Review Summary: Perfect production that was way ahead of its time.
Strictly Business is EPMD's explosive debut record, and one of the most remarkable of its time. Coming from a hip hop fan that enjoys the old school, 80s production wasn't the most advanced. This isn't meant as disrespect, as the technology wasn't as advanced, and hip hop constantly evolves. However, this is why EPMD were ahead of their time. The group's style blends in with the norm for old school hip hop, but the production was advanced, and laces with funk grooves and sounds like never heard before at the time.
Right from the very first track ("Strictly Business"), an Eric Clapton sample is heard, and a fiery piano loop backdrop that sounds fantastic is heard as well. The production on the album is sample-heavy, and the samples are diverse. The lyrics aren't overly complex or impressive, but the music is so great you'll hardly care anyway, and the rhymes are meant to be light-hearted and fun. Another highlight of the album is "You Gots to Chill", which is one of the best instrumentals of all time, and one of the most recognizable hip hop tracks. Some of these tracks have been sampled by the likes of Nas and Jay-Z, which goes to show how fantastic this album is.
Strictly Business is a hip hop classic, and one of the best hip hop albums of all time. The production is innovative, and created a new sound, as well as changing the way producers sample. Strictly Business is a hip hop essential, and an overall classic.
