to this song in their own music, including Snoop Dogg and LL Cool J, among others. It was number 74 on VH1's 100 Greatest Hip Hop Songs
"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".
"Symphony 2000" is the lead single released from EPMD's sixth album, Out of Business. The song was produced by Erick Sermon and featured verses from EPMD's labelmates, Method Man & Redman and Lady Luck. "Symphony 2000" was EPMD's last charting single making it to the R&B and rap charts.
This is the discography of American rap duo, EPMD.
"They Want EFX" is a song by American hip hop group Das EFX recorded for their debut album Dead Serious (1992). The song was released as the group's debut single for the album in March 1992. The song samples "Buffalo Gals" by Malcolm McLaren and "Blind Man Can See It" by James Brown.
Stephen Jerome Williams, known by his stage name Stezo, was an American rapper and producer.