The hip-hop scene in Houston during 1996 was very diverse with artists such as Geto Boys, Scarface, Big Moe and the legendary Dj Screw leading the way as pioneers. One of the most notable acts from the Lone Star state is the Underground Kingz. Most commonly referred to as UGK, the duo consisting of Bun B and Pimp C became the face of the Houston rap scene with their release of “Ridin’ Dirty” in July 29, 1996. This album grew to be UGK’s best selling album with over 800,000 records sold across the globe. With the slow-soul sampled production from Pimp C and N.O. Joe to the pimped out “southern twang” in the lyrics from both Bun B and Pimp C, they were able to use this album to make major moves in the music industry.
A few standout tracks from this iconic album are “Murder” and “That’s Why I Carry” ft N.O. Joe. Both songs exemplify the true grit of the south with Pimp C flexing his gangsta in “Murder” by testing anybody who wants a problem to come correct. In “That’s Why I Carry” the production gives off a West Coast vibe that meets the South with slow background vocals and a funky bassline to match. Bun B goes in lyrically on the struggles of maneuvering in Houston because there’s always somebody hating on the success and trying to steal the shine. Other tracks on the album such as “Hi-Life” show the effects of living a negative lifestyle revolving around drugs and women. This soulful record is lead with Pimp-C giving deep lyrical content on how being consumed by this lifestyle is setting people back from pursuing a real purpose in life.
The legacy of UGK still lives on in spite of the death of Pimp C back in 2007. Since their reign of southern rap from Houston, this duo has inspired many other artist such as Big Krit, Drake, and A$AP Rocky to add that southern "trill" element to their music.
Catch up on some of the timeless southern lyrics of Bun B and Pimp C as we gear up for this year's A3C festival here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8VvCze8cytg