Erick Sermon and Parrish Smith are back to work more than 30 years since the release of EPMD’s debut album, Strictly Business. At Long Island, New York’s Def Squad Studios, speaking to AFH TV, Erick and Parrish dropped some new information about the duo’s upcoming eighth album, said to be titled Big Business.

In the video conversation, the legendary Hip-Hop artists reveal that for their first group LP since 2008’s We Mean Business, they are working with a producer known for hits with De La Soul, Method Man & Redman, as well as JAY-Z. Rockwilder, whose studio is housed in the adjacent building to Erick’s lab, is creating music with the pair. “He’s kind of like in it with us,” E notes in the first few minutes of the AFH TV video interview. With three songs recorded so far, the Green-Eyed Bandit praises the efforts of Parrish thus far in the process.

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In late 2017, EPMD announced plans for a new album while appearing on Drink Champs. They discussed a concept LP of all two-MC Hip-Hop groups. In a separate conversation with AFH TV, Erick explained that while EPMD will appear on Dynamic Duos, he is behind that LP (which he played some excerpts from in the video). However, EPMD’s eighth album, it’s something else entirely.

“With me and Erick knowing each other since 8th grade, business is one thing, and music is another,” Parrish says at the top of the conversation. “In reality, coming from Brentwood, Long Island [and having] that kinship and that friendship, it’s stronger than the music and stuff like that.” Even during the 11 years since the last joint effort, the bond between these two MC/producers has remained strong.

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“Out of all the people that came from that [late 1980s] era, they speak about us, still,” Erick asserts when asked about EPMD’s relevancy over so long. “Us having the EPMD sneakers out, the clothes [through] EPMD apparel, if [media] has #ThrowbackThursdays or whatever, it’s always [about] EPMD.” Apart from shirts available in Nordstrom, and the Ewing Sneaker collaboration, Erick is behind Def Rugs, making quality custom rugs of iconic Hip-Hop peers.

Towards the 19:00-mark, the duo remembers Run-D.M.C. mentoring them (including sharing a bus) on EPMD’s first tour. At 24:00, the Hit Squad and Def Squad founders discuss their incredible ear for talent. Notably, the two greats recall when Redman lost Erick Sermon’s phone number as a hungry, unsigned artist who impressed EPMD at a shower in Newark, New Jersey. However, as they tell it, the would-be star figured out a way to still track down his mentor and change history.

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EPMD recently released a concert album recorded on stage with a band, Live Business. Last month, E dropped Vernia, featuring AZ, Big K.R.I.T., Too Short, Keith Murray, Raekwon, and others. In 2017, PMD released Busine$$ Mentality.

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