Bun B: That's Gangsta
Just ask any aspiring southern MC (as well as other parts of the country and world for that matter) who inspired them to rhyme and watch their eyes illuminate like Christmas trees as they mention UGK at the top of the list. For years the Port Arthur, Texas duo combined Bun B’s growling yet smooth baritone with pin point precise lyricism and Pimp C’s unmistakable country twang spiced with biting wit. Pimp C constructed tracks drenched in woozy gospel organs and classic hip hop 808 drum kit all seemingly slowed up on prescription cough medicine. Since the mid 90s the group dropped classic albums (Riding Dirty), classic guest appearances (Bun B’s verse on Ludacris’ “Stick em up”) and became a chest thumping source of pride and counter attack for southern hip hop fanatics against the constant barrage of unfair criticism against southern lyricists. Unexpectedly and tragically last year Pimp C passed away at a moment in UGK’s career that just seemed to be on its way into the consciousness of the mainstream. With the loss of a friend and a rhyming partner, determined to carry UGK’s legacy on his back Bun B defiantly pulls his H-town fitted down low and goes in alone on his second fourth coming solo album “II Trill”. One thing is for certain after listening to the opening bars on Bun B’s first single “That’s Gangsta” is that Bun has not changed up his perfected formula at all. He immediately smashes the listener in the face with brutal braggadocios lyrics over melodic abrasive drum stabs. Even Sean Kingston’s Jamaican tinged crooning over the chorus appears to be more emphatic then usual when placed in the middle of Bun’s authentic narratives. With all of its gangsta posturing and scathing attacks on fake thugs the song comes to a close by Bun giving a shout out to his fallen friend.
Just ask any aspiring southern MC (as well as other parts of the country and world for that matter) who inspired them to rhyme and watch their eyes illuminate like Christmas trees as they mention UGK at the top of the list. For years the Port Arthur, Texas duo combined Bun B’s growling yet smooth baritone with pin point precise lyricism and Pimp C’s unmistakable country twang spiced with biting wit. Pimp C constructed tracks drenched in woozy gospel organs and classic hip hop 808 drum kit all seemingly slowed up on prescription cough medicine. Since the mid 90s the group dropped classic albums (Riding Dirty), classic guest appearances (Bun B’s verse on Ludacris’ “Stick em up”) and became a chest thumping source of pride and counter attack for southern hip hop fanatics against the constant barrage of unfair criticism against southern lyricists. Unexpectedly and tragically last year Pimp C passed away at a moment in UGK’s career that just seemed to be on its way into the consciousness of the mainstream.
With the loss of a friend and a rhyming partner, determined to carry UGK’s legacy on his back Bun B defiantly pulls his H-town fitted down low and goes in alone on his second fourth coming solo album “II Trill”. One thing is for certain after listening to the opening bars on Bun B’s first single “That’s Gangsta” is that Bun has not changed up his perfected formula at all. He immediately smashes the listener in the face with brutal braggadocios lyrics over melodic abrasive drum stabs. Even Sean Kingston’s Jamaican tinged crooning over the chorus appears to be more emphatic then usual when placed in the middle of Bun’s authentic narratives. With all of its gangsta posturing and scathing attacks on fake thugs the song comes to a close by Bun giving a shout out to his fallen friend.
