UGK emcee Bun B is one of the forefathers of Texas rap and, alongside Pimp C, created one of the most successful Southern rap groups of all time. Most known for their 1993 single ‘Pocket Full of Stones’, UGK was among the first wave of rappers from the South to start turning heads.
Bun B and Pimp C met each other as youngsters in Port Arthur, and after separately pursuing music as solo artists on the underground, in 1991, they caught the attention of an independent label in Houston called Bigtyme Records. A year later, they released their debut EP, The Southern Way and continued to prosper in the music business.
However, during an appearance on the B High ATL podcast, Bun B (real name Bernard Freeman) admitted that he could never compete with his late partner in crime lyrically and was never able to reach his level of popularity.
Explaining that Pimp C (real name Chad Butler) had a natural raw talent, Freeman unveiled, “If I had had any more ego, UGK wouldn’t have worked because there’s no way to compete against Pimp C. In that sense, he was way more talented than me. He was a naturally cool muthafucker.”
He continued, “He was the sex symbol, you know what I’m saying. He was a mentor to a lot of people I was too, but there’s no beating him one-on-one.” Pimp C was an extremely skilled and popular musician. His 2006 hit album, Pimpalation, debuted at number three on the Billboard 200.
Unfortunately, only a year after Pimpalation, news broke that the lyricist had died as a result of excess Lean consumption, with the toxicologist revealing codeine and promethazine were the leading causes of death.
Speaking about the hurt it caused him, Freeman told B High ATL, “Not a day goes by that I don’t feel the loss. I just find better ways to cope with it. Missed and loved but appreciated for the time I did have with him.” You can listen to Bun B speaking about Pimp C in the video below.
