EPMD Means Business With New Label

[MR HIP HOP HEAD]

Hip-Hop duo EPMD are donning their entrepreneurial hats with the release of their new album We Mean Business, as group members Erick Sermon and Parish Smith have launched a new label, EP Records.

The new venture is a business reunion of sorts, after a well documented business feud between Sermon and Smith broke the group up in 1993, with Smith launching The Hit Squad, while Sermon formed his group Def Squad.

The group reunited with 1997’s album Back in Business, which was followed by their last release, 1999’s Out of Business.

Despite the changing climate of today’s rap scene, Sermon is adamant about staying true to what endeared him and Smith to rap fans.

"We’re not out here to conform to radio or worry about who’s digging it," Erick Sermon told AllHipHop.com. "The core fans are going to speak up and they’re liking it and that’s all who we care about."

"It’s a combination of Strictly Business and Business As Usual,” Smith said. “Basically it’s me and E doing our own thing. We got our own label EP Records and it’s distributed through Fontana Universal; we just showing that there is no excuse or no crying over technology.”

Although Smith and Sermon are mostly featured on We Mean Business, the album will include guest appearances from KRS-One, Mobb Deep and longtime EPMD affiliate Redman.

"The album is crazy," Sermon revealed. "Everything on it beat wise is crazy. It’s real real nice, a real nice tape. I say tape because I’m keeping it essence of it here. People going to love it."

EPMD’s return to the rap scene comes as artists work to maintain success in an ever-changing music scene.

"I think if New York and LA started making records, it wouldn’t be this lopsided," Sermon noted. "People got to stop worrying about bringing New York back and stop worrying about what ni***s is doing and start making material."

EPMD’s We Mean Business is slated to hit stores on July 30.

http://allhiphop.com/stories/news/ar.../19718415.aspx

[Sgt Holly Wood]

cool

them cats is both ill when they work together, solo efforts are ehh specially parrish

[King Tron 1]

One Album I'll be gettin' this year.

[LORD ZERO]

the only album im gettin this year

[King Tron 1]

^^^ You serious?

[Jin10304]

solo efforts are ehh specially parrish

Damn no love for Business Is Business? Shit was solid

[SHEEPISH LORD OF CHAOS]

business is business and out of business are both solid

[King Tron 1]

All of there albums are solid, just there solos were a bit off.

[Sgt Holly Wood]

erick sermon's chilltown newyork was dope though ^^

[LORD ZERO]

^^^ You serious?

no lol

[King Tron 1]

I knew that, just thought I'd ask.

[CharlesJones]

Parrish Smith's only solo album that sucked was The Awakening. Shady Business and Business Is Business albums by him were pretty good. Only Erick solo albums i didn't like was Music and React. No Pressure and Double Or Nothing albums by him are classics. That's tight that they're gonna have KRS One, Mobb Deep and Redman on the new album. I hope the beats are hard because the beats sucked on their last album Out Of Business. Erick is right that good rappers from New York and Los Angeles need to make more albums instead of complaining about the rap industry is wack and record companies are shady. Just do music and stop bitching. Phife of A Tribe Called Quest and MC Ren of NWA were complaining about the music industry the last time they did their solo albums and that's why they haven't done anymore albums. Rappers can't fucking worry about record companies being fucked up and the rap industry being wack now. Fans who support these artists will continue to support them as long as they put out good music.

[King Tron 1]

I think the Parrish Smith's choice of not using "Business" in his last effort, doomed him from the beginning. I also like E-Double's No Pressure & Double Or Nothing, but not to the extent of their Group Albums, I'm really anticitpating this, the Seventh Seal by Rakim, Redman's Muddy Waters 2.

[CharlesJones]

I'm not looking forward to Redman's Muddy Waters 2 and Doc's Da Name 2 albums. His last 3 albums have been shitty to me because of the beats. His lyrics are still good but i'm not feeling his beats anymore. Keith Murray needs to give it a rest too because his beats have been garbage the last 3 albums. He has a new album out now and i bet it sucks because of the beats.

[-The A to the Z-]

Although Smith and Sermon are mostly featured on We Mean Business, the album will include guest appearances[...]longtime EPMD affiliate Redman.

You damn right it will .