Something to note about the importance of this run before I start:
There was a Raekwon interview on the Combat Jack Show (RIP Reggie "Combat Jack" Osse) a while back, where Cheffy highlighted why the Wu-Tang Clan dominated the hip hop industry so. It was crucially because they emulated the business model of a certain Hit Squad, which solidifies the fact that the Hit Squad was the very first commercially dominant collective of highly affiliated hip hop solo acts in history. Keyword: dominant. Let's face it, boy/girl (pick one), as critically influential as the Juice Crew were (which is never to be disputed), only Biz Markie RIP & Big Daddy Kane were steady with their commercial impact. Closest thing in that collective was Roxanne's Revenge, and that, while massive at the time, was a one-off. Hell, Cheffy even compared himself and his RAGU partner Ghostface Killah to our subjects here. But as much as RAGU are my shit, I've always felt that the two Clansmen who bore the most resemblance in skill and stature to EPMD were Cousins RZA & GZA. Both were the driving creative force and the savvy business minds behind the massive movements under their umbrellas. With EPMD, the lines are even more blurred, as both Erick Sermon and Parish Smith had quite the acute business moves during their respective careers, whether together or apart. And it all started here, on this very album you're tackling right now.
According to our duo though, Unfinished Business almost never came to light. Why? The exposure EPMD experienced after the then-roaring success of their debut Strictly Business brought with it the always-fun element of haters, and apparently the EPMD hater camp was a pretty vocal one. Writing these two off as flashes in the pan, this group of very social creatures started infiltrating every venue, every publication, every radio show our duo were featured in and proceeded to shame the pair on the assumption that they can't replicate their success again. To this day, I still fail to grasp what would drive any group of hip hop heads to, absolutely out of the blue, hate on an act that experienced success with their debut without leaning on any form of wide-spread controversy.
Apparently, so did EPMD themselves. The very first song they wrote after all that craziness ended up being the album's timeless lead single So Wat Cha Sayin'. The record was the key that opened the lyrical floodgates upon which the rest of the album was written. Unfinished Business was an attempt by EPMD to diversify their subject matter, delving into pre-success struggles and PSAs, along with their BNB forte. And again, the album marks the first step the pair took as executives through debuting the very first guest on an EPMD album and member of the aforementioned Hit Squad, Central Islip, LI native Kevin Madison bka K-Solo aka Wolfgang Murdermouth (Yep) on Knick Knack Patty Wack. You'll figure out if this particular debut was memorable or not in the review. Production-wise, EPMD again handled everything, though to me, the jury is still out on whether Parish did the whole album or him and Erick simply bounced ideas around together.
Unfinished Business replicated the critical and commercial success of its predecessor by selling more than five hundred thousand units Stateside alone, and successfully continuing their grimy funk aesthetic, which still hasn't been utilized so well since. With that in mind, EPMD's status within this game as a problem was solidified. You're here to see just how big of a problem this album really made them.
SO WAT CHA SAYIN'
The moment you hear the BT Express guitar lick, you'll know this album is an entirely different beast from Strictly Business. Point further proven when E steps up to the mic, because son goes the fuck in, in a way unseen before this record. And if you thought Erick progressed lyrically, Parish steps in and blows him the hell away with his contribution. The simplicity of slowing down a Funkadelic vocal sample and placing that as the hook remains one of hip hop's shining moments of genius to this very day, and I don't care if many people mastered the technique afterwards. This is shit you've never heard until then. P also addresses the hate the group received from overzealous fans of Eric B & Rakim in the timeless parting line of his second verse. No, I'm not telling you what it is, go listen to the song! You will thank me!
TOTAL KAOS
Another smacker of a beat, another Funkadelic sample! This time, it's paired with short horn stabs from James Brown combined with a Parish Smith line scratched in. The end result will just feel warm and embracing after the chaos of the first track. Pun very much intended. Erick establishes himself as the starter of most EPMD songs on this album, with Parish playing cleanup conversely, and here the differences between the two's styles begin to show: Erick focuses more on obscure references, while Parish is more confrontational and flow-savvy. Still, the two mesh together quite masterfully, and this track is no exception
GET THE BOZACK
OK, I don’t know how a phrase such as “Get The Bozack” infiltrated the hip hop lexicon for so long but here we are. So, it's weird that DMX has such an affinity for EPMD songs when he's had a never-ending beef with their homie K-Solo. How else would you explain Dame Grease and PK straight up jacking the BT Express loop that EPMD came up with for his official debut single? Anyways, the lyrics to this are actually some of the first rhymes that EPMD ever wrote for themselves, so I still can't make sense of why it was delayed until the sophomore. Because you bet your doughy, smelly & warty ass these two bring the ruckus something lovely. Awesome song!
JANE II
The title explains it all. Once again, Rick James is all over this beat, as EPMD present the next chapter in a slightly more humorous tone, with their delivery sounding baked as fuck. I’m telling you, the bit where P answers E’s inquiry about his own whereabouts never fails to crack me up. Great progression, you two.
PLEASE LISTEN TO MY DEMO
This song may be the most heartfelt in EPMD’s entire catalog, as the pair proceed into tales from their comeup ending with the duo being signed, over a very influential Faze-O loop. Don’t believe me? Go ask OC, WC & Evil D just to name a few. No, I’m not mentioning Kriss Kross’ Tonite’s Tha Night. What do you mean, I just did?! Back to these two though, as both display an arresting degree of attention to detail. Exactly what was needed to make this one hell of a memorable hip hop song. You’ll be coming back to this more and more.
IT'S TIME 2 PARTY
OK, this is where EPMD officially entered uncharted waters: Contractual obligations. And as such, EPMD have created a harmless clubbing song set to a fairly popular MFSB loop. Really, ask Cappadonna, it's pretty goddamn popular. Your slight gripe with the track will be that you could’ve had grandchildren with the time you spent listening to the same loop on repeat between our duo’s verses. Moving on.
WHO'S BOOTY
I’m done with misogynistic displays. Foreal. The difference between this and the Jane series is that they spend just as much time dissing themselves as they do Jane and that the whole Jane saga is tongue in cheek. I say that even though I liked the Fred Wesley/JBs loop along with the sped up Funkadelic hook here. Shame.
THE BIG PAYBACK
This second single is a fucking masterpiece. With a myriad of James Brown samples forming a damn confrontational instrumental, EPMD bring you the motherfucking business. The music video also showed a little rag-tag group calling themselves NWA heavily featuring in our duo's said video. You might've heard of them. Bottom line: This battle track is one of the finest ever made and if you incredulously haven't heard it yet, you need to go rectify that shit now. Seriously, stop reading this post and go listen to it.
STRICTLY SNAPPIN' NECKS
Songs like this and its predecessor display how EPMD added new production techniques to their arsenal, such as making beats that stay the hell outta their way as they rip shit down. Because although this track isn't nearly as thrilling as The Big Payback, it really doesn't need to be. Erick's oneliners are always refreshing but Parish surprises by one-upping his partner in his own department, assuring you that these two were not resting on their laurels. This progression really shows in P's second verse as he flies off the rails for nearly 30 bars! This is one hell of an album cut!
KNICK KNACK PATTY WACK (FEATURING K-SOLO)
This is probably the most important song on the record. Why? Because this is where EPMD set up the foundations of an empire that would've surely been that era's biggest hip hop conglomerate (hell, it might've continued to this day. This is Bloggerland after all so why not hypothesize, right?) had these two stayed together. Of course with such lofty expectations, it was important that this step leave its mark, and by God does it ever as K-Solo outright annihilates a fairly on-point EPMD and their instrumental, which popularised that Joe Cocker sample after the very underrated Ultramagnetic MCs discovered it. 2Pac's California Love? Yep, thank EPMD. I'll note something here: EPMD never outshone their progeny's appearances throughout their discography, which is a masterclass move. Why? Because that way, they can generate interest in said progeny's upcoming works. Which almost worked brilliantly for Solo here had he not infuriatingly misspelled "bird" during that insipid spelling gimmick at the end of his otherwise-timeless verse. Instead, he now only has a niche following, which may be what he wanted all along, I don't know. Despite all that, this still is the best song on the album.
YOU HAD TOO MUCH TO DRINK
From the album’s best song to a strong candidate for the absolute worst track in EPMD's entire fucking catalog. How I wish I was exaggerating. The two, probably drunk off their balls while making this song, decided to let the drum machine play and bring in longtime production associate Charlie Marotta to play one of the most annoying guitar riffs you'll ever hear while the duo give you a DUI PSA. And they present it as the third single. See how contractual obligations can lead to horrible music?! Fuck this song.
IT WASN'T ME, IT WAS THE FAME
Ah, back to normal! In fact, this also is one of the most influential EPMD songs ever, as our duo catch wreck over their mystic mesh of David Bowie and the Stylistics. Here, they both launch into descriptive performances about the various ways in which fame changed the way people treat them and how they dealt with such changes. Key in these songs is the attention to details aforementioned in Please Listen To My Demo, which differs from being descriptive for the fuck of it, and these two pull it off brilliantly, turning this into one hell of an inspiring record. And we're done.
FINAL THOUGHTS: Many people recognised these two for their commercial achievements with this album back in the day, but very few currently touch upon how much Erick Sermon and Parish Smith grew in one friggin' year. Aside from a few very ill-advised attempts, Unfinished Business is one big lesson in progression and the evolution of one's brand. Beat-wise, the sampling got that much more creative, leading to some of hip hop's most iconic tunes later to be revisited by rap acts across the spectrum of the industry. Lyrically, though, is where critical ignorance piled up in spades: The album proves even more so than Strictly Business that these two can damn well hold your attention. The range of subjects EPMD touched upon continue to be relevant in hip hop to this very day, especially the personal tales of Please Listen To My Demo and It Wasn't Me, It Was The Fame. Also accomplished is the establishment of EPMD's Hit Squad with K-Solo's blistering cameo. Until he spelled shit, of course. Regardless, Unfinished Business is the album that will forever hook fans of the duo's debut to their later material, for better or worse. It did so for me, I'll tell ya that much.
WORTH IT? Every motherfucking step of the way! Unless you'd rather go check out whatever the fuck Lil Pump or Big Shaq are doing. Hey, do you. I'm not one to judge! Keep in mind that this shit here lasted more than 30 years, so you might wanna see what the fuss is about.
For more on the pair Making Dollars, check. And for more of the Hit Squad exploits, peep game.
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