From the archives: Hip Hop Hump Days #3: EPMD – Strictly Business (1988)

Originally published on It Is Happening Again on April 2, 2014

“Who the hell are EPMD?” some of you may be asking. That’s understandable. Their videos aren’t plastered all over the TV music channels (well, those that still play music these days), they aren’t selling out stadium concerts or headlining festivals around the world and you don’t hear their music blasting out from people’s phones at the back of the bus.

The most influential musicians are not necessarily those who top the charts or play sell-out tours. Even if you haven’t heard of EPMD, you’ve undoubtedly heard and hopefully enjoyed music that probably wouldn’t have existed without their influence.

Part of hip hop’s golden age, Erick Sermon and Parrish Smith pioneered a sample-heavy funk-based sound which would serve as a blueprint for countless – and considerably more successful – other artists after them. Dr Dre’s ‘The Chronic’? Yep.  Snoop’s ‘Doggy Style’? Uh huh. The whole G-Funk era? Of course. Interestingly, later editions of ‘Strictly Business’ would include ‘Snoop Dogg approved’ on the cover – the student endorses his teachers.

As an album, ‘Strictly Business’ doesn’t really have a specific message, as such. Public Enemy were fighting the power. NWA weren’t overly keen on the law enforcement officials in their neighbourhood. EPMD, on the other hand, just wanted to party. For all the authoritative overtones of its title, ‘Strictly Business’ was a warm, light-hearted affair. Whatever ‘business’ EPMD had in mind, it sounded like something you wanted to be part of.

The opening title track sets the tone. The funk-fuelled backing track and the snatches of Eric Clapton’s cover of Bob Marley’s ‘I Shot The Sheriff’ (almost a decade before Warren G would have global success with his own version – there’s that influence again) provide the soundtrack for EPMD’s trademark deadpan delivery. Elsewhere, we find samples from Steve Miller, Kool and the Gang, Aretha Franklin, Pink Floyd, Michael Jackson and even ZZ Top – all thrown into a rich musical melting pot with astounding results.

Vocally, the delivery is smooth, confident and in many ways a lot more accomplished than the ‘child reading a prayer in school assembly’ style of some MCs of the time (yeah, I’m looking at you, LL Cool J). It’s a style that’s easy to listen to – remember, you’re allowed to like music simply because it sounds good, rather than because there is a message or an agenda.

EPMD have released seven albums in total, all with the word ‘business’ in the title and all containing a track called ‘Jane’ (give it up, guys – she clearly ain’t interested). However, nothing has come close to ‘Strictly Business’ and, more importantly, the foundations it would lay for those who came later.

If you don’t know, get to know. If you’ve forgotten, then it’s time to refresh your memory. Alternatively, you could just carry on listening to your Pitbull or Professor Green albums and pretend none of this ever happened.

Your move.