EPMD entered the
rap music scene with their
1988 debut album
Strictly Business, going gold and selling over 500,000 copies. Over the next 4 years they released four more gold albums with hit singles that include
The Big Payback,
Headbanger and
Crossover. In
1993 the group broke up over Smith's suspicion that Sermon was involved in a robbery of his house. They both pursued solo careers until their reunion in
1997 with
Back in Business. Their final album as a duo,
Out of Business, was released in
1999 and afterwards they both worked on other projects. Beginning in
2006, they began touring together, most notably as part of the Rock the Bells concert series. They have confirmed that they are currently working on their seventh album,
We Mean Business.