Somethin' Serious by Big Mike (Album, Southern Hip Hop): Reviews, Ratings, Credits, Song list - Rate Your Music
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Somethin' Serious
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ArtistBig Mike
TypeAlbum
Released25 June 1994
Recorded1993 - 1994
RYM Rating 3.61 / 5.00.5 from 287 ratings
Ranked#250 for 1994
Genres
Descriptors
boastful, crime, energetic, urban, rhythmic, male vocalist
Language English

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Issues

2 Issues

2 Issues

Credits

Credits

17 Reviews

Page 1 2 >>
  •   1 Comin' From the Swamp
  •   2 World of Mind
  •   3 Ghetto Love
  •   4 Creepin - Rollin
  •   5 Smoke Em & Choke Em
  • 4.00 stars 6 Havin Thangs
  •   7 On da Real
  •   8 Playa Playa
  •   9 Southern Thang
  •   10 Somethin Serious
  •   11 Get Over That
  •   12 Fire
  •   13 Daddy's Gone
  •   14 On da 1
Lyrics: 3.75
Beats: 4.0


The Geto Boys picked the most talented MC available in the Rap-A-Lot roster for Willie D's replacement in the Geto Boys for their 1993 LP. His good work with the Geto Boys led him to a solo deal, and if it wasn't for Scarface's The Diary this would have been the best Rap-A-Lot album of the year 1994. Now if you expect anything else than some pure southern gangsta shit, well you might be dissapointed cause this ain't nothing but that pure southern gangsta shit! The beats have that "raw funk" sound that Rap-A-Lot is best known for, with a little bit of g-funk influences sparked in it which is to be expected cause the year is 1994 afterall. Big Mike's style is pretty hard, his rough imposing voice doesn't make him look like a softie at all and he raps strictly about street shit. Even if his subject matter is not the most diverse, he manages to keep things varied and it makes an excellent album overall. There aren't really any weak moments on the album and the production is constantly great, so the results are more than enjoyable. Definitely a good album to pick for all the fans of the Geto Boys and the other stuff on the Rap-A-Lot label, if you enjoy this type of stuff you probably won't be dissapointed with this album. It's somehow overlooked, but as usual I blame that on the non-NY location.
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This album cover needs big time work, I almost didn't believe this was a legit hip hop album from thee cover shot. Get it...he's BIG Mike... 'n' he's so big that his body serves as TWO separate I's. But for a dollar, I thought why not - there might be some humor within. But what has been greeting my ears since July is a seriously close to classic hip hop disc. In comparison to much of thee mediocre ('n' gigantic) southern hip hop market, this stands far above, with just a pure funk vibe throughout. Not as soulful as Outkast, perhaps, but still meaningful 'n' it's trying hard. Big Mike, a third string Geto Boy with a goony image who happened to put out a decent album. A pleasant turn of events.
Published
I really wasn't expecting Big Mike to put out something this good. One of the best southern rap albums of the '90s. The flow is incredible, the lyrics are deep and meaningful, the production is solid. It's just great stuff.
Published
  • 4.00 stars 1 Comin' From the Swamp
  • 4.00 stars 2 World of Mind
  • 4.00 stars 3 Ghetto Love
  • 4.00 stars 4 Creepin - Rollin
  • 4.00 stars 5 Smoke Em & Choke Em
  • 4.00 stars 6 Havin Thangs
  • 4.00 stars 7 On da Real
  • 4.00 stars 8 Playa Playa
  • 4.00 stars 9 Southern Thang
  • 4.50 stars 10 Somethin Serious
  • 4.50 stars 11 Get Over That
  • 4.00 stars 12 Fire
  • 4.50 stars 13 Daddy's Gone
  • 4.50 stars 14 On da 1
This was actually one of the first Rap-A-Lot releases I heard that wasn't The Geto Boys or Scarface. Well, I guess Big Mike was briefly part of the Geto Boys, but anyway, this is his solo debut. Big Mike is a very talented and versatile rapper. He has an excellent voice with the southern drawls, can adapt to any beat by changing his flow and has solid lyrics. Now, some of the lyrics are just gangsta/street shit, but there are some conscious and introspective lyrics on a few tracks like "Daddy's Gone." He's also got an excellent delivery where you can really hear what he's saying. Clearly, he's one of the best rappers on the roster. The production is also very solid. This is that classic Rap-A-Lot raw funk sound, although since it was 1994 you will hear some synths being used. You can tell that Rap-A-Lot was starting to move away from the raw funk sound even though it's still present throughout most of the album. Every single beat sounds different. There's so much dope instrumentation mixed in with all these different drum loops. I would say that production wise, this is arguably one of the best albums from the label. Consistency wise, this album holds up quite nicely. Every track on here is excellent with a few serious standouts. Scarface and Pimp C are the only guest appearances, but I don't mind because Big Mike has the delivery to hold down his own album. Overall I'd recommend this to gangsta rap fans because it's pretty much essential. But remember to listen to The Geto Boys and Scarface first before checking this one out. This is yet another album that has aged incredibly well for me.
Published
  • 3.00 stars 1 Comin' From the Swamp
  • 4.50 stars 2 World of Mind
  • 4.00 stars 3 Ghetto Love
  • 4.00 stars 4 Creepin - Rollin
  • 4.50 stars 5 Smoke Em & Choke Em
  • 4.00 stars 6 Havin Thangs
  • 4.00 stars 7 On da Real
  • 4.00 stars 8 Playa Playa
  • 3.00 stars 9 Southern Thang
  • 4.00 stars 10 Somethin Serious
  • 4.00 stars 11 Get Over That
  • 3.00 stars 12 Fire
  • 4.00 stars 13 Daddy's Gone
  • 3.00 stars 14 On da 1
Michael "Big Mike" Barnett's debut, called to replace Willie D in the Geto Boys from 1992 to 1995, is one of the hidden gems in southern rap and in the vast Rap-A-Lot catalog. Production is mainly performed by the Convicts rapper himself and NO Joe, along with other producers of the record company, such as Mike Dean, John Bido, Pee Wee, Simon Cullins and Michael "Mike B" Banks, as well as UGK's Pimp C. The guests of the edition are 3-2 of Convicts, Scarface of Geto Boys, Tre'Mendous, Pimp C & UGK.

The rhythms made by the guys are very good: funky boom baps, minimal drums, pounding and slow, sometimes midtempo and downtempo, fantastic samples that vary between the relaxed mood of mobb music and excellent elegant g-funk synths. On this fresh, hard and optimal soundscape, Big Mike deals with simple g topics, especially crime, bravado, women and socio-conscious excerpts. Lyrically, it's not the strongest record of the year, nevertheless, the New Orleans MC is technically flawless and offers bars with a varied style, boasting a syncopated and quick delivery, confident and hardcore or a calm and relaxed rapping, adapting brilliantly to the rhythms chosen by the producers.

Released by Rap-A-Lot and distributed by Priority, the album flies through the rap chart stopping in fourth place, while on the Billboard 200 it reaches the top 40, finishing among the best-selling hip-hop records of the year and being certified gold by the RIAA in four months. Big Mike proves he has talent and can bring a solo studio album on his own: in 55 minutes, the guy kills many of these 14 cuts.

Highlights: "World of Mind", "Creepin - Rollin", "Smoke Em & Choke Em", "Havin Thangs", "On da Real", "Playa Playa".

Rating: 8.3/10.
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Not really a hands down, definitive stand out song on here but that's OK because instead this album is just solid and consistent the entire way through. Head nodding Dirty South and G-Funk grooves; that straightforward, hard-hitting old school Houston rapping style; those slightly corny sung choruses which are ultimately just fun enough that you enjoy it anyway. Just has the overall sound of another lost 90s classic.
Published
Deserving of its status as a slept-on gem, Big Mike may not have the charisma of someone like Willie D but he's an entertaining lyricist and those psuedo-G-Funk beats bang pretty hard, never mind the super catchy hooks that keep bringing you back for more.

This is summer music through and through, yet there was fresh snow on the ground outside my window as I listened. I have this and The Spotlight Kid on hold for my next barbecue.

(Also 'The Peter Man' could well be the most unthreatening gangsta nickname I've ever come across.)
Published
  • 3.50 stars 1 Comin' From the Swamp
  • 4.50 stars 2 World of Mind
  • 3.50 stars 3 Ghetto Love
  • 4.00 stars 4 Creepin - Rollin
  • 4.00 stars 5 Smoke Em & Choke Em
  • 4.00 stars 6 Havin Thangs
  • 4.50 stars 7 On Da Real
  • 4.50 stars 8 Playa Playa
  • 3.00 stars 9 Southern Thang
  • 4.00 stars 10 Somethin Serious
  • 3.50 stars 11 Get Over That
  • 3.00 stars 12 Fire
  • 3.50 stars 13 Daddy's Gone
  • 3.00 stars 14 On Da 1
I find that Big Mike shares some similarities with Mr. 3-2. Both have smooth deliveries and have a pimp/player persona. Both are also criminally underrated Rap-a-Lot artists who did not receive nearly enough recognition considering their track record. Really smooth record and fans of 3-2 will definitely find a liking to Big Mike.

Best Tracks: World of Mind, Creepin - Rollin, Smoke Em & Choke Em, Havin Thangs, On da Real, Playa Playa
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Catalog

Ratings: 287
Cataloged: 201
Track rating sets:Track ratings: 28
Rating distribution
Rating trend
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19 May 2024
Ryus  3.50 stars really good
7 May 2024
14 Apr 2024
10 Apr 2024
Rewhki  4.00 stars Excellent
4 Apr 2024
aerodeliria  4.00 stars good
2 Apr 2024
26 Mar 2024
Partsu  3.50 stars
23 Mar 2024
14 Mar 2024
mercibatu7  3.50 stars benerci kendini niçin öldürdü
11 Mar 2024
22 Feb 2024
chibijean  4.50 stars amazing / Westside Gunn ad-libs
11 Feb 2024
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rubasny  4.00 stars
6 Jan 2024
31 Dec 2023
you_destructive  4.00 stars the magic of origins
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Track listing

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Contributions

Contributors to this release: tremendoid, diction, SellMeAGod, voodookat, Neket
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