UGK's legacy ends with 13-track UGK 4 Life
The duo's latest production is a fluid listen.
Published April 7, 2009
Last week, the seminal Texas rap duo UGK released its final album, titled UGK 4 Life. This wasn't by choice though -- the rappers, signed in the early '90s, had been experiencing more commercial success on a national level in the past two years than they had in their whole career. Their 2007 album Underground Kingz was their first career No. 1 album, and "International Players Anthem (I Choose You)," the lead single from the album, was their first single to ever break into Billboard's Hot 100. But on Dec. 4, 2007, Pimp C, the group's brash lyricist and groundbreaking producer, died of a drug overdose in Los Angeles.
The South -- primarily Memphis, Houston, Miami, New Orleans and especially Atlanta -- has been ruling rap this decade, and it's hard to overstate UGK's influence on artists such as Lil Wayne and Juvenile, Three 6 Mafia, T.I. and, naturally, every artist to ever break out of Houston. Besides being the best and biggest "underground" artists in the South, UGK helped to cultivate the sound and style that would define Southern gangsta rap.
Pimp, responsible for composing nearly all of their early records (along with right-hand man N.O. Joe), cooked up beats that were deep and cavernous, anchored by rumbling, rubbery basslines, funky organ smears and jazzy horn charts. They were steeped in both the funk of New Orleans and the country of their native state. Sometimes Pimp C would croon the hooks in his surprisingly soulful voice -- if the songs weren't vulgar, raw stories chronicling life in the hood, UGK would almost be rap that our parents could like.
Thematically, Pimp and Bun B scratched out the blueprint for the modern Southern rap album, rapping vividly and viciously about selling drugs, driving the dopest cars, pinky rings, getting head, wiping out punks, and oftentimes, how none of those things could bring happiness.
On the mic, they were linked in content but dichotomous stylistically. Pimp's voice was nasally and untamed, his verses were unapologetically crude and confrontational, always seemingly fueled by some sort of anger and resentment. Bun, though no less of a firebrand in his young age, exudes calm. And where Pimp relied heavily on his unmatched presence and the authority inherent in his tell-it-like-it-is raps, Bun was the more dexterous and impressive wordsmith. On the duo's newer records, these characteristics manifested themselves: Bun further mellowed out and embraced the role of wizened veteran whereas Pimp, fresh out of jail, became even fierier and more politically incorrect.
Undoubtedly, Jive, UGK's longtime label, will attempt to cash in on the group's legacy with some type of greatest hits album, but all six of their albums are worth money, even now. Plus, there are too many good songs for one CD anyway.
Too Hard to Swallow (1992)
UGK's debut record is their only that is almost totally sample-based, and while it isn't as impressive sonically as subsequent albums, it is interesting to listen to Pimp chop samples into something resembling their patented organic G-funk. The album also has a few stone-cold classics like "Pocket Full of Stones" and "Feel Like the One Who's Doin' Dope," which is centered on a distorted bass that sounds like a dinosaur's groan.
Key tracks: "Short Texas," "Feel Like the One Who's Doin' Dope"
Super Tight... (1994)
Besides being maybe the best of their albums, Super Tight is the first album where Pimp was able to hire musicians, including a guitarist from one of his favorite bands, The Meters, to recreate the elements he wanted to sample from funk and soul records. The result is a warmer and fuller sounding record than its predecessor. "It's Supposed to Bubble," the album's lounging, soulful third song, predated bottle-popping culture with one of the most earned declarations of decadence: "It's Dom Perignon/It's supposed to bubble/It just be like that sometimes." "Front, Back & Side to Side," an ultimate celebration of car culture, is basically the Swishahouse fetus.
Key tracks: "Pocket Full of Stones Pt. 2," "It's Supposed to Bubble"
Ridin' Dirty (1996)
The group's third album was also its most successful up until two years ago, and it's a decidedly darker and more rounded album. It leads off with "One Day," a contemplative and mournful record about dead and locked up friends. The chorus, "One day you're here/ And the next day you're gone," is especially striking when you remember that the first words out of Pimp's mouth on Super Tight... are, "It all started with a Pimp C, bitch!/So what the fuck is up?" Even "Diamonds & Wood" isn't about jewelry and cars as much as about how it feels like everyone wants to jack you for your bracelet or your Cadillac.
Key tracks: "One Day," "Diamonds & Wood"
Dirty Money (2001)
Dirty Money is probably the duo's least impressive album, and even though it tries to adapt to some of the new sounds and styles emerging out of the post-millennial South (check the chirpy "Tha Block is Hot" synths on "Gold Grill"), there are still moments of old dogs trying to master new tricks. The album also features verses from contemporaries such as Too $hort and 8Ball & MJG as well next-in-lines including Devin the Dude and Three 6 Mafia, a trend that would continue on their subsequent two albums.
Key tracks: "Ain't That a Bitch (Ask Yourself) (ft. Devin the Dude)," "Like a Pimp (ft. Three 6 Mafia)
Underground Kingz (2007)
In the six years in between albums, UGK came to a grinding halt as a group. Pimp was locked up for violating probation, and while he was gone Bun worked on a solo album and spit a bunch of guest verses on songs for next gen Southern rappers such as Webbie and Yo Gotti. The basically self-titled album that followed is a generous two-hour double-disc affair, and while it features too many non-Pimp C productions it's an album that's still worth diving into. It's not often that rappers are putting out some of their best music 15 years deep.
Key tracks: "The Game Belongs to Me," "Cocaine (ft. Rick Ross)"
UGK 4 Life
The duo's final album is probably only 13 tracks long out of necessity, but it's still a respectable end to their career together. The production is classicist, eschewing some of the more modern synth productions that bogged down Underground Kingz in places. And while it isn't as flat out interesting as that album, it's certainly a more fluid listen, with zero bad songs and a laconic mood that suggests that Pimp and Bun were content with their legendary status.
Key tracks: "Everybody Wanna Ball," "The Pimp and The Bun (ft. Ron Isely)"