“Rest in Peace Pimp C,” the epithet that has turned into a rally cry for respect and remembrance for Chad “Pimp C” Butler. His life was a stamp on the history of hip hop and southern rap. Pimp’s unabashed method for expressing himself and his lifestyle touched not only his fans but for all artists around him. Names like Snoop Dogg, Scarface, Too Short, 8 Ball & MJG, Jazze Phae, David Banner, Mannie Fresh and Paul Wall were all influenced by his music and shared their experiences in his biography Sweet Jones: Pimp C’s Trill Life Story.
The bio is penned and published by Julia Beverly. Her publishing company, Shreveport Ave, was established solely for the release of this biography, and is named after the street where Pimp C’s mother lived. The decision to publish the book herself rather than seeking out a major publisher is much like the decision artists have to make when deciding to go the independent route or entrust their career in a major label for a record deal. “Ultimately I think that doing it sort of underground going the independent route was most important for a book about and underground king like Pimp C” Beverly stated over the phone.
Julia Beverly, founder and editor of Ozone Magazine, became acquainted with Pimp C’s music early 2000s during the growing success of his group UGK (Underground Kingz) that recently released their album Dirty Money and appeared on high profile features like Jay-Z’s “Big Pimpin” and “Sippin on Some Syrup” with 36 Mafia. While buzz grew in 2002 Pimp C was incarcerated for an aggravated gun charge. In the three years he spent behind bars he kept in constant communication with his fans and Julia through letters scanned and published in Ozone Magazine, his column Chronicles of Pimp C.
The book derives from over 250 interviews from those closest to the rap star including UGK partner Bun B, the third member of UGK DJ Bird, Pimp C’s personal body guard Big Munn to name a few. Pimp C’s mother and manager of the group Weslyn “Mama Wes” Monroe supported Beverly’s endeavor to encapsulate her son’s life in a book.
“There’s a lot to learn,” Beverly added “from mental health and drug abuse struggles that are common in the entertainment industry...the prison system…the music business and how a successful group (like UGK) can actually end up indebted.” The story follows Pimp C’s journey as diagnosed bipolar and his controversial lifestyle as well as his role as a family man and his experience in the music industry.
Julia Beverly and a panel of friends that were close to Pimp C and UGK will be at A3C 2015 teaching Pimp C 101. The purpose of the panel is to educate a burgeoning crowd on the business behind the music industry and how they can apply lessons learned from Pimp C’s Trill Life Story.