Business as Usual [EXPLICIT LYRICS]

EPMD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 6, 1994)
• Original Release Date: 1990
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Explicit Lyrics
• Label: Fontana Def Jam
• ASIN: B0000024J0
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #18,463 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
EPMD's 14-cut third album, Business As Usual, is their bumpingest and most influential. By 1990 the Long Island duo of Erick Sermon and Parrish Smith had perfected their beatmaking formula. They didn't have to raid vocoder guru Roger Troutman's vaults for the funk. On "Gold Digger," an austere commentary on materialistic female groupies, and the battle-rhyme cut "Manslaughter," the duo flex their unusual ability to meld danceable rhythm tracks with hardcore rhymes, a strength which helped EPMD appeal to rap fans of all persuasions. "Rampage" resurrected a burnt-out LL Cool J. "Hardcore" and "Brothers on My Jock" marked the introduction of Redman to the MC game, further proving that the boondocks can produce something other than strip malls. --Dalton Higgins

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My favorite by EPMD, topten list over best hip-hop records ever. Straight up, June 16, 2006

By	RapSuperstar "Lorenzo" (New Jersey) - See all my reviews

Business As Usual (Def Jam 1990)

Long Island have raised a couple of rap legends up through the years. Rakim and the whole Public Enemy are originally from that area. The buddies Erick Sermon and Parrish Smith from Brentwood should also make huge success, and in the wake of the singles "It's My Thing" and "Strictly Business", their debutalbum sold to gold in just three weeks. This was impressive salenumbers in 1988, and since that EMPD have become one of hip-hops most famous duos. Their third album, which was their first for Def Jam, are in my opinion their highlight in their impressive long careers.

On Business As Usual, EPMD appears rougher than before, and even though a hardcore image ain't quite them, it was at least very timeright. Erick and Parrish have never sounded better than here. Check out "Hardcore" and "Brothers On My Jock", and the man himself LL Cool J are guest on the sovereign hitsingle, "Rampage". DJ Scratch have an insane hook on this song, where his scratching sound genius. It sounds very energetic, and it's hard to explain, but the whole record basically has an unique energy and mood feel which make you never get tired of it. When it comes to production, EPMD had dug deeper after funk-samples this time. They moved away from Roget Troutman and George Clinton to advantage for names like Bob James and O'Jays. The production was also more dynamic. You needed more than just loop now. You needed more layers with samples, and E Double and PMD accepted the challenge successfully. They perfectionized their formula for beatmakin', on the same time they sat a new standard for 90's hip-hop.


Their flawless debutalbum, Strictly Business, introduced us to a new type of funk which was about to affect a whole generation of producers. The follow-up, Unfinished Business, became a more coarse affair. On their third try everything matched. In fact this is so good I have it in my top 10-list, and it's actually Just Blaze's favorite record. He got his inspiration from this one, listen to The Game "No More Fun And Games", where Just used the same sample as the EPMD song "For My People".

You need this in your collection. Buy "Strictly Business" too, more classic material from EPMD.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Third Of Three Straight Classics [Part 3 of 3] (5 Stars), January 4, 2006

By	Norfeest "Yes Yes Y'all" (Washington DC USA) - See all my reviews

I see a couple of heads calling this album classic......and then giving it less than 5 stars. Go figure.

Anyway, this is a 5 star banger without question. I said this in my other two EPMD reviews and I'll say it here, only a few other groups hit the ground running and dropped three straight classics: A Tribe Called Quest, BDP, Outkast (and quite possibly Organized Konfusion). What makes Business As Usual such a banger is the varied subject matter over hardcore production. EPMD had a knack for storytelling and covered a crazy range of topics. Whether they tackle things like money hungry women (Gold Digger), raps influence on mainstream America (Give The People), rocking collaborations (Rampage), or just straight taking out sucker MCs (Hardcore), they do so all with a precision and flare that was practically flawless. And as a DJ, I can't forget to mention that DJ Scratch is simply one of the illest there's ever been. The scratches and cuts are definitely high grade. His skills are put on display for all to see all throughout the album (the scratches on Funky Piano are tighter that gnat booty).

If there are flaws on this album you'd be hard pressed to find them. I wasn't really feeling their attempt to sound "hard" on this album, but it works, so I can't really call it a flaw.

Business As Usual is indeed a certified classic. EPMD kept the clubs dancin' and got the street heads open. The beats are beyond dope, the rhymes are on point, and the scratches and cuts are nothing short of superior....and lets not forget that this is the album that Redman made his debut on. There's no way this album is anything less than 5 stars. This is a MUST HAVE album from one of the best groups in hip hop history.

Standout Tracks: Give the People, Mr. Bozack, Rampage feat. LL Cool J, Gold Digger (My Favorite), Funky Piano, Jane III, Brothers On My Jock, Hardcore feat. Redman, Hit Squad Heist feat. Redman and K Solo, & Rap Is Outta Control

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Ancient Art of Neck Snapping, April 26, 2006

By	Terrell XXX esq. (Baltimore, MD) - See all my reviews

Classic. Hard from start to finish. No nonsense from the brothers from Brentwood, Long Island. Erick and Parrish spend this album pretty much doing what they do best: harassing bitin' emcees,gettin' stupid amounts of paper and grabbing their d!$ks like real men! EPMD had a swagger about them that was all their own. This album is a microcosm of what it meant to be "flossin'" or more appropriately "livin' large" in the 90's. The production on this album is funkier than an African n!$$az underarms after a Parliament concert. Many of the beats are tight by today's standards. Erick and Parrish beat up the booth, especially Parrish with lines like "I'm top gun/pullin b!%@#es like Tom Cruise" and "I clock gees while you clock zees/and I don't smoke crack I smoke emcees".Combustible. Parrish Smith is the Elton Brand of late eighties/early nineties hip hop. "Business As Usual" is arguably EPMD's best work to date. Everything clicked on this album. Even the G.O.A.T., Todd Smith himself came in and murdered his verse on "Rampage", one of the album's strongest cuts. Peep the album's other co- star, a young Red Man spittin' imflammably (new word) on "Hardcore" and "Brothers on my Jock". Get this album immediately and don't be surprised if you find yourself defiantly grabbing your bozack as you warn all suckas to get off of it.