Business Never Personal

Business Never Personal
Studio album by EPMD
Released July 28, 1992
Recorded 1991-1992
Genre Hip hop
Length 38:58
Label Def Jam/Columbia
CK-52848
Producer EPMD
Charlie Marotta
DJ Scratch
Mr. Bozack
EPMD chronology

Business As Usual
(1990)		 Business Never Personal
(1992)		 Back in Business
(1997)
Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
Allmusic link
Entertainment Weekly B+ link
Rolling Stone link
Rolling Stone Album Guide [1]
Artistdirect
Robert Christgau
The Source link
Washington Post (favorable) link

Business Never Personal is the fourth studio album by hip hop duo EPMD, released July 28, 1992 on Def Jam Records.[2] 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.[3] 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.[4] 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.[5]

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.[6]

Track listing

# Title Producer(s) Performer (s) Length
1 "Boon Dox" EPMD EPMD 2:48
2 "Nobody's Safe Chump" EPMD EPMD 2:12
3 "Can't Hear Nothing But the Music" EPMD, Charlie Marotta EPMD 3:37
4 "Chill" EPMD EPMD 2:57
5 "Head Banger" EPMD EPMD, K-Solo, Redman 4:52
6 "Scratch Bring It Back, Pt. 2 [Mic Doc]" DJ Scratch, Mr. Bozack EPMD 3:04
7 "Crossover" EPMD EPMD 3:49
8 "Cummin' at Cha" EPMD EPMD, Das EFX 4:03
9 "Play the Next Man" EPMD EPMD 3:36
10 "It's Going Down" EPMD EPMD 4:12
11 "Who Killed Jane?" EPMD EPMD 3:47

Samples

Album Chart Positions

Year Album Chart positions
Billboard 200 Top R&B/Hip Hop Albums
1992 Business Never Personal #14 #5

Singles Chart Positions

Year Song Chart positions
Billboard Hot 100 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 -

References

  1. ↑ http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=lRgtYCC6OUwC&pg=PA322&dq=rolling+stone+gang+starr&cd=1&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q=rakim&f=false. Page 281
  2. ↑ allmusic ((( Business Never Personal > Overview ))). All Media Guide, LLC. Retrieved on 2008-08-10.
  3. ↑ Big Greg Cee(August 1992) The Source Album Review. The Source.
  4. ↑ RIAA Searchable Database - Search: Business Never Personal. Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved on 2008-08-10.
  5. ↑ Discogs - Search: EPMD - Business Never Personal. Discogs. Retrieved on 2008-08-10.
  6. ↑ EPMD | View the Music Artists Biography Online | VH1.com. MTV Networks. Retrieved on 2008-08-11.