EP ‘5 Tracks Deep’ released

In 1998, Papa Roach released an EP titled 5 Tracks Deep , which sold more than 1,000 copies within its first month of release. In 1999, the band produced another EP, their final independent release, titled Let ‘Em Know . Its success attracted the attention of Warner Music Group , which, as part of a development deal, provided a modest amount of funding for the production of a five-track promotional demo CD. The band sought out influential rock producer Jay Baumgardner to produce the record. In an interview with HitQuarters , Baumgardner stated, “At first, I wasn’t really convinced it would work out, but then I saw a video of them performing at a club – I saw all these kids going wild, knowing the songs by heart – and that’s when I realized that they definitely had potential.”