EPMD has a catalog that has solidified themselves as Hip Hop royalty. However, I think their first two albums, Strictly Business and Unfinished Business, is what actually earned their citizenship in Hip Hop Zamunda. Let’s speak on those two, shall we?
EPMD, an acronym for Erick and Parrish Making Dollars, released their debut, Strictly Business in 1988. The album was filled with funky-samples from funk legends Zapp and Kool & the Gang, among others. That help gave them a distinctive sound from their counterparts.
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The album produced singles such as “It’s My Thing,” “I’m Housin,” “You Gots to Chill,” and the album’s title track.
Although their first release acted as borrowers, in years to come it would be a lender. Jay-Z’s “Ain’t No N****” and Jodeci’s “Come and Talk To Me (remix),” were influenced by “It’s My Thing” and “You’re A Customer,” respectively. Uniquely, the album reached gold status and number 1 on the Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums despite not having any singles to chart the Billboard Hot 100.
As the old saying goes: “even a blind squirrel gets lucky enough to find a nut.” Allegedly, that was the case with the Long Island NY natives. However, Unfinished Business, in which the cover art featured them in their trademarks fisherman hats, would proved their success was no accident. PMD addressed the skeptics in “So Wat Cha Sayin’.”
“People round town talkin’ this and that/Of how we sound like The R, and our music was wack/Dropped the album Strictly Business and you thought we would fold/30 days later, the LP went gold.”
We have two classics from one legendary group. Which one was the better of the two?
EPMD’s ‘Strictly Business’ or ‘Unfinished Business’?
Polls Are Closed!!
Unfinished Business – 67%
Strictly Business – 33%
