Exclusive: The onetime Geto Boy discusses his new disc, his current feelings about his fiery fallout with Rap-A-Lot Records, and the Boss' homage to Nawlins Phats.

He’s arguably your favorite southern rapper’s favorite rapper.   

Almost every emcee born below the Mason-Dixon Line came of age idolizing (and surely at one point or another imitating) the man born Michael Barnett, better known as Big Mike.

The New Orleans native (who relocated to Houston, Texas as a teen) began his Hall of Fame career exactly 20 years ago by extolling the virtues of domestic violence and the need to “Woop Her Ass” as one-half of Rap-A-Lot Records’ controversial Shock Rap duo The Convicts. The staccato spitter was subsequently recruited to fill-in for an absent Willie D on The Geto Boys' first #1 album, Till Death Do Us Part. Thanks to the standout performances he put in for “Straight Gangstaism,” “Crooked Officer” and several other selections, (and his arguable outshining of group frontman, Scarface), a solo career for Big Mike was born. A trilogy of celebrated efforts from Mike soon followed with 1994’s Somethin’ Serious, 1997’s Still Serious and 1999’s Hard to Hit.

But behind the scenes of what seemed to be one of the best success stories of any Hip Hop artist of the 1990s were simmering issues that would soon boil over. A reportedly contentious relationship with Scarface only the least of Mike’s problems, as the much more serious monetary and contractual disputes with Rap-A-Lot founder J. Prince eventually culminated with someone allegedly affiliated with Mr. Prince shooting up Mike’s residence in the middle of the night. In retaliation for that gunfire, Mike set literal fire to a Rap-A-Lot recording studio. He subsequently spent nearly four years in prison for the arson.

Since his return to the free world seven-and-a-half years ago, Mike has released four full-lengths just as good as anything he dropped during his heyday: 2005’s Nawlins Phats, 2006’s Keep It Playa, 2009’s Ridah Music Vol. 1 and Serious As Can Be – the latter being an unsanctioned release by hackers. But without the machinery of Rap-A-Lot’s ‘90s-era distributors (Priority and Virgin Records) supporting his efforts, Mike has unfortunately been unable to reclaim the commercial spotlight he commanded back when he was nominated, alongside Nas and The Notorious B.I.G., as “Lyricist of the Year” at the 1995 Source Awards. Thankfully though for fans of the southside O.G., even from the underground Mike can still make the masses take notice, as he is currently doing with his impressive new album, Bayou Classic (Love. Faith. Honor. Loyalty.)  

Big Mike recently spoke to HipHopDX about his just-released classic, the mutual respect he shares with one his artistic offspring, the late great Pimp C’s fearless attempt to aid his longtime friend’s comeback on his own Rap-A-Lot release, and Mike’s feelings towards that label’s CEO a dozen years after the drama that arguably altered both the long-term viability of the South’s first powerhouse Hip Hop label and the career trajectory of one of its onetime stars.  

Big Mike Talks Bayou Classic's Role In Rap
HipHopDX: I wanna start off by noting that this Bayou Classic album is jammin’ for real. And I’m not just blowin’ smoke up your ass.    

Big Mike: [Laughs] I appreciate that, man. Thank you. So you honestly think so, huh?

DX: Yessir. I’m really diggin’ that old school Gumbo Funk feel of “Taking Off” and that ride-and-smoke shit like “That Come Back.” It’s just a shame though that Bayou Classic may not be embraced as the classic it woulda been back before all this [Rap style as of late] took over.  

Big Mike: But you know what? You never know though, because good music transcends a lot. And I think it’s just that people haven’t been getting it. They haven’t gotten an album like Bayou Classic. They haven’t heard an album like that in a long time.

It has an essence of the past, but at the same time it’s current. The music and the topics are relevant [to today]. It’s kinda like going to see a good movie that may have things from the past in it, the present, and hopes of the future.

So I just think that they haven’t had a project like that... I mean, by you listening to it, you got it. Do you consider it a classic? In your mind is this something that you would pick up 10, 15 years from now and play again?

DX: I think so. Yeah, I think it’s gonna last.

Big Mike: So whoever get it, it’s gonna be a classic to them. I think whoever get their hands on it gonna enjoy it….

DX: My personal favorite classic cut on the album is the groovin’ “Hands On Airythang.” “Boys would know of me, my name in the game resonate.” Who was the most recent artist to come up to you and pay homage to Big Mike?

Big Mike: Let’s see, the most recent … um … of the current artists that’s out right now, I would have to say it was [Rick] Ross. Matter fact, that’s how we wound up doing that song together that was on my Full Circle mixtape called “Animal” .

DX: And do you remember what his conversation was?

Big Mike: It was just that he was a fan of mine, used to bang my music and stuff…when it was poppin’. And, anything I would need to where he could help me or whatnot, let’s do it. So, it was just a respect thing, mayne - just a lot of love and a lot of respect from [him]. And vice versa, ‘cause I told him I appreciated what he had did at the time with the album that he had out at the time and [that] I liked his style a lot.

DX: Another quote from Bayou Classic you know I gotta ask you about is from “Where Is Da Light”: “Ridin’ on fire to burn out / Only to rise from the rubble.” Now, after you detailed the circumstances surrounding the arson that led to you serving four years in the state pen from 2000 to 2004 on “Ride On” from your last full-length a couple years ago, Serious As Can Be, why’d you decide to again make reference to that situation on your new album?

Big Mike: Well, that reference on “Where Is Da Light” wasn’t even a reference pertaining to that incident. … What I was referring to was people living the fast life. I’ve been guilty of it. And living that fast life, you may burn out fast. You dig what I’m sayin’? But, with your belief and everything in the right place, you can rise from that rubble after you burn out. And that’s what the whole song is about. It has nothing to do with me [and] that particular incident. It’s an encouraging song; it’s an inspirational song …. We’re looking for something greater than ourselves, and I’m letting ‘em know the light that we need to relish in and bask in is the light from the almighty.

So that wasn’t even pertaining to that incident. I’m not the one to beat no dead horse. But, at the same time, if I wanted to make reference towards the incident, I earned the right because I was the person that went through it. I’m the person that had to deal with the whole ordeal, so I earned that stripe. I earned the right to even speak about that, as many times as I would like to. But not on that song, that song wasn’t even referring to that incident. It was just an encouraging song ….

Big Mike Explains Present Day Relationship With Rap-A-Lot Records
DX: I do have just one question about that incident. Back when Nawlins Phats dropped you told me in an interview for Down magazine that you and J. Prince “can be in the same room together. I don’t hold any grudges.” Six years later, do you still feel the same way towards Prince?

Big Mike: I mean, with my belief in God and my faith in Jesus Christ, I believe in the whole thing of forgiving. And in order to be forgiven, I have to forgive. Without going into too much detail about the incident in itself – ‘cause like I said, it’s in the past – but…Yeah, I could be in a room with a person and not be hostile towards [that] individual. But does that mean I prefer to be around a person? If I don’t prefer to be around a person, then I just won’t make myself available to be caught in that situation. But, I’m not in the process of trying to ruin somebody’s – you know, get into a situation that’s not beneficial to me and my family behind something that’s already in the past. I’m still here, I’m still living, still doing what I love to do, and it’s a blessing for me. So, I’m just gonna focus on my blessings and where they come from, and not all the miscellaneous stuff.

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