Dec. 5, 2007
Best known as one-half of Houston’s hip-hop crew UGK, rapper Pimp C (born Chad Butler) was found dead Tuesday morning in his Hollywood hotel room. He was 33.The Pimp and his partner Bun B formed UGK in the late ‘80s and made their major label debut in 1992 when Jive released their aptly titled Too Hard to Swallow. Two years later they would refine their sound on the much smoother Super Tight... and in 1996 they would break into the Billboard Top 20 Albums with the classic Ridin' Dirty. A 2000 collaboration with Jay-Z on his “Big Pimpin’†track would take them to number one on the R&B charts and number three on the Hot 100, but two years later, the Pimp would land eight years in jail thanks to violating his probation related to an earlier aggravated gun assault charge. Bun B soon made the “Free Pimp C†t-shirt the “Yayo’s Home†or “Frankie Say Relax†of Southern hip-hop and kept the UGK name alive -- but on hold -- in respect of his imprisoned partner. The Pimp had only served half of his sentence when he was released from prison in December of 2005. After a solo album from each member, UGK came back with a vengeance just this year when they released the amazing and epic double album Underground Kingz. Here’s just a sampling of the key tracks in which this Texas hip-hop icon has been involved. (Warning: Most of these samples are explicit.)
UGK - Pocket Full of Stones [Pimp C Remix]
UGK - Something Good [Pimp C's Remix]
UGK - I Left It Wet for You
UGK - One Day
Master P, Pimp C, & Silkk the Shocker - I Miss My Homies
Jay-Z & UGK - Big Pimpin'
UGK - Pimpin' Ain't No Illusion
UGK & Outkast - Int'l Players Anthem (I Choose You)
UGK - The Game Belongs to Me
Pimp C - I'm Free