Review: We Mean Business - EPMD
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Artist:
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Album:
After almost ten years since their last drop, Erick and Parrish return with their new album, We Mean Business , a release bent on proving that EPMD still has it. It's like Rocky VI, the old retired hero comes back to prove himself versus the younger, faster, boxers. The result? A courageous effort falls short of success.
We Mean Business comes out pretty hard with tracks like "Puttin' Work In", "What You Talkin'" and "Blow" that have a little edge to them courtesy of either the featuring artists (Raekwon & Havo c on the first two), or some spice in the production. Then, Teddy Riley apparently features on "Listen Up" , a G-Funk reminiscent, but the auto tune effect is cranked up to R2D2-levels on his voice so it probably could have been anyone, I'm not sure. The next item worth mentioning is when Method Man shows up on "Never Defeat 'Em" and delivers a nice verse on an other-wise boring mediocre track. Soon after, Skyzoo appears on "Left 4 Dead", the much-anticipated "State of hip hop" track. This head banger is one of the standouts of the album and features the only rapper under 30 years old on the entire album. After this come an unimportant Keith Murray feature on "They Tell Me", and a couple weed carriers on "Actin' Up".
Overall, by Sermon standards, the production from this album just breaks par. The beats sound like they easily could have been compiled of throwaways from previous albums. I'm not saying that they are bad, but a lot of them sound like Erick just threw them together.
EPMD definitely isn't trying to "appeal" to younger audiences with this album, which in some ways, is good. Fuck us. They are hip hop legends, they don't have to try and charm anyone. But, I guarantee you that 50% of the mainstream hip hop fans won't even know about this album and another 25% that do, won't like it.
P.S.
Personally, I like the fact that EPMD isn't busting their balls trying to attract the new audience. They aren't sellouts.
Final Word r : (I'm Having Fun With Fonts Today)
I hope Erick and Parrish don't plan to make this album their last.
Grade: 72%
Grab it if: You're an EPMD fan. Otherwise, take a look at a couple tracks.
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