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Biography
Original research|date=May 2011Infobox musical artist | name = EPMD| image = EPMD.jpg| caption = EPMD in 2006.| background = group_or_band| origin = Brentwood, New York , United States|U.S. | genre = Hip hop music|Hip hop | years_active = 1986 – 1993 1997 – 1999 2006 –present| label = Sleeping Bag Records , Priority Records|Priority , Def Jam Recordings|Def Jam | associated_acts = Redman (rapper)|Redman Das EFX K-Solo Knucklehedz Hurricane G Hit Squad Keith Murray (rapper)|Keith Murray Kurtis Mantronik KRS-One | website =| current_members = Erick Sermon PMD (rapper)|Parrish Smith EPMD is an United States|American hip hop group from Brentwood, New York|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, rappers|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.Allmusic|class=artist|id=p36/biography|pure_url=yes Allmusic Biography
The word "business" is used in every title of the group's albums. Every album also has a track titled "Jane".
History
Early years and mainstream success: 1986–1992
Hailing from Long Island NY, EPMD's first album , Strictly Business (album)|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.Citation needed|date=July 2008 The group's brand of funk-fueled sampling (music)|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 electro (music)|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 (band)|Public Enemy . "You're a Customer" combined snippets of Steve Miller (musician)|Steve Miller 's " Fly Like an Eagle (song)|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 (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 (band)|Public Enemy , and DJ Jazzy Jeff & the Fresh Prince .
EPMD signed with Sleeping Bag Records|Fresh/Sleeping Bag Records , which eventually released its debut album, Strictly Business (album)|Strictly Business , by Electro (music)|electro funk pioneer Kurtis Mantronik , who also worked as an A& R representative for the label. 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 copiesCitation needed|date=July 2008, as did 1989's follow-up, Unfinished Business (EPMD album)|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 Records|Priority/EMI Records before the label was sold to Warlock Records. The duo’s Sleeping Bag contract was acquired by Def Jam Records|Def Jam . EPMD returned in 1990 with Business As Usual (EPMD album)|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 (rapper)|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.
First breakup: 1993–1996
The duo split in January 1993, under controversial circumstances. According to interviews in The Source (magazine)|The Source 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 (Erick Sermon album)|Double or Nothing (1995), Def Squad Presents Erick Onasis (2000), Music (Erick Sermon album)|Music (2001), and React (2002). Smith made his statements on 1994's Shade Business , followed by Business Is Business (album)|Business is Business in 1996.
First reunion and second breakup: 1997–2005
The duo reunited in 1997, recording a comeback LP, Back in Business (album)|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 Murray (rapper)|Keith Murray as the Def Squad in 1998: El Niño (Def Squad album)|El Niño was certified goldCitation needed|date=July 2008 that same year. EPMD’s last LP, Out of Business , was released in 1999 as both a single CD and a special edition|limited edition double CD . The limited edition double CD contained both new material and rerecorded versions of its greatest hits. Smith released The Awakening (PMD album)|The Awakening (2003) on his own Hit Squad label, and Sermon released Chilltown, N.Y. (2004) on Motown Records|Motown/Universal . A Hit Squad 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", http://allhiphop.com/blogs/multimedia music/archive/2007/08/08/18378990.aspx Multimedia / Music : EPMD 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 (album)|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 (rapper)|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 . http://www.hiphopgame.com/index2.php3? page=epmd Exclusive Hip Hop News, Audio, Lyrics, Videos, Honeys, Wear, Sneakers, Download Mixtapes
On August 3, 2008, EPMD joined Method Man and Redman (rapper)|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. http://www.allhiphop.com/photos/flicks/picture20528991.aspx Allhiphop 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. http://do512.com/event/2011/03/18/l4m-2011-hiphop-showcase-feat-epmd-cool-kids-das-racist-and-more 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
Main|EPMD discography
Strictly Business (album)|Strictly Business (1988)
Unfinished Business (EPMD album)|Unfinished Business (1989)
Business as Usual (EPMD album)|Business as Usual (1990)
Business Never Personal (1992)
Back in Business (album)|Back in Business (1997)
Out of Business (1999)
We Mean Business (album)|We Mean Business (2008)
References
Reflist
External links
MySpace|therealepmd|EPMD
http://www.vh1.com/artists/az/epmd/bio.jhtml EPMD VH1 Web site
http://www.laut.de/wortlaut/artists/e/epmd/biographie/index.htm Biography (in German)
EPMDPMDErick SermonDef Jam Recordings DEFAULTSORT:Epmd Category:American hip hop groups Category:Brentwood High School (Brentwood, New York) alumni Category:Musical groups from New York Category:Def Jam Recordings artists
