PMD — Shade Business

Parrish Smith makes his solo debut with an almost completely self-produced album, after EPMD disbanded following Smith's swift endeavor from dudes who revealed they were sent to his home by Erick Sermon. It's the beginning of a five-year long feud that ends in 1997, when the duo reunites for a new album: in the meantime, they both release a couple of solo discs.

PMD also relies on DJ Scratch, Charlie Marotta, The 45 King, 3rd Eye, and Troo-Kula behind the keyboards, however, the choice of producing most of the beats turns out to be completely wrong. The production is made up of simplistic, cheap and generic beats, with a slow pounding drum and just decent samples. Musically, it would still be an accessible album with these scarce elements, however, the samples become quickly mediocre and ridiculous, the drums harsher and heavier, and the musical carpets less accessible and more annoying in the course of listening: the negative peak is "Respect Mine", which intends to pay homage to "C.R.E.A.M." of the Wu-Tang Clan, of which there's also a music tribute, but almost not heard, due to the horrible mixing of Charlie Marotta.

Among the guests, there are Zone 7, Top Quality, Al B and above all the Das EFX, the only group part of the Hit Squad to participate in the records of PMD instead of those of Sermon, which takes away all the other members, breaking the collective. Except Das EFX, the guys add nothing to this battle rap LP, but they often spit better than PMD. Smith is uninspired, and his delivery is slow, syncopated, lazy, subdued, casually flowing, devoid of intensity and desire. In some cases, he tries to find hardcore rapping, but comes out with an effortless, slow, just decent, definitely not good style, rarely being helped by the shoddy production he does himself.

Released by the PMD label and RCA, distributed by BMG, the album sells a few copies, but is considered a commercial failure, finishing twelfth on rap records and in the top 70 on the pop chart. Overall, the LP combines poor lyricism, bad production and light-hearted, bland rapping: it's underwhelming and weak, as well as being too long with over 50 minutes of listening.

PMD finally doesn't know how to complete it and puts in it bad instrumentals and new jack swing fillers for the radio / club that almost make you smile for how uninspired they are. The best joint, and perhaps the only one worth checking out, is the one with the Das EFX: the rhythm leaves much to be desired, and it's very generic, PMD is again lacking in energy, but the guests performing with a lively, smoothness, hardcore style, kill the cut and bring the record to life for a few moments. Parrish Smith falls as soloist after releasing four great albums with Erick Sermon.

Rating: 4.5/10.