Erick Sermon & Parrish Smith team back up after taking 5 years off to do another great Group album. Pioneers in Hip Hop, the two got together again and made a great album. Features Def Squad cronies: Redman & Keith Murray as well as Das EFX and Nocturnal. No weak tracks and great production (as always from the Green Eyed Bandit), this album, although short (only 46+ minutes with interludes), it is a great album and a must have.

#2 - 8.5
#3 - 10 (classic)
#4 - 7.5
#6 - 9 (f/ Das EFX)
#7 - 8.5
#8 - 7.5
#9 - 9
#11 - 9
#12 - 7
#13 - 8.5 (f/ Redman & Keith Murray)
#14 - 8.5 (f/ Nocturnal)
#15 - 9 (parrish Smith solo about Jane (Again))
#16 - 10 (classic remix of #4)

Parrish Smith -- b. 1968 -- Brentwood, Long Island, NY
Erick Sermon -- b. 11/25/68 -- Brentwood, Long Island, NY
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Rusty? Perhaps. Five years after they broke the hearts of hip-hop purists everywhere with their breakup in 1992, they returned with BACK IN BUSINESS. But it just wasn't the same. It seemed that EPMD had not evolved beyond merely talking smack about any imaginary MCs that dare cross their path. And the production, while not bad, sounds flat and uninspired: none of the vibrant music of STRICTLY BUSINESS or BUSINESS AS USUAL. Perhaps the biggest disappointment is Parrish Smith, who sounds tired and uninterested, a far cry from the days when his baritone voice was assured and full of fire. Heck, in most of the songs, you could barely hear him (especially in "Jane 5", the probable first dud in the "Jane" series). Erick Sermon, on the other hand, seems to have conquered the lisp that virtually muffled his rapping in their first few albums; he raps with more intensity and with a slightly faster pace. Yes, the album is not a complete washout--Def Squaders Redman and Keith Murray make sure of that in the banging posse cut "K.I.M.", and also check out the soulful "Last Man Standing" and "Richter Scale" (Zapp is sampled here, as they have been quite often throughout EPMD's body of work), but it is far from the comeback it could have been, and what their most devoted fans deserved.

I agree with whomever said that this CD is their best since "Strictly Business" and it's definitely as good as ''Business Never Personal" which also went gold and had some of their best tracks, rhymes and samples on it. (The Headbangers)

Erick Sermon and Parrish Smith both born in 1968 have been around since the early days of hip-hop, and they are not old and tired either, they did their first major album when they were only 18 years old!! They bring their hip-hop longevity, underground sound, and old school rap flow to this CD which is typical EPMD; uncut funk samples and a very non-commercial sound. I guess some people who gave it a bad review can't understand their artistic vision and musical integrity. The one BASIC thing about EPMD is how consistent they've been... with four gold albums to their credit. They are even more influential than that.

These saavy veterans are called EPMD, it stands for (Erick and Parrish Making Dollaz) and they flex madd skills and fresh game on this CD. They bring hot raps and much revitalized energy to this new set of awesome, perfectly selected samples from the "Joys of Funk" production, a.k.a. Erick "Funk Lord" Sermon who has produced (Redman, Method Man, Scarface, Too Short and many others) AND many tracks used first by EPMD were used later by: Run-DMC, JAY-Z, DR. DRE, LL COOL J, DMX, Warren G, and others.

On this CD they are using hot old school funk tracks by Zapp, Tom Browne, Rick James, and Slave, but you gotta be old school to notice that. All you youngsters better listen up and learn from the masters...'cause this is how rap should be done.

FYI: To you new jacks to the hip-hop world who think they know sumthin'....THERE WOULD BE NO: REDMAN, KEITH MURRAY, MOBB DEEP, DAS EFX OR K-SOLO WITHOUT EPMD!!

I made the mistake buying this album after listening to "Never Seen Before" off the Def Jam's How to Be a Player Soundtrack. Never have I heard such repetitive beats. And the lyrics? Check it: "Who want it?/Come and see me like 112/And I'll rock the bell with Fox and L", said Erick in "Da Joint". Wack rhymes like this suggest that Erick and Parrish got back together only to make dollars and not good music. To tell you the truth, they remind me of an old-school Big Tymers. If you wanna peep their REAL skills, buy every album they made before this one.

I Love this album. To me it is their best since Strictly Business. Erick Sermon and Parrish Smith got back together to release this album; the long awaited comeback album. They did not disappoint either. The Green Eyed Bandit laid down the beats nicely and they still sound as fresh as they did in 97. Erick and Parrish Making Dollas trade rhymes like few other duos can do.My favorite songs include:The off the meter Richter Scale, Da Joint which is one of their best songs ever, Never Seen Before, you Gots To Chill 97, KIM, Jane 5.They also have an incredible Das EFX collabo, Intrigued, which is really tight. The song KIM has the incredible Keith Murray and Erick Sermon droppin some classics bars over an orchestrial beat and Redman has a solid verse too.You Gots To Chill 97 is arguably better than the original song with its sample of Roger Troutmans More Bounce To The Ounce while Never Seen Before sports a tight beat with some great lyrics. Jane 5 is another installment in the classic Jane stories and this one doesnt disapoint either.Overall This is an album you can listen to the whole way through and not get bored. This is a must for fans and casual listeners alike!