We’re used to hearing T.I. and his peers rhyme about “doing it big,” but when Mary Mary harmonizes the same words over 808 beats, we hit rewind—just to make sure we heard them right. If you thought the Gospel sister act had a shocking amount of hot beats on their last album (which boasted the megahit “God in Me”), there’s even more on their new album, Something Big. It’s led by the hit “Walking” and it’s sure to appeal to hip-hop/R&B fans.

Mary Mary is deliberately stepping into the R&B realm with this album (released March 29). Gone are the biblical terms, such as “anointed,” and they speak about situations that people of all faiths encounter. On “Are You Ready?”, they talk to people who dream big but don’t put in the work. “It may be offensive to some because a lot of people choose this approach: ‘Okay, God. I want something, and I just want You to give it to me. I’m not prepared for it, but I’m just going to pray and think in my mind that I’m going to get it.’ In our opinion, if you want something from God you do all your stuff first,” Erica said.

For more on Mary Mary and Something Big, pick up the April 2011 issue, on stands now!

 Watch the "Walking" music video now.

-Sabrina M. Parker

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