Out of Business
Studio album by
ReleasedJuly 20, 1999 (1999-07-20)
Recorded19981999
Studio
GenreHip hop
Length47:15
LabelDef Jam
Producer
EPMD chronology
Back in Business
(1997)
Out of Business
(1999)
We Mean Business
(2008)
Singles from Out of Business
  1. "Symphony 2000"
    Released: June 29, 1999
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[1]
Entertainment WeeklyA−[2]
NME3/10[3]
RapReviews3.5/10[4]
The New Rolling Stone Album Guide[5]

Out of Business is the sixth studio album by American hip hop duo EPMD.[6][7] The album was originally scheduled for a December 1998 release under Def Jam Recordings, but had been delayed numerous times as a result of a merger between Seagram's PolyGram (Def Jam's parent company) and Universal Music Group's MCA Records,[8][9] combining Def Jam and Island Records' operations together under the Island Def Jam Music Group. Ultimately, the album was released on July 20, 1999.[10] It is the first official Def Jam album released under the newly-formed Island Def Jam Music Group and the group's last album released under the label as they left the imprint a year later before going inactive for the second time.

Recording sessions took place at Mirror Image Studio East in Dix Hills, Mirror Image Recorders and Northshore Soundworks in New York and Ian London Studios in Long Island. Production was handled by members Erick Sermon and PMD, as well as DJ Scratch, with 8-Off Agallah serving as co-producer. It features guest appearances from 215, 8-Off Agallah, Busta Rhymes, Lady Luck, Method Man, M.O.P. and Redman. The album peaked at number 13 on the Billboard 200 and number 2 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums in the United States, with 73,000 units sold in its first week.[11] Its only single, "Symphony 2000", reached only No. 62 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, No. 28 on the Hot Rap Songs and No. 58 on the R&B/Hip-Hop Airplay in the US.

The duo changed its initialism for the release from 'Erick & Parrish Making Dollars' to 'Erick & Parrish Millennium Ducats'.[12] A limited-edition issue of the album was released with a bonus greatest hits album.[10]

Track listing

Out Of Business
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."Intro"DJ Scratch2:18
2."Pioneers"
  • Sermon
  • P. Smith
Erick Sermon3:14
3."Right Now"
  • Sermon
  • P. Smith
Erick Sermon3:51
4."Check 1, 2"
3:16
5."Symphony" (featuring M.O.P.)Erick Sermon3:01
6."Hold Me Down"
  • Sermon
  • P. Smith
Erick Sermon3:34
7."Rap Is Still Outta Control" (featuring Busta Rhymes)
  • PMD
  • Erick Sermon (co.)
3:33
8."The Fan"
  • Sermon
  • P. Smith
Erick Sermon3:03
9."Draw"
Erick Sermon3:22
10."U Got Shot" (featuring 215 and 8-Off Agallah)
Erick Sermon3:38
11."House Party"
  • Sermon
  • P. Smith
PMD3:52
12."The Funk"
PMD2:08
13."Symphony 2000" (featuring Redman, Method Man and Lady Luck)Erick Sermon4:03
14."Jane 6"
PMD4:22
Total length:47:15
Sample credits

Personnel

  • Erick Sermon — vocals, producer (tracks: 2, 3, 5, 6, 8-10, 13), co-producer (track 7), mixing (tracks: 2, 5-14), executive producer, sleeve notes
  • Parrish "PMD" Smith — vocals, producer (tracks: 4, 7, 11, 12, 14), mixing (tracks: 2, 5-8, 10), executive producer, sleeve notes
  • Eric "Billy Danze" Murray — vocals (track 5)
  • Jamal "Lil' Fame" Grinnage — vocals (track 5)
  • Trevor "Busta Rhymes" Smith — vocals (track 7)
  • Alec "215" Nathaniel — vocals (track 10)
  • Angel "8-Off Agallah" Aguilar — vocals (track 10)
  • Reginald "Redman" Noble — vocals (track 13)
  • Clifford "Method Man" Smith — vocals (track 13)
  • Chanelle "Lady Luck" Jones — vocals (track 13)
  • George "DJ Scratch" Spivey — producer (track 1)
  • Marc Berto — recording (tracks: 2, 4, 6, 8, 12), mix engineer assistant (track 5), recording engineer assistant (tracks: 7, 9-11, 13, 14)
  • Charlie Marotta — recording & mixing (track 3)
  • John Decatur — recording (tracks: 5, 7)
  • Tommy Uzzo — recording (tracks: 9-11, 13, 14), mixing (tracks: 2, 4-14)
  • Richard A. LaSalvia — recording engineer assistant
  • Camilio Rodriguez — recording engineer assistant
  • Dave O'Donnell — recording engineer assistant
  • Tony Dawsey — mastering
  • Kevin Liles — executive producer
  • The Drawing Board — art direction, design
  • Wayne Van Acker — design
  • Danny Clinch — photography
  • Gerard Gaskin — photography
  • Richard Iohr — photography
  • Alvin Toney — sleeve notes
  • Jasmine "Jazz" Young — marketing

Greatest Hits bonus disc

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[13]
The New Rolling Stone Album Guide[5]
Greatest Hits
No.TitleWriter(s)Producer(s)Length
1."It's My Thang"EPMD5:37
2."You Gots 2 Chill"
EPMD3:27
3."Strictly Business"
  • Sermon
  • P. Smith
EPMD4:39
4."So What Cha Sayin'"
  • Sermon
  • P. Smith
  • Allen Williams
EPMD4:28
5."Big Payback"
  • Sermon
  • P. Smith
EPMD4:04
6."Get the Bozack"
  • Sermon
  • P. Smith
EPMD4:33
7."Please Listen to My Demo"
  • Sermon
  • P. Smith
EPMD2:49
8."Gold Digger"
  • EPMD
  • Mr. Bozack (co.)
5:02
9."Rampage"
  • Sermon
  • P. Smith
  • EPMD
  • Mr. Bozack (co.)
3:49
10."Crossover"
EPMD3:48
11."Headbanger"
  • Sermon
  • P. Smith
  • Clinton
  • Ed Greene
  • EPMD
  • Mr. Bozack (co.)
4:51
12."Never Seen Before"Erick Sermon2:50
13."Da Joint"
3:26
Total length:1:40:38
Notes
  • Track 1 is a re-recording of "It's My Thing" from 1988 Strictly Business.
  • Track 2 is a re-recording of "You Gots to Chill" from 1988 Strictly Business, which previously appeared in 1997 Back in Business as "You Gots 2 Chill '97".
  • Track 3 is a re-recording of the song of the same from 1988 Strictly Business.
  • Track 4 is a re-recording of "So Wat Cha Sayin'" from 1989 Unfinished Business.
  • Track 5 is a re-recording of "The Big Payback" from 1989 Unfinished Business.
  • Tracks 6 and 7 are re-recordings of the songs of the same names from 1989 Unfinished Business.
  • Tracks 8 and 9 are taken from 1990 Business as Usual.
  • Tracks 10 and 11 are taken from 1992 Business Never Personal.
  • Tracks 12 and 13 are taken from 1997 Back in Business.

Personnel

  • Erick Sermon — vocals, producer
  • Parrish "PMD" Smith — vocals, producer (tracks: 1-11)
  • Mr. Bozack — co-producer (tracks: 8, 9, 11)
  • Charlie Marotta — mixing (tracks: 1, 3-7)
  • Tommy Uzzo — mixing (tracks: 2, 10, 12, 13)
  • Ivan 'Doc' Rodriguez — mixing (tracks: 8, 9, 11, 13)
  • Dave Greenberg — mixing (track 11)

Charts

Chart (1999) Peak
position
UK R&B Albums (OCC)[14] 18
US Billboard 200[15] 13
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[16] 2

References

  1. Bush, John. "EPMD - Out of Business Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved October 28, 2023.
  2. Diehl, Matt (July 23, 1999). "Out of Business". Entertainment Weekly. p. 68. Retrieved April 23, 2017.
  3. Cigarettes, Johnny (July 29, 1999). "NME.COM - EPMD - Out Of Business". NME. Archived from the original on August 17, 2000. Retrieved October 28, 2023 via Wayback Machine.
  4. Juon, Steve 'Flash' (July 20, 1999). "EPMD :: Out of Business – RapReviews". www.rapreviews.com. Retrieved October 28, 2023.
  5. 1 2 Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian David (2004). (The New) Rolling Stone Album Guide. Simon and Schuster. pp. 281. ISBN 978-0-7432-0169-8.
  6. McIntosh, Daryl (July 17, 2019). "Revisiting EPMD's 'Out Of Business' (1999) | Retrospective Tribute". Albumism. Retrieved October 28, 2023.
  7. Rabin, Nathan (March 29, 2002). "EPMD: Out Of Business". The A.V. Club. Retrieved October 28, 2023.
  8. "Seagrams completes PolyGram acquisition - Dec. 10, 1998". money.cnn.com. Retrieved 2023-10-30.
  9. "Special Report: PolyGram-Universal Merger Bad News For Artists?". MTV. Retrieved 2023-10-30.
  10. 1 2 Oumano, Elena (July 24, 1999). "EPMD's Latest Gets Down To 'Business'". Billboard. Vol. 111, no. 30. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. pp. 35, 38. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved October 28, 2023 via Google Books.
  11. Skanse, Richard (July 28, 1999). "EPMD Scores Week's Highest Debut". Rolling Stone. Retrieved October 28, 2023.
  12. Cowie, Del F. (September 1, 1999). "EPMD Out of Business | Exclaim!". Exclaim!. Retrieved October 28, 2023.
  13. Huey, Steve. "EPMD - Greatest Hits Album Reviews, Songs & More | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved October 28, 2023.
  14. "Official R&B Albums Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 28, 2023.
  15. "EPMD Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved April 18, 2022.
  16. "EPMD Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved April 18, 2022.
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