Five of the Best: EPMD

Image: EPMD (Credit Def Jam)

As tag teams go Erick Sermon and Parrish Smith Making Dollars, better known as EPMD, are one of hip-hop's finest. Undisputed golden age custodians of the highest order, EPMD will hit the UK in June for a couple of dates, bringing their patented funk to Sound Control on Tuesday 7th June and to London's Brooklyn Bowl on Thursday 9th June.

Ahead of these appearances we've hand-picked five of their finest moments on wax. Without further ado...

'You're a Customer' (1988)

When the duo first came to prominence in 1988 with Strictly Business there wasn't much in the way of distinction between their voices, both vocal tones being extremely similar. The same couldn't be said for their beats, the album one of the more wide ranging in terms of samples and overall sounds of its era.

The titular track riffed off Eric Clapton's 'I Shot The Sherrif', Zapp's 'More Bounce to the Ounce' powered the proto g-funk of 'You Gots to Chill', whilst 'It's My Thang' was the first record to properly utilise the full lick of The Whole Darn Family's classic 'Seven Minutes of Funk'. Sermon tightened the old school break for a template which was copied by everyone from Jay-Z to the Alkaholiks, something still freestyled over to this day.

Our standout though is the brilliant 'You're a Customer', the production somehow working ZZ Top's 'Cheap Sunglasses' into a spacey synth led number. It then goes on to slam in Kool & the Gang's 'Jungle Boogie' alongside Steve Miller Band's 'Fly Like an Eagle', as the pair drop effortless braggadocio whilst talking down emcee rivals.

'Please Listen to My Demo' (1989)

If there's one thing music fans can relate to in artists, it's that dream to make it in the music industry. We all love imagining ourselves on stage or DJing in front of huge crowds, and EPMD's perfectly crafted track about their struggle to get signed is one of the best of its kind in any genre.

A spacey funk drenched lick was the backdrop for arguably the best track on their best album Unfinished Business.

EPMD in Manchester tickets.

'Head Banger' ft Redman & K-Solo (1992)

Whilst third album Business as Usual received mixed reviews, fourth effort Business Never Personal was an undoubted return to form. At the heart of it was this bristling posse cut, featuring two rappers who would be big players in the group's associated emcee family the Hit Squad.

Redman, a few months before dropping his own debut LP, unleashed one of the most fearsome guest verses in history, with Sermon and Smith, now sounding much more singularly pronounced than each other, also on top form.

'Da Joint' (1997)

The group split under acrimonious circumstances in 1993, Sermon allegedly paying people to rob Smith's house over owed cash. Still, drama can't eternally get in the way of the chance to explore creativity and, more importantly, make dollars - so 1997 they returned with comeback LP Back in Business; 'Da Joint' the lead single.

The video to this played off the supposed low probability of them recording again together, and featured Sermon's now legendary production with both cockier on the mic than ever before.

EPMD in London tickets. 

'Symphony' (1999)

Like everyone else in hip-hop, 1999 was a year obsessed with the millennium - making dollars in the group's acronym suddenly becoming millennium ducats. Also en vogue was crafting tributes to the Juice Crew's legendary Marley Marl produced 'Symphony', with Snoop Dogg and No Limit records among the people jumping on board and EPMD releasing two versions.

The Method Man, Redman and Lady Luck millennium themed effort 'Symphony 2000' was the lead off LP Out of Business, but it's the animated MOP on the original which is the best choices. Their wilding out perfectly compliments the switch by Sermon from laconic piano of Marley Marl's version to sharp strings.

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