Strictly Business (EPMD album)

Strictly Business
Studio album by
EPMD
ReleasedJune 7, 1988
StudioNorth Shore Soundworks,
Island Media Studios
(West Babylon, New York)
GenreGolden age hip hop
Length45:22
Label
ProducerEPMD
EPMD chronology
Strictly Business
(1988) 		Unfinished Business
(1989)
Singles from Strictly Business
  1. "It's My Thing"
    Released: 1987
  2. "I'm Housin"
    Released: 1988
  3. "You Gots to Chill"
    Released: April 30, 1988
  4. "Strictly Business"
    Released: September 10, 1988

Strictly Business is the debut album by hip-hop duo EPMD. It was released on June 7, 1988, by Fresh/Sleeping Bag Records around the world and BCM Records in Germany. It peaked at No. 80 on the Billboard 200 soon after release,[1] yet it earned an RIAA gold album certification within four months of its release.[2] In addition, it has received much positive critical attention since its release. In 2012, the album was ranked number 453 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time.[3]

The album is known for its lighthearted party raps and funky sample-reliant production. The album has no guest emcees or producers except DJ K La Boss. The album is broken down track-by-track by the group in Brian Coleman's book Check the Technique.[4]

  1. ^ "EPMD > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums". Allmusic. Retrieved December 28, 2008.
  2. ^ "RIAA – Gold & Platinum – Searchable Database". RIAA. Retrieved December 29, 2008.
  3. ^ "500 Greatest Albums of All Time Rolling Stone's definitive list of the 500 greatest albums of all time". Rolling Stone. 2012. Retrieved September 2, 2019.
  4. ^ Coleman, Brian. Check The Technique: Liner Notes For Hip-Hop Junkies. New York: Villard/Random House, 2007.