The 500 - #453 - EPMD - Strictly Business

I was inspired by a podcast called The 500 hosted by Los Angeles-based comedian Josh Adam Meyers. His goal, and mine, is to explore Rolling Stone's 2012 edition of The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time. 

My plan (amended). 

• 1 record per week & at least 2 complete listens.
• A quick blog post for each, highlighting the important details and a quick background story.
• No rating scale - just an effort to expand my appreciation of diverse forms of music.

Album # 453

Album Title: Strictly Business
Artist: EPMD
Released: June, 1988
My age at release: 22
How familiar was I with it before this week: Not at all
Song I am putting on my Spotify Mix: Strictly Business
Great Lyric:
"The rhythmatic style, keeps the rhyme flowin'
Good friends already bitin', without you knowin'
Can't understand, why your body's gettin' weaker
Then you realize it's the voice from the speaker
The mind become delirious, situation serious
Don't get ill, go and get curious."

(It's My Thing)


There is a Canadian documentary series currently streaming on Netflix called Hip-Hop Evolution. A shingles diagnosis last summer kept me housebound for three days and provided a perfect opportunity for binging television programs. Season One was a fascinating journey into the history of hip-hop as the first rhythmic rappers emerged from the borough of South Bronx in New York City. By the conclusion of the final episode, my appreciation and understanding of this art form had grown exponentially. 

A consequence of my recently enhanced admiration of the genre was an enthusiastic approach to Strictly Business by EPMD. Previously, when hip-hop records have appeared on The 500, my attitude has been cautious curiosity. After all, I'm a 54 year old white male who grew up in two communities that were, for the most part, racially and culturally homogeneous. Case in point, when attending the elementary grades in Kingsville, Ontario, in the late 70s, an Indian boy named Ranjeeth Sethi was the only person of colour in the entire school. In high school, his father was the chemistry teacher and the only staff member who looked different from every other adult. So, as a guy who grew up immersed in the world of rock, new wave and punk performed by artists who looked like us and, for the most part, shared our background, I hesitanted to take a stand or voice an opinion about hip-hop music, until recently.  

Strictly Business is the debut record from EPMD (Erick and Parrish Making Dollars). The band, a duo from Brentwood, New York, features emcees Erick Sermon and Parrish Smith who worked on the record with DJ K La Boss. The album was not commercially successful when it was released, peaking at #80 on the charts but has since earned gold certification (500,000 units sold) and has garnered significant critical attention, including its addition to the list of the 500 Greatest Albums of All Time.

The beats are playful, funky and fun with samples from many classic records from a variety of genres -- Jungle Boogie by Kool & the Gang, Fly like an Eagle from the Steve Miller Band and the Eric Clapton version of Bob Marley's reggae hit I Shot the Sherriff to name a few.

Listen to the first 30 seconds of the opening track Strictly Business and you will know immediately if this for you. Personally, the sound is right up my alley and I've streamed it on Spotify repeatedly all week, including three listens today. Perhaps, my decision to watch Hip-Hop Evolution has broadened my appreciation for this genre but I suspect the terrific music would have won me over anyway. Check it out!