Keep It Oldskool Artist Spotlight

 

 

 

 

One of the greatest music duos (not just Hip Hop) was formed by 2 Long Island, NY teenagers Eric Sermon and Parrish Smith. Besides RUNDMC Keep It Oldskool can find no other hip hop duo that were more prolific. Every album that was released by “Eric and Parrish Making Dollars” contains multiple great songs.

 

 

 

 

The duo burst onto the scene in 1987 with “It’s My Thing” which samples the R&B classic “Seven Minutes of Funk” by the Whole Darn Family. Everyone remembers the beginning of the song “MCs out there you better stand clear EPMD is a world premier“ The laid back style of the duo was instantly compared to another Long Island MC (Rakim)  The initial criticism notwithstanding the group which had signed with Fresh/Sleeping Bag Records released the debut album Strictly Business in 1988 which was one of  the 2 greatest years in Hip Hop. With singles like “You Gots to Chill” and “Im Housin” the album was quickly was certified gold (500,000 albums sold)  and received a 5 mic rating from the Source Magazine. Continuing with the “Business” theme EPMD released Unfinished Business in 1989 with songs like “So What Cha Sayin” and the “The Big Payback” that album also quickly went gold. What was remarkable about the group they were not what would be called mainstream artists. Most of the singles did not receive a lot of airplay yet the albums always sold well.

 

 

Once Sleeping Bag Records folded EPMD signed with Def Jam Recordings. They continued to make hits and while doing so helped launch the careers of Das Efx, K-Solo and Redman. With the afore mentioned artists they formed a clique called the Hit Squad.  EPMD released 2 more albums in 1990 and 1992  Business as Usual and  Business Never Personal respectively. Due to internal and some say criminal reasons the group broke up (the first time) in 1993 as solo artists they did not receive the same amount of success and reunited (the first time) in 1997 and released Back in Business  The group has broken up and gotten back together several times but that doesn’t take away from the fact that one of music’s (NOT JUST HIP HOP) greatest duos is EPMD

 

 

 

KEEP IT OLDSKOOL