{"title":"EPMD","description":"","products":[{"product_id":"epmd-unfinished-business-2lp","title":"EPMD - Unfinished Business (2LP)","description":"Format: 2LP\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eCatalogue No.: 0602557563467\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eBarcode: 0602557563467\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eRelease Date: 20th November 2020\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eGenre: Hip Hop","brand":"PRIORITY","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":37836409503900,"sku":"‘0602557563467","price":30.58,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0130\/8714\/6043\/products\/0602557563467.jpg?v=1613812171"},{"product_id":"epmd-im-housin","title":"EPMD - I'm Housin'","description":"\u003cp\u003eCat. no: MRB7195\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eFormat: 7\" Vinyl\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eBarcode: 7119691278773\u003cbr\u003eRelease Date: 03 Dec 2021\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eGenre: Rap\/Hip-Hop\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSo strong was EPMD's epochal debut album 'Strictly Business' that it spawned three all-time classic singles, providing part of the soundtrack to, arguably, the height of the original Golden Age \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWhen discussing the landmark artists of that era – Public Enemy, Boogie Down Productions, Eric B \u0026amp; Rakim – the duo of Erick Sermon and Parrish Smith are certainly in the conversation. And when it comes to all-time duos, they might be at the head of the table.The original release of 'I'm Housin' came in 1989, and the only previous 7\" release was confined to the UK – it now fetches sky-high prices. Hence this reissue couldn't be more timely, showcasing just how fresh E Double E and PMD sound over even the most rudimentary but feverishly catchy of beats. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThat was their genius – trading 'slow flow' punchlines over deceptively simple backings – and that's exactly what you get here. The loop of Aretha Franklin's indelible 1971 gem 'Rock Steady' does all the heavy lifting musically, the only adornment a brief vocal snippet taken from their own 'It's My thing' – EPMD is a world premiere.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAt a time when sampling was still in its infancy, and before producers started to pride themselves on obscurity, and on chopping up samples creatively, this was the approach of many a hip-hop song, and rap was none the poorer for it. When you have voices as distinctive and strong as EPMD, less is more.\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHip Hop classic.Loop of Aretha Franklin's indelible 1971 gem 'Rock Steady'. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOnly previous 7\" release was confined to the UK.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTracks: I’m Housin’ (LP Vocal) \/ I’m Housin’ (Instrumental)\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/_eLDzovFa70\" height=\"360\" width=\"480\" allowfullscreen=\"\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" frameborder=\"0\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"MR BONGO","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":41207177117852,"sku":"MRB7195","price":14.56,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0130\/8714\/6043\/products\/1_d67a5ffb-6eb7-453e-8294-4b3e5bfb01a3.png?v=1636750113"},{"product_id":"epmd-its-my-thing","title":"EPMD - It's My Thing","description":"\u003cp\u003eCat. no: MRB7196\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eFormat: 7\" Vinyl\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eBarcode: 7119691278872\u003cbr\u003eRelease Date: 03 Dec 2021\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eGenre: Rap\/Hip-Hop\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEPMD's initial success in 1987 seemed to take a lot of people by surprise \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWithout build- up or fanfare, they launched this stunning debut 12\" and, so illprepared were people for it, that the label was still misspelling their name.Those early 12\" copies of 'It's My Thing' – and the hard to find UK 7\" that followed shortly after – have them billed as EPEE MD. Before they were signed, they were going by EEPMD, but they decided to drop an E due to the success of the west coast's Eazy E. The one person not surprised by their success, however, was hip-hop pioneer and producer Kurtis Mantronik, who actually signed them to Fresh Records.It's fitting that he's the man that saw their promise, as he himself was one to go against the grain. His electro-influenced productions for Mantronix and Just Ice were ahead of their time, and perhaps in EPMD he saw kindred spirits. Because, at the time this dropped, hip-hop was going up tempo, taking its cue from James Brown samples and picking up the pace.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eOn both 'It's My Thing' – underpinned by the languorous 'Seven Minutes of Funk' by The Whole Darn Family – and 'You're a Customer', with its combination of ZZ Top and Steve Miller Band – Erick Sermon and Parrish Smith slow things right down. It gives their vocals time to breathe and allows us to enjoy the interplay of their metaphor and simile-heavy lyrics. As calling cards go, they don't come any better than this.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eStunning debut that has become a Hip Hop classic.Only previous 7\" release very hard to find.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTracks: It's My Thing \/ You're A Customer\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003ciframe title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/ULHi3GeLiC4\" height=\"360\" width=\"480\" allowfullscreen=\"\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" frameborder=\"0\"\u003e\u003c\/iframe\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"MR BONGO","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":41207178920092,"sku":"MRB7196","price":14.56,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0130\/8714\/6043\/products\/2_fa0e4c46-68e9-471e-8172-30c51118fc83.jpg?v=1636750206"},{"product_id":"epmd-the-big-payback","title":"EPMD - The Big Payback","description":"\u003cp\u003eFormat: 7\" Vinyl\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eCatalogue No.: MRB7197\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eBarcode: 7119691278971\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eRelease Date: 14 Jan 22\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eGenre: Hip Hop\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTracklist\u003cbr\u003eSide 1\u003cbr\u003e1. \"The Big Payback\" (LP version)\u003cbr\u003eSide 2\u003cbr\u003e1. \"So Wat Cha Sayin’\" (LP version)\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"MR BONGO","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":41262086455452,"sku":"MRB7197","price":14.56,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0130\/8714\/6043\/products\/1_f5d60fb6-d5e2-4c74-9929-e05f524e50e7.jpg?v=1638212886"},{"product_id":"epmd-you-gots-to-chill","title":"EPMD - You Gots To Chill","description":"\u003cp\u003eCat. no: MRB7198\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eFormat: 7\" Vinyl\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eBarcode: 7119691279077\u003cbr\u003eRelease Date: 14 Jan 2022\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eGenre: Rap\/Hip-Hop\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEndlessly sampled, covered, quoted and requoted, this may well be one of the most influential hip-hop singles ever released but, in many ways, its importance goes beyond its sheer classic status as a single in its own right\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn retrospect, it shows the duo of Erick Sermon and Parrish Smith as pioneers in production, creating a funk- based sound that helped to provide a blueprint for artists on the other side of the country. In 1987\/88, most West Coast rap still adhered to an East Coast audio blueprint. By 1989, they were leaning as heavily on Zapp and Roger Troutman samples as EPMD were on this single.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe foundations of the track are interesting, with a snatch of Juice's muchplundered 'Catch a Groove' (which has popped up everywhere from The Beastie Boys to Kings of Pressure) overlaid with big chunks of Kool \u0026amp; The Gang's 'Jungle Boogie' and Zapp's irrepressible 'More Bounce to the Ounce'. Vocodered funk was a rarity in New York hip-hop until this song, but it's the West Coast G-Funk artists who really ran with it.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA certified Hip Hop classic.Samples: Juice's 'Catch a Groove', Kool \u0026amp; The Gang's 'Jungle Boogie' and Zapp's irrepressible 'More Bounce to the Ounce'.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTracks: You Gots To Chill (LP Version) \/ Let The Funk Flow (LP Version)\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"MR BONGO","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":41289309094044,"sku":"MRB7198","price":14.56,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0130\/8714\/6043\/products\/1_d27b64c6-5273-4fec-9ed0-e919ccdef2ad.jpg?v=1639314465"},{"product_id":"epmd-strictly-business","title":"EPMD - Strictly Business","description":"\u003cp\u003eCat. no: MRB7199\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eFormat: 7\" Vinyl\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eBarcode: 7119691279176\u003cbr\u003eRelease Date: 14 Jan 2022\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eGenre: Rap\/Hip-Hop\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFew groups arrive as fully formed as EPMD did, this dropped as the third single from the album of the same name, and further cemented their distinctive aesthetic: Slow rhyming, trading lines rather than the rappers being confined to their own verses, and backings that were ruthlessly funky and simple at the same time\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThey'd go on to be labelmates with Public Enemy when Def Jam picked up their contract in 1990, and to compare and contrast the two is illuminating. While PE at that time were making waves with the Bomb Squad's breathless, kitchen sink approach to production, EPMD were equally adored for taking the opposite approach.Here, there's a sprinkle of drums from Kool \u0026amp; The Gang's oft-sampled 'Jungle Boogie', paired with a very recognisable portion of Eric Clapton's 'I Shot the Sheriff'. And that's pretty much it – the two samples are linked, looped and left to their own devices. Such was Erick and Parrish's confidence in their own rhyming ability and strong voices, no further embellishment was needed. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThat confidence extends to the subject matter. While their debut album and later projects were heavy with concepts – the 'Jane' series – and notable guest verses, this was the third straight single of pure brag rap. Two MC's, one beat, a whole heap of lyrics about how good they were. It's something you can't do unless you truly are special, and this duo most certainly were.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePaired with the classic instrumental version, which didn't make it to the US 7\" releases – it's only on a hard-to-track-down French 7\" pressing from 1989 – this this is a timely reminder of how breathtakingly perfect hip-hop can be. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eSamples: Kool \u0026amp; The Gang's 'Jungle Boogie' and Eric Clapton's 'I Shot the Sheriff'.Features classic Instrumental version, Only available on elusive down French 7\".\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTracks: Strictly Business (Radio Mix) \/ Strictly Business (instrumental Mix)\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"MR BONGO","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":41289310994588,"sku":"MRB7199","price":14.56,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0130\/8714\/6043\/products\/1_2f858c15-2fdd-471f-983e-04f391c65be2.jpg?v=1639314571"},{"product_id":"epmd-the-big-payback-orange-vinyl","title":"EPMD - The Big Payback (Orange Vinyl)","description":"\u003cp\u003eCat. no: MRB7197TO\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eFormat: 7\" Vinyl\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eBarcode: 7119691279473\u003cbr\u003eRelease Date: 14 Jan 2022\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eGenre: Rap\/Hip-Hop\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBy the time of their second album, 1989's 'Unfinished Business', EPMD were firmly cemented in the rap stratosphere\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWith one certified classic album under their belts, they proved they were no onehit wonders, with the sequel possibly even better. A concise 12 tracker once again produced by the artists themselves, it saw them adhering to the 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' maxim, while going somewhat 'bigger'.In other words, guests started to appear – not just on the records, but in the videos – and marketing budgets were higher. None of which watered down their sound. In fact, this is the ultimate EPMD record: a beat that's simple but perfect, and two top- of- their- game MC's going back and forth. But the appearance of NWA in the video for 'The Big Payback' hints at their reputation at the time – and at the cordial relations between coasts before the deadly beef that was to come. \u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e'Payback' takes both its title and core sample from James Brown's 'The Payback' from 1973, and then weaves two more JB elements with it, including the addictive stabs from 'Baby, Here I Come'. It's a golden track from the golden age.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe B-side is another gem from the same album, and only released before on 7\" in a very rare, limited pressing. 'So Wat Cha Sayin' was the album's lead single, and shows EPMD's wide sampling palette. There's bits of BT Express, a whole lot of Funkadelic and, brilliantly, some drums lifted from Soul II Soul's gem from just the year before, 'Fairplay'. Lyrically, it's just all about threats to sucker's MC's – what else do you want from EPMD?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e• A certified Hip Hop classic. • Samples James Brown’s ‘The Payback’ from 1973.\u003cbr\u003e• Limited Edition Orange Vinyl\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTracks: The Big Payback (LP Version) \/ So Wat Cha Sayin’ (LP Version)\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"MR BONGO","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":41289312338076,"sku":"MRB7197TO","price":16.18,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0130\/8714\/6043\/products\/1_a70e87fd-9557-4fb8-be76-4c9aaecfc4f7.jpg?v=1639314648"},{"product_id":"epmd-back-in-business-2lp","title":"EPMD - Back in Business (2LP)","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eFormat: 2 x LP\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eCatalogue No.: 602557886771\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eRelease Date: 02 Nov 2017\u003c\/span\u003e\u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eGenre: Hip Hop\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cspan data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003eA1 Intro\u003cbr\u003eA2 Richter Scale\u003cbr\u003eA3 Da Joint\u003cbr\u003eA4 Never Seen Before\u003cbr\u003eB1 Intrigued\u003cbr\u003eB2 Last Man Standing\u003cbr\u003eB3 Get With This\u003cbr\u003eB4 Do It Again\u003cbr\u003eC1 You Gots 2 Chill '97\u003cbr\u003eC2 Put On\u003cbr\u003eC3 K.I.M.\u003cbr\u003eD1 Dungeon Master\u003cbr\u003eD2 Jane 5\u003cbr\u003eD3 Never Seen Before (Remix)\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Def Jam Recordings","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43095450353820,"sku":"602557886771","price":33.25,"currency_code":"GBP","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0130\/8714\/6043\/files\/1_346f9b53-2763-4786-becd-ea54773d670b.jpg?v=1708113566"}],"url":"https:\/\/www.horizonsmusic.co.uk\/collections\/epmd.oembed","provider":"Horizons Music","version":"1.0","type":"link"}