Coming off what many critics considered their weakest effort, Business Never Personal marked a powerful resurgence and a temporary farewell for one of Hip Hop’s most influential duos, EPMD.
Though technically their fourth studio album and second release under the Def Jam umbrella, Business Never Personal is often hailed as the group’s third certified classic. EPMD, known for their underground grit, found unexpected mainstream success with this project. The album climbed to #14 on the Billboard 200—higher than any of its predecessors and moved over 500,000 units within its first few months, earning a gold certification.
A major factor in the album’s success was its breakout single, fittingly titled “Crossover.” The track served as both a critique and an example of Hip Hop’s evolving relationship with mainstream visibility. Ironically, “Crossover” became their biggest hit, reaching #42 on the Billboard Hot 100 and topping the Top Rap Singles chart at #1.
Following Business Never Personal, Erick Sermon and PMD went their separate ways, disbanding the group in the wake of internal tension. But true to their legacy, they reunited in 1997 for Back in Business, and continued to pop up with new material and performances in the years that followed. Their final album, We Mean Business, arrived in 2008, cementing a catalog that helped define the golden era of East Coast Hip Hop.