Description
EPMD- Back In Business – Double Vinyl Record
EPMD – Back in Business (1997) marked the long-awaited reunion of one of hip-hop’s foundational duos—Erick Sermon and Parrish Smith—after a five-year hiatus that followed internal tensions and even a publicized split involving business disputes and personal fallout. With their sixth album, Back in Business, EPMD not only reignited the chemistry that made them pioneers in late ’80s and early ’90s East Coast hip-hop, but also affirmed their relevance in a rap landscape that had shifted dramatically since their heyday. This record isn’t just a comeback—it’s a reclamation of identity, rooted in their signature sound: funk-heavy beats, slow-burning grooves, and laid-back, no-nonsense lyricism.
The album opens with “Da Joint,” a standout single and one of EPMD’s most commercially successful tracks. Built on a loop from The Sylvers’ “Stay Away from Me,” the song became a minor hit and a radio staple in 1997, reintroducing the duo with an updated yet familiar feel—funky, minimal, and effortlessly cool. The production, helmed primarily by Sermon, leans heavily on the classic EPMD formula: dusty drums, head-nodding basslines, and vintage funk samples that bridge the past and present. While the late ’90s saw hip-hop becoming more polished and diverse in its production styles, Back in Business proudly retains the analog warmth and unfiltered grit of the boom-bap era.
Lyrically, the album sticks to what EPMD does best—braggadocio, industry commentary, and streetwise swagger—delivered in their trademark call-and-response dynamic. On “Richter Scale,” the duo stakes its claim as foundational figures in hip-hop, declaring their return with an almost mythic self-awareness. Tracks like “You Gots 2 Chill ’97” (a rework of their classic hit) and “Last Man Standing” revisit earlier successes without sounding stale, providing a nostalgic nod while also subtly reasserting their influence on a newer generation of artists. Throughout the album, you can hear echoes of the production techniques and cadence patterns that would influence artists from Redman (a known Sermon protégé) to the later stylings of G-Funk and modern East Coast rap.
However, Back in Business isn’t without its limitations. Some critics at the time felt the duo didn’t fully evolve their lyrical themes, or that the production—while consistent—felt somewhat retrograde during a time when rap was experimenting with more ambitious sonic palettes. But in hindsight, that groundedness is precisely the album’s strength. EPMD didn’t try to chase trends; instead, they reestablished the blueprint: tight, funky beats paired with charismatic but unfussy rhymes, a sound that had defined their classics like Strictly Business and Business as Usual.
More than just a reunion, Back in Business is a reaffirmation of EPMD’s identity and influence. It showcases a group that helped invent the sound of golden age hip-hop returning with clarity, confidence, and the same musical DNA that had inspired so many acts in their wake. For longtime fans, it was a satisfying continuation. For new listeners in the ’90s, it served as a reminder of where hip-hop’s stylistic backbone had come from. It may not have reinvented the wheel, but it kept it turning smoothly—and with plenty of funk.
Brand new, never played and still sealed in the factory plastic
Track Listing
Intro
Richter Scale
Da Joint
Never Seen Before
Intrigued
Last Man Standing
Get With This
Do It Again
You Gots 2 Chill ’97
Put On
K.I.M.
Dungeon Master
Jane 5
Never Seen Before (Remix)
