dead serious is the debut studio album of american hip hop duo das efx, originally released in 1992. recording sessions for the album took place at firehouse studios in brooklyn, new york and at charlie marotta’s north shore soundworks studio in long island, new york. dead serious caused an immediate sensation upon its release. the album was a certified hit, peaking at 16 on the u.s. billboard 200 chart, topping the top r&b/hip-hop albums chart for five weeks. dead serious went platinum on the strength of the singles mic checka and the top 40 pop hit they want efx, by 1993. well-received upon its release, dead serious has since been regarded by music writers as a significant and influential album in hip hop. giving it a 4 out of 5-mic rating, the sources matty c compared the duos lyrical style to that of busta rhymes, treach, and epmd.