SERIOUS VOICE Turns Pain Into Power on “99 Problems”

Brooklyn rapper SERIOUS VOICE doesn’t rap for fame; she raps for purpose. With her latest single “99 Problems,” she delivers a bold, faith-fueled reminder that real strength doesn’t come from flexing, it comes from surrender. Mixing classic hip-hop grit with gospel conviction, she’s proving you can walk with God and still spit bars sharp enough to cut through the noise.

For Brigitte “SERIOUS VOICE” James, hip hop has always been therapy. It’s where she learned to turn chaos into clarity and pain into testimony. Raised in Brooklyn’s toughest corners, she grew up inspired by women like MC Lyte and Queen Latifah, but instead of following their exact footsteps, she carved her own lane in gospel rap. Her music has landed everywhere from Spike Lee’s She’s Gotta Have It to SXSW stages, and with her upcoming project Tessa’s Daughter, she’s channeling her grief over her mother’s passing into something powerful, personal, and healing.

“99 Problems” captures that struggle perfectly, a spiritual tug-of-war between faith and frustration. Backed by her son JSWAGG’s haunting hook and produced by her husband MrC Live, the track calls out the distractions and temptations that cloud our purpose. But through every verse, SERIOUS VOICE reminds listeners that peace is possible when you stay rooted in truth. “Scripts don’t lie,” she declares, a mantra that hits harder than any punchline.

The visuals drive it home. Directed by Bronx Emcee, the music video places her in a pristine white bathtub, a literal and spiritual cleansing. Every frame reflects purity and rebirth, with SERIOUS VOICE spitting bars wrapped in white towels and silver jewelry under a hanging mic. It’s minimalist, powerful, and unapologetically her, a woman of faith who’s seen hell and chose to heal instead.

In a world drowning in noise, “99 Problems” stands out for what it isn’t: flashy, fake, or filtered. It’s honest. And in true SERIOUS VOICE fashion, it preaches without preaching: no matter how messy life gets, you can still “stay clean.”