Yesterday (Dec. 4) marked the 15th anniversary of Pimp C’s passing. Taking to social media, Bun B paid tribute to the late Port Arthur giant with a throwback picture and a heartfelt message:
“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 we did have with you. Your spirit lives on in your music, and your legacy lives on through your kids. The trillest ever born. [There will] never be another. Love you, bro. And it’s still UGK for life!”
As UGK (which stands for Underground Kingz), Bun B and Pimp C were true pioneers of the Texas hip hop scene, specifically in regard to the city of Houston. Their debut album, Too Hard to Swallow, made landfall in 1992, complete with timeless cuts like “Something Good” and “Pocket Full of Stones.” The duo continued to make waves with bonafide classics like the gold-certified Ridin’ Dirty and their chart-topping self-titled LP, the latter of which contained their most commercially successful single, the OutKast-assisted “International Players Anthem (I Choose You).”
Several months after the release of Underground Kingz, Pimp C was found unresponsive in his hotel in West Hollywood. He transitioned shortly after at the age of 33. Since then, Bun B — who’d already kicked off his solo campaign with 2005’s Trill — continued the UGK movement with well-received offerings like II Trill, Trill OG, and Return of the Trill. His most recent body of work, the joint effort Mo Trill with producer Cory Mo, made landfall back in March with 11 songs and a wealth of contributions from Big K.R.I.T., Slim Thug, Lil’ Keke, Wale, CeeLo Green, Benny the Butcher, Raheem DeVaughn, and more. Check out Bun B’s Instagram tribute to Pimp C here.