  |
|
|
|
Hell froze over. Clocks ran backwards.
And hip-hop fans everywhere rejoiced at
the news -- Erick Sermon and Parrish Smith decided to squash the beef once and for
all and reunite for a brand new album.
As a fan of Erick and Parrish Making Dollars since the days you could still see Pump It Up! on television, I've got to be happy about this move. EPMD put perhaps the singlehandedly most legendary series of albums in the history of New York - always keeping the word Business in a music industry that was more interested in quick bucks and quick fucks. EPMD was the second generation Run-D.M.C. for a new hip-hop nation proving you could rock the b-boys and go gold without the radio and without a single R&B crossover type jammy jam. In fact, the only song that ever came close ("It's Time 2 Party", off the 2nd album _Unfinished Business_) was called by both members of the group the biggest mistake they ever made. Little wonder they came back with an album that forever encapsulated the essence of hip-hop AND introduced us to Reggie Noble a.k.a. Redman. The debt we owe EPMD can never be repaid. Funky, braggadocious, proud, hardcore, loud, infinite in talent and massive deep in peeps. It's often forgotten that EPMD was one of the few to ever point out that rap shows were no different than the Beatles or Elvis Presley in terms of fan mania -- in effect calling out the media for blaming concert violence on rap. It's often forgotten that Das EFX came in second at a talent show but were offered a much better prize as runners up: membership in the Hit Squad and a record deal to boot. I'm mad happy -- and yet I'm confused. Given that the split was not on amiable terms and that the former massive deep was torn asunder as they took sides, it can't quite be "all good" that quick. For those who don't know, let me break down the scientifics: Hit Squad before the breakup -- Erick Sermon, Parrish Smith, DJ Scratch, K-Solo, Redman, Das EFX, Keith Murray Hit Squad after the breakup -- Parrish Smith, Das EFX, DJ Scratch Def Squad after the breakup -- Erick Sermon, Redman, Keith Murray, K-Solo It can't be over quite that quick, not after Das EFX slammed Erick Sermon's song Stay Real with the line "you can stay real boy, but I'ma stay rich." It can't be over quite that quick, not after Redman slammed the Hit Squad by turning PMD into a bitch slapping lip smacking pussy on Soopaman Luva 3. Go To Page: 1 2
The copyright of the article EPMD: What's the real story?: Hit Squad vs. Def Squad in Hip-Hop Music & Culture is owned by Steve Juon. Permission to republish EPMD: What's the real story?: Hit Squad vs. Def Squad in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
|
|
|
|
