Business Never Personal
Encyclopedia
Business Never Personal is the fourth studio album
by hip hop
duo EPMD
, released July 28, 1992 on Def Jam Records. Following mixed criticism of their previous studio effort, 1990's Business As Usual
, the duo was able to return to their past acclaim on Business Never Personal. The album is considered the duo's third classic by fans and critics. The record was originally given a rating of 4.5 mics out of 5 in The Source in 1992. The lead single, "Crossover", became its biggest success, nearly reaching the Top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100
. Ironically, the song was about keeping it real and not crossing over to the mainstream, but became EPMD's biggest mainstream success. The duo cut "Head Banger
" with Redman and K-Solo
was also a hit in 1992. The album was later certified Gold
in sales by the RIAA on October 13, 1992. The single "Crossover
" was certified Gold on November 16, 1992. While it has yet to feature a U.S. reissue
, Business Never Personal has been re-released in 2005 on vinyl
in Europe
.
Members Erick Sermon and Parrish Smith began having money troubles during recording, which led to a 1992 robbery of Smith’s home. The perpetrators claimed that Erick Sermon paid them to do the deed, causing the group to break up soon after this release. They each released two solo albums between 1993 and 1996, then reunited as a duo in 1997.
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
by hip hop
Hip hop music
Hip hop music, also called hip-hop, rap music or hip-hop music, is a musical genre consisting of a stylized rhythmic music that commonly accompanies rapping, a rhythmic and rhyming speech that is chanted...
duo EPMD
EPMD
EPMD is an American hip hop group from Brentwood, New York. The group's name is a concatenation of the members' name "E" and "PMD" or an acronym for "Erick and Parrish Making Dollars", referencing its members, emcees Erick Sermon and Parrish Smith...
, released July 28, 1992 on Def Jam Records. Following mixed criticism of their previous studio effort, 1990's Business As Usual
Business As Usual (EPMD album)
Business as Usual is the third album from Hip Hop duo EPMD, and their first on leading rap label Def Jam as a result of being signed over from their former label, Fresh Records...
, the duo was able to return to their past acclaim on Business Never Personal. The album is considered the duo's third classic by fans and critics. The record was originally given a rating of 4.5 mics out of 5 in The Source in 1992. The lead single, "Crossover", became its biggest success, nearly reaching the Top 20 on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
. Ironically, the song was about keeping it real and not crossing over to the mainstream, but became EPMD's biggest mainstream success. The duo cut "Head Banger
Head Banger
"Head Banger" was the second single released from EPMD's fourth album, Business Never Personal.The song, which was produced by member Erick Sermon, featured verses from K-Solo and Redman, both members of EPMD's rap collective, the Hit Squad. The single became a minor hit on both the R&B and rap...
" with Redman and K-Solo
K-Solo
K-Solo is an American rapper from Central Islip, New York who, along with EPMD, Redman, Das EFX, and Keith Murray, was part of the Hit Squad in 1990s.-Late years:...
was also a hit in 1992. The album was later certified Gold
RIAA certification
In the United States, the Recording Industry Association of America awards certification based on the number of albums and singles sold through retail and other ancillary markets. Other countries have similar awards...
in sales by the RIAA on October 13, 1992. The single "Crossover
Crossover (song)
"Crossover" is a single by hip hop group EPMD released in 1992 from their album Business Never Personal. The song's lyrics criticize rappers who crossover to R&B or pop in order to sell more. Ironically enough, the single became EPMD's highest charting as it climbed the Billboard charts at #42...
" was certified Gold on November 16, 1992. While it has yet to feature a U.S. reissue
Reissue
A reissue is the repeated issue of a published work. In common usage, it refers to an album which has been released at least once before and is released again, sometimes with alterations or additions....
, Business Never Personal has been re-released in 2005 on vinyl
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
.
Members Erick Sermon and Parrish Smith began having money troubles during recording, which led to a 1992 robbery of Smith’s home. The perpetrators claimed that Erick Sermon paid them to do the deed, causing the group to break up soon after this release. They each released two solo albums between 1993 and 1996, then reunited as a duo in 1997.
Track listing
| # | Title | Producer(s) | Performer (s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Boon Dox" | EPMD | Erick Sermon, Parrish Smith |
| 2 | "Nobody's Safe Chump" | EPMD | Erick Sermon, Parrish Smith |
| 3 | "Can't Hear Nothing But the Music" | EPMD, Charlie Marotta | Erick Sermon, Parrish Smith |
| 4 | "Chill" | EPMD | Erick Sermon, Parrish Smith |
| 5 | "Head Banger Head Banger "Head Banger" was the second single released from EPMD's fourth album, Business Never Personal.The song, which was produced by member Erick Sermon, featured verses from K-Solo and Redman, both members of EPMD's rap collective, the Hit Squad. The single became a minor hit on both the R&B and rap... " |
EPMD | Erick Sermon, Parrish Smith, K-Solo K-Solo K-Solo is an American rapper from Central Islip, New York who, along with EPMD, Redman, Das EFX, and Keith Murray, was part of the Hit Squad in 1990s.-Late years:... , Redman |
| 6 | "Scratch Bring It Back, Pt. 2 [Mic Doc]" | DJ Scratch DJ Scratch DJ Scratch is an American hip hop DJ and producer.-Career:DJ Scratch is the 1988 New Music Seminar Battle For World Supremacy DJ Champion, Grammy nominated, Multi Platinum Producer & The 2010 Master Of The Mix World Champion.... , Mr. Bozack |
Erick Sermon, Parrish Smith |
| 7 | "Crossover Crossover (song) "Crossover" is a single by hip hop group EPMD released in 1992 from their album Business Never Personal. The song's lyrics criticize rappers who crossover to R&B or pop in order to sell more. Ironically enough, the single became EPMD's highest charting as it climbed the Billboard charts at #42... " |
EPMD | Erick Sermon, Parrish Smith |
| 8 | "Cummin' at Cha" | EPMD | Erick Sermon, Parrish Smith, Das EFX Das EFX Das EFX is an American hip hop duo. It consists of emcees Skoob and Dray... |
| 9 | "Play the Next Man" | EPMD | Erick Sermon, Parrish Smith |
| 10 | "It's Going Down" | EPMD | Erick Sermon, Parrish Smith |
| 11 | "Who Killed Jane?" | EPMD | Erick Sermon, Parrish Smith |
Samples
- "Boon Dox"
- "The Payback" by James BrownJames BrownJames Joseph Brown was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and recording artist. He is the originator of Funk and is recognized as a major figure in the 20th century popular music for both his vocals and dancing. He has been referred to as "The Godfather of Soul," "Mr...
- "I Can Feel it in My Bones" by Earth, Wind & FireEarth, Wind & FireEarth, Wind & Fire is an American soul and R&B band formed in Chicago, Illinois, in 1969 by Verdine and Maurice White. Also known as EWF, the band has won six Grammy Awards and four American Music Awards. They have been inducted into both the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Vocal Group Hall of...
- "Slow Down" by Brand NubianBrand NubianBrand Nubian is an American hip hop group from New Rochelle, New York, consisting of three MC's: Grand Puba , Sadat X and Lord Jamar , and two DJs: DJ Alamo and DJ Sincere...
- "The Payback" by James Brown
- "Nobody's Safe Chump"
- "Nobody Wants You When You're Down & Out" by Bobby WomackBobby WomackRobert Dwayne "Bobby" Womack is an American singer-songwriter and musician. An active recording artist since the early 1960s where he started his career as the lead singer of his family musical group The Valentinos and as Sam Cooke's backing guitarist, Womack's career has spanned more than 40...
- "The Message" by Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
- "Nobody Wants You When You're Down & Out" by Bobby Womack
- "Can't Hear Nothing But the Music"
- "Schoolboy Crush" by Average White Band
- "Jungle Boogie" by Kool & The GangKool & the GangKool & the Gang are an American jazz, R&B, soul, and funk group, originally formed as the Jazziacs in Jersey City, New Jersey in 1964.They went through several musical phases during the course of their recording career, starting out with a purist jazz sound, then becoming practitioners of R&B and...
- "Give Me Your Love" by Curtis MayfieldCurtis MayfieldCurtis Lee Mayfield was an American soul, R&B, and funk singer, songwriter, and record producer.He is best known for his anthemic music with The Impressions during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960's and for composing the soundtrack to the blaxploitation film Super Fly, Mayfield is highly...
- "It's A New Day" by Skull SnapsSkull SnapsSkull Snaps was a funk group that released one eponymous album on the small GSF label in 1973 before disappearing. It was, in fact, the group originally known as the Diplomats, which released numerous singles between 1963 and 1970 with some success....
- "Chill"
- "UFO" by ESGESGESG may refer to:* Engineering Seismology Group, a microseismic monitoring and data analysis company from Canada.* Environmental Social and Corporate Governance, the commonly accepted factors involved in Responsible Investment assessments...
- "Dance Floor" by ZappZappZapp may refer to:*Zapp , a 1980s funk band based in Ohio, USA*Zapp , the debut album by the funk band*Zapp Brannigan, a fictional character from the television series Futurama...
- "Street Thunder" by ForeignerForeigner (band)Foreigner is a British-American rock band, originally formed in 1976 by veteran English musicians Mick Jones and ex-King Crimson member Ian McDonald along with American vocalist Lou Gramm...
- "UFO" by ESG
- "Headbanger"
- "Impeach The President" by The HoneydrippersThe HoneydrippersThe Honeydrippers was a rock band of the 1980s. Former Led Zeppelin lead singer Robert Plant formed the group in 1981 to satisfy his long-time goal in having a rock band with a heavy R&B basis. Formed originally in Worcestershire, the band went on to record an EP in the US...
- "One of Those Funky Things" by ParliamentParliamentA parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modeled after that of the United Kingdom. The name is derived from the French , the action of parler : a parlement is a discussion. The term came to mean a meeting at which...
- "Papa Was Too" by Joe TexJoe TexJoseph Arrington, Jr. , better known as "Joe Tex", was an American Southern soul singer-songwriter, most popular during the 1960s and 1970s...
- "Slow Down" by Brand Nubian
- "Impeach The President" by The Honeydrippers
- "Scratch Bring It Back, Pt. 2 (Mic Doc)"
- "Synthetic Substitution" by Melvin Bliss
- "Duck Down" by Krs-OneKRS-OneLawrence Krisna Parker , better known by his stage names KRS-One , and Teacha, is an American rapper...
- "Crossover"
- "You Should Be Mine" by Roger TroutmanRoger TroutmanRoger Troutman was the lead singer of the band Zapp who helped spearhead the Funk movement and heavily influenced West Coast hip hop due to the scene's heavy sampling of his music over the years...
- "Say What" by Idris Muhammed
- "You Should Be Mine" by Roger Troutman
- "Play the Next Man"
- "Sir Nose D'Voidoffunk" by ParliamentParliamentA parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modeled after that of the United Kingdom. The name is derived from the French , the action of parler : a parlement is a discussion. The term came to mean a meeting at which...
- "Sir Nose D'Voidoffunk" by Parliament
- "It's Going Down"
- "I Want You" by Marvin GayeMarvin GayeMarvin Pentz Gay, Jr. , better known by his stage name Marvin Gaye, was an American singer-songwriter and musician with a three-octave vocal range....
- "I Want You" by Marvin Gaye
- "Who Killed Jane?"
- "Mary Jane" by Rick JamesRick JamesJames Ambrose Johnson, Jr. , better known by his stage name Rick James, was an American singer, songwriter, musician and record producer. James was a popular performer in the late 1970s and 1980s, scoring four number-one hits on the U.S. R&B charts performing in the genres of funk and R&B...
- "Stone Junkie" by Curtis MayfieldCurtis MayfieldCurtis Lee Mayfield was an American soul, R&B, and funk singer, songwriter, and record producer.He is best known for his anthemic music with The Impressions during the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960's and for composing the soundtrack to the blaxploitation film Super Fly, Mayfield is highly...
- "Papa Was Too" by Joe TexJoe TexJoseph Arrington, Jr. , better known as "Joe Tex", was an American Southern soul singer-songwriter, most popular during the 1960s and 1970s...
- "Mary Jane" by Rick James
Album Chart Positions
| Year | Album | Chart positions | |
| Billboard 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums | ||
| 1992 | Business Never Personal | #14 | #5 |
Singles Chart Positions
| Year | Song | Chart positions | |||
| Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks | Hot Rap Singles | Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales | ||
| 1992 | "Crossover" | #21 | #14 | #1 | #12 |
| 1992 | "Head Banger" | - | #75 | #11 | - |