"Crossover" is a single by American hip hop group EPMD released in August 1992 from their album Business Never Personal. The song's lyrics criticize rappers who crossover to R&B or pop in order to sell more. The single became EPMD's highest charting as it climbed the Billboard charts at #42. The song was also certified gold by RIAA, becoming the group's only single to accomplish that feat.[1] The song samples "Don't Worry If There's a Hell Below (We're All Gonna Go)" by Curtis Mayfield and Roger Troutman's "You Should Be Mine". A music video, colored in blue, was released for the song which features Erick Sermon and Parrish Smith rapping around a building under construction with other people around doing various activities like break-dancing.

"Crossover"
Single by EPMD
from the album Business Never Personal
B-side"Brothers from Brentwood L.I."
ReleasedJune 23, 1992
Recorded1992
GenreHip hop
Length3:50
Label
Songwriter(s)Erick Sermon, Parrish Smith
Producer(s)EPMD
EPMD singles chronology
"Give the People"
(1991)
"Crossover"
(1992)
"Head Banger"
(1992)
Music video
"Crossover" on YouTube

Track listing

edit
  1. Crossover – 3:50
  2. Crossover (Instrumental) – 3:49
  3. Crossover (Trunk Mix) – 4:15
  4. Crossover (Trunk Mix Instrumental) – 4:15
  5. Brothers From Brentwood L.I. – 3:30

Charts

edit
Chart (1992–1993) Peak
position
US Billboard Hot 100[2] 42
US Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales (Billboard)[3] 12
US Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs (Billboard)[4] 14
US Hot Rap Songs (Billboard)[5] 1

Certifications

edit
Region Certification Certified units/sales
United States (RIAA)[6] Gold 500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

edit
  1. ^ Searchable Database: EPMD Archived June 26, 2007, at the Wayback Machine RIAA.com.
  2. ^ "EPMD Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved March 4, 2019.
  3. ^ EPMD – Billboard Singles. Allmusic.
  4. ^ "EPMD Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 4, 2019.
  5. ^ "EPMD Chart History (Hot Rap Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved March 4, 2019.
  6. ^ "American single certifications – EPMD – Crossover". Recording Industry Association of America.
edit