Business Never Personal

Business Never Personal
Studio album by EPMD
Released	July 28, 1992
Recorded	1991-1992
Genre	Hardcore Hip hop, Golden age 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

• "Boon Dox"
  • "The Payback" by James Brown
  • "I Can Feel it in My Bones" by Earth, Wind & Fire
  • "Slow Down" by Brand Nubian
• "Nobody's Safe Chump"
  • "Nobody Wants You When You're Down & Out" by Bobby Womack
  • "The Message" by Grandmaster Flash & The Furious Five
• "Can't Hear Nothing But the Music"
  • "Schoolboy Crush" by Average White Band
  • "Jungle Boogie" by Kool & the Gang
  • "Give Me Your Love" by Curtis Mayfield
  • "It's A New Day" by Skull Snaps
• "Chill"
  • "UFO" by ESG
  • "Dance Floor" by Zapp
  • "Street Thunder" by Foreigner
• "Headbanger"
  • "Impeach The President" by The Honeydrippers
  • "One of Those Funky Things" by Parliament
  • "Papa Was Too" by Joe Tex
  • "Slow Down" by Brand Nubian
• "Scratch Bring It Back, Pt. 2 (Mic Doc)"
  • "Synthetic Substitution" by Melvin Bliss
  • "Duck Down" by Krs-One
• "Crossover"
  • "You Should Be Mine" by Roger Troutman
  • "Say What" by Idris Muhammed
• "Play the Next Man"
  • "Sir Nose D'Voidoffunk" by Parliament
• "It's Going Down"
  • "I Want You" by Marvin Gaye
• "Who Killed Jane?"
  • "Mary Jane" by Rick James
  • "Stone Junkie" by Curtis Mayfield
  • "Papa Was Too" by Joe Tex

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.