Big Tymers

Just what does it take to be a Big Tymer, an uptown shiner and number one stunner? Well, according to New Orleans natives Mannie Fresh and Bryan “Baby” Williams, the duo known as the BIG TYMERS, it takes a lot more than a few dollars in the bank, a fancy car and some iced-out jewelry. They believe that making it “big time” is more than materialism, it is a certain state of mind that allows you to transcend hard times and a harsh environment to prosper, despite all of the negativity that society may throw your way. Mannie is Cash Money’s resident superproducer, the man behind Juvenile’s quadruple platinum-selling “400 Degreez,” which spawned hits such as “Back That Thang Up,” and fellow rapper B.G.’s smash hit “Bling, Bling.” In addition to serving as one half of the duo, Baby is also the co-CEO of Cash Money Records.

“BIG TYMERS is a state of mind,”explains Mannie. “If you gonna do something, do it big time. If you gone get a car, go big time with it. If you gonna go to school and graduate, go to big time with it. A Big Tymer is the one that’s on. They are the leader, not the follower.”

“Me and Fresh invented the BIG TYMERS concept because it was our thing,” adds Baby. “Me and Fresh, we just regular people that like to have things because growing up we didn’t have sh-t.”

The BIG TYMERS made their debut in 1997 on the B.G. underground classic, “It’s All On U Vol. 2,” when the fellas went into the booth and started clowning around on the mic for an intro to the album. The result sounded so good that the two decided to do a whole verse, and thus the BIG TYMERS were born. “One day we caught a verse on one of B.G.’s songs and our audience took a liking to us. So we said that we could do this,” explains Mannie. “We don’t rap, we game-spit.”

Now, hot off the heels of Cash Money’s tremendously successfulrun in 1999, Cash Money’s number one stunners return with their sophomore LP, I Got That Work. “I Got That Work is a street saying for hustling,” explains Baby. “Since we hustling music, we just want the world to know that ‘we got that work.’”

Staying true to the same basic formula that has brought them this far, “I Got That Work” is a stunning LP that finds both Mannie and Baby spitting game at the top of their form. On “Get Your Roll On,” the LP’s lead single, the two kick back like a couple of old school players riding a 70’s-inspired pimped-out groove that Mannie tweaks to perfection. “‘Get Your Roll On’ is actually a song that we’ve been performing around the country on tour,” says Mannie. “The audience response has been so strong that we just decided to do it as a single.” Another sure-fire winner is “No. 1 Stunner,” which features Baby flexing his game-spitting’ on the solo tip. On this bubbly bare-beat track, Baby shines like a brand new ice blue diamond set in a ring of polished platinum. Not to be outdone, Mannie checks in with a solo joint called “10 ways To Run G.” The song is a highly cautionary narrative about three different street situations, with Mannie offering the listener ten different ways to handle them all.

Once again, Cash Money has delivered yet another stellar album for fans and critics to feast on. And given the high quality production and earth-quakin’ performances that Baby and Mannie give, look for “I Got That Work” to keep stereos busy well into the year 2001.