Somethin' Serious

by David JeffriesBeing a member of the now forgotten Convicts didn't make Big Mike a hood household name, but taking Willie D's place in the Geto Boys for an album sure did. Cashing in on his new fame and keeping the momentum rolling, Big Mike's solo debut, Somethin' Serious, is a mother. Hard, swampy tunes with Big Mike stone-cold thugging like UGK dominate, but occasionally Mike comments on society, like when "Piece of Mind" damns the get-rich-quick hood kids who can't "wait till the fruit is ripe." With its funky punch and infectious, hiccupping chorus, "Comin from the Swamp" is unforgettable and almost matched by the slow, observant, and poignant "World of Mind" that follows. Big Mike isn't fronting with his toughness, but his tales of good vs. evil prove there's a heart in there and leave no doubt about an active brain up top. "Daddy's Gone" (with Scarface) is Mike's best writing showcase, with food stamps, bad examples, and hard choices all swirling around in the world of the song's single-mother protagonist.