PMD’s (a/k/a Parish Smith) solo debut album Shade Business was originally released in 1994 on RCA Records. Now, Almelo, Netherlands-based record label Below System is dropping a re-issued version of the project that brings listeners six new songs and an album book with unreleased content. The “Deluxe Re-Issue Edition” of Shade Business comes out on August 12 and is availble for pre-order on UndergroundHipHop.com.
Shade Business was released during one of EPMD’s many hiatuses, between 1992’s Business, Never Personal and the 1997 reunion album, Back In Business. It followed partner Erick Sermon’s own 1993 solo debut, No Pressure. PMD’s debut featured Das EFX, Zone 7, Top Quality and 3rd Eye. The Hit Squad head produced much of the album himself, along with boom-bap icons such as DJ Scratch, 45 King, and Jesse West.
The original release, largely intended for vinyl and cassette, has two sides on it, “Darkside” and “Zoneside.” Below System adds a “Bonusside” side with the aforementioned six songs. The newly added tracks have production by The Beatnuts, Peter Lewis and Solid Scheme.
In April of this year, Parish dropped a project with Necro affiliate Sean Strange & Snowgoons titled Welcome to the Goondox.
Tracklist is as follows:
01. “Shade Business” (Prod. PMD aka Parish Smith of EPMD)
02. “In The Zone” (Prod. PMD aka Parish Smith of EPMD)
03. “Steppin’ Thru Hardcore” (Prod. PMD aka Parish Smith of EPMD)
04. “Respect Mine” (Prod. PMD aka Parish Smith of EPMD)
05. “Here They Cum” featuring Das EFX (Prod. PMD aka Parish Smith of EPMD)
06. “Back To The Rap” (Prod. PMD aka Parish Smith of EPMD & Charlie Marotta)
07. “I’ll Wait” featuring Zone 7
08. “I Saw It Cummin'” (Prod. PMD aka Parish Smith of EPMD & DJ Scratch)
09. “Swing Your Own Thing” (Prod. PMD aka Parish Smith of EPMD)
10. “Fake Homeyz” featuring Top Quality; 3rd Eye (Prod. PMD aka Parish Smith of EPMD)
11. “Phuck It Up Scratch” (Interlude)
12. “Back Up Or Get Smacked Up” (Prod. PMD aka Parish Smith of EPMD)
13. “Throught I Lost My Spot” (Prod. Mark The 45 King)
14. “No Shorts And No Sleep” featuring Top Quality, 3rd Eye & Zone 7 (Prod. Troo Kula & Jesse West)
15. “Shade Business” (The Beatnuts Remix) (Prod. The Beatnuts)
16. “I Saw It Cummin'” (Zone Mix) (Prod. Solid Scheme)
17. “I Saw It Cummin'” (Back Alley Bozack Mix) (Prod. Solid Scheme)
18. “I Saw It Cummin'” (Underground Funk Mix) (Prod. Peter Lewis)
19. “Swing Your Own Thing” (Izum Remix) (Prod. PMD aka Parish Smith of EPMD)
20. “Many Often Wonder” (Prod. PMD aka Parish Smith of EPMD)
RELATED: The Goondox (Sean Strange & Parish of EPMD featuring Smoothe The Hustler & N.O. The God – “Bang Out” [Prod. Snowgoons] [AUDIO]
Swing Your Own Thing is/was my jam. I might cop this.
This album was hella slept on. Right after EPMD broke up, most people sided with E Double and shitted on PMD. I want to hear that Beatnuts joint though. If this is Beatnuts remix from the mid-90s, the joints gotta be hot.
The Beatnuts Remix has been out for ages. Check out BeatJunkie82 on YouTube for the vinyl upload.
Why? This album aint that good. PMD was always the weakest link in EPMD.
word? then who was that other guy rapping with e double?
I’m confused. I bought this album back in the day. It was wack as fuck. Eric’s 1st solo No Pressure shit all over this. This had HORRIBLE beats.
I thought the beats on Shade Business were hard as hell!! Slept on album imo. Shade Business, In the Zone, I Saw it Cummin, I’ll Wait, No Shorts and No Sleep. Albums don’t come any tougher than that.
I am an EPMD fan from day one but I bought this album when it originally came out and it was super weak. ‘I saw it cummin’ ‘Steppin through hardcore” and one or two others were decent but the overall package was weak – no focus, not cohesive and the beats were terrible. Eric’s first solo was a million times better. Why re-release it with new material that will probably sound dated?
This album was one large brick of shit
Sean Strange has not been a Necro affiliate since 2009. Dude who wrote this should do his research. Sean Strange runs his own company and has released 2 albums in stores under his own umbrella and tour the world numerous times on his own. And will be Executive Producing Swifty from D12’s album this year and dropping a new solo …. Sean Strange actually did PMD a favor by doing Goondox because PMD was out the game and Sean reps the new generation
Sean (or fried of Sean),
No one will fault you for correcting a false statement about your/his current affiliation with Necro. What does seem odd is your statement that “SS did PMD a favor by doing Goondox” since you had to JACK the comments thread for an article about PMD in order to get a little attention for Strange. PMD is a legend! Call us when Sean Strange reaches that hemisphere.
Sean Strange also has fans all over the world with his logo,lyrics and artwork TATTOOED on them ….
Don’t sleep on this album! If you skipped it back in the 90’s, give it a listen with your “new” ears. IMO, too many fans gave Erick a pass and favored him over Parish after the first split. Glad the two have found common ground – for the sake of Hip Hop.