PHASE ONE Only If U Knew [VINYL]

"Now, ever since I can remember, I've been poppin' my collar Poppin'-poppin' my collar, poppin'-poppin' my collar. Now ever since I can remember, I've been workin' these hoes And they better put my money in my hand (in my hand)-" The Last Mr Bigg. There are many legends in the southern rap scene: Three 6 Mafia and Hypnotize Minds affiliates from Memphis, Geto Boys, and Rap-A-Lot from Houston, Texas; Gucci Mane, Outkast, and T.I. from Atlanta; and one of the unsung rap legends of Mobile, Alabama, is Donald Maurice Pears, II, better known as "The Last Mr. Bigg." Donald was given the nickname Bigg and began DJing and rapping in the late 1980s while spending time in the streets and in and out of jail. His career took a detour when he was arrested after crashing his car and violating his probation, which led to a three-year sentence. Eightball and MJG released their debut album in 1993, featuring a track in which Eightball called himself Mr. Big. After being released from prison and inspired by the rise of southern Hip-Hop, Donald changed his rap moniker to "The Last Mr. Bigg" and got in the studio. Shortly after he started recording, he had another encounter with the law and was about to appear in court. He penned the single "Trial Time" about his court case, which would appear on his debut album, Only If U Knew, released on Warlock Records in 2000, putting Mobile, Alabama, on the map. In 2004, Bigg was shot in the eye during a botched robbery and survived the attack. He had his eye replaced with a diamond-encrusted glass eye. The next year, with his distinct gruff voice, he provided the chorus to Three 6 Mafia's "Poppin My Collar". Bigg continued to record and tour, but would never release another album after his 2003 sophomore album, The Mask is Off. The Last Mr. Bigg sadly passed away in his sleep in 2015, but he left behind his southern rap legacy as the Rap Kingpin of Alabama. For the 25th Anniversary, and for the first time on vinyl, a limited edition pressing of Only If U Knew is now available. The album is pressed on White Color-In-Clear with Red and Yellow Splatter coloured vinyl, limited to 500 hand-numbered copies.