The turn of the decade saw EPMD sign to industry powerhouse Def Jam, joining the likes of Public Enemy, LL Cool J and 3rd Bass at the label. Erick and Parrish would release two further classic albums in the form of ‘Business As Usual’ and ‘Business Never Personal’, formally introducing the rap world to their Hit Squad crew, which counted Redman, K-Solo and Das EFX amongst its members. EPMD’s rise to the top would be halted, however, when the pair split in late 1992 shortly after the release of their aforementioned fourth album. Parrish claimed Erick had been involved in the burglary of his Long Island home, while Sermon countered by stating that Smith had abused his managerial position in the group by not fully financially compensating him for his role as producer for much of the Hit Squad’s output. The pair would each release solo projects following the group’s break-up, but neither would match the impact of their joint EPMD efforts.