Pimp C

Pimp C
Pimp C in mid-2006.
Background information
Birth name	Chad Lamont Butler
Also known as	Sweet James Jones Tony Snow Percy Mack
Born	(1973-12-29)December 29, 1973 Port Arthur, Texas, U.S.
Died	December 4, 2007(2007-12-04) (aged 33) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Genres	Hip hop southern hip hop
Occupation(s)	Rapper
Years active	1987–2007
Labels	Atlantic Rap-a-Lot Asylum
Associated acts	UGK Three Six Mafia David Banner Too Short Spice 1 Boosie Badazz Webbie Mike Jones Jazze Pha Chamillionaire Young Buck Slim Thug
Website	www.pimpcmusic.com

Chad Lamont Butler^[1] (December 29, 1973 – December 4, 2007), better known by his stage name Pimp C, was an American rapper and recording artist. He was best known for his work with Bun B as a founding member of the Underground Kingz (UGK).

Music career

UGK

Butler formed the rap group Underground Kingz (colloquially known as UGK) with best friend Bernard "Bun B" Freeman in 1987 in Port Arthur, Texas.^[2][3] In 1991, Jive Records signed UGK and released Too Hard to Swallow, followed by the critically acclaimed Super Tight. The group's third album, Ridin' Dirty, reached #2 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart,^[4] and their momentum was continued with features on the popular singles "Big Pimpin'" with Jay-Z and "Sippin' on Some Syrup" by Three 6 Mafia. UGK's fourth album, Dirty Money, was distributed in 2001. Due to Butler's incarceration in 2002, UGK would not release another studio album until 2007's Underground Kingz, which included the hit "International Players Anthem (I Choose You)", featuring Outkast.^[3]

Arrest and solo debut

In January 2002, Pimp C was sentenced to eight years in prison for violating his probation by ignoring his sentence to community service stemming from an earlier aggravated assault charge.^[5] His arrest was widely protested by the hip hop community, who along with Bun B, immediately initiated a grassroots "Free Pimp C" campaign.^[6] While Pimp C was in prison, Rap-A-Lot Records released The Sweet James Jones Stories in 2005, most of which consisted of unreleased freestyle recordings.^[5]

Pimp C spent the later portion of his sentence at the Terrell Unit in Brazoria County, Texas and was transferred to the Huntsville Unit a week prior to his release.^[7] On December 30, 2005, Pimp C was released from prison and placed on parole until December 2007.^[8]

On July 11, 2006, Pimp C released his debut solo album, Pimpalation.

Death and tributes

Pimp C was found dead in a hotel in West Hollywood, California, on December 4, 2007.^[3] His death was attributed in part "to promethazine/codeine effects"^[9] in conjunction with preexisting sleep apnea.^[10] Promethazine and codeine are active ingredients in a recreational drug called "syrup" or "purple drank" that Pimp C, like many other Southern rappers, referred to in his music.^[11] The funeral was held at the Bob Bowers Civic Center in Port Arthur, Texas on December 13, 2007.^[12] Port Arthur Mayor Deloris Prince, Pimp C's mother Weslyn Monroe, and Bun B were among the speakers at the service.^[12]

Bun B continues to pay tribute to Pimp C through his music, including the tracks "You're Everything," a collaboration with Rick Ross, David Banner, and 8Ball and MJG, and "Pop It 4 Pimp" which was produced by Mouse and featured Juvenile and Webbie, off of Bun B's 2008 album II Trill.^[13]Bun B released the final UGK album, UGK 4 Life, in 2009. UGK 4 Life had been recorded, for the most part, in the time frame between their previous album and the passing of Pimp C. Outkast paid tribute to Pimp C during their Outkast #Atlast homecoming tour in Atlanta, playing Int'l Players Anthem (I Choose You) onstage with Bun B and dedicating it to the late rapper.^[14] That same year, Bun B dedicated a tribute show at the A3C Festival in Atlanta, GA to preclude Pimp C's posthumous album. The late up and coming rapper Doe B released a remix of UGK's song Murder entitled Homicide, which featured T.I. ^[15]

In 2015, producer Amerigo Gazaway released B.B. & The Underground Kingz: The Trill is Gone. As part of the series "collaborations that never were" Gazaway re-imagined a recording session between blues guitarist B.B. King and UGK.

In 2015, an autobiography about Pimp C was released, named "Sweet Jones, Pimp C's Trill Life Story" by Ozone Magazine editor and founder, Julia Beverly

Discography

Albums

Studio albums

Singles

As lead artist

As featured artist

Other charted songs

Guest appearances

Music videos

References

External links

Wikiquote has quotations related to: Pimp C

• Official website
• Pimp C on IMDb