pimp

Again, this is a horrible loss. Especially because Pimp C was one of those true originals, who spoke his mind, and made his own way…

Here are some audio clips from the interview he did for the upcoming Ozone Magazine Sex Issue. And as always, nothing but real talk.

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PimpC-VideoHoes-28sec.mp3

Also, the MTV news family has clips from their interview with Pimp C after his release from prison in 2005:

“Upon his release from prison, Pimp C became an outspoken critic of hip-hop glamorization of jail.

“It’s not a party. It’s not fun,” Pimp said. “Jail affected my whole family. My family got locked up. My group got locked up. I lost when I went to prison. That’s something to be ashamed of, and that’s not a badge of honor. My youngest son was 8 years old when I went in. I came back and he’s a teenager. I can’t get them years back.”

And we can never forget this Pimp C Genius Moment.

Pimp C’s management has released this statement:

It is with great regret that I must confirm that Chad Butler aka Pimp C, one half of the legendary UGK, was in fact discovered dead this morning.

Manager Rick Martin is asking that everyone please respect his family and those close to him at this time and refrain from rumors and innuendo.

A formal statement will be released later this afternoon.

Thank you all for understanding…

And Pimp C’s label, Jive, has released this statement:

It is with great sadness that Jive Records announces the passing of Chad “Pimp C” Butler, a member of the celebrated rap duo UGK (Underground Kingz).  Jive Records’ President and CEO Barry Weiss states: “We mourn the unexpected loss of Chad.  He was truly a thoughtful and kind-hearted person. He will be remembered for his talent and profound influence as a pioneer in bringing southern rap to the forefront. He will be missed and our prayers remain with his family and Bun B.  I’ve known Chad since he was 18, and we loved him dearly and he was a cherished member of the Jive family.”

Born in Port Arthur,  Texas,  Butler’s father was a trumpet player who played professionally with Solomon Burke.  Outside of his father, the 33-year old rapper’s influences varied, ranging from Bobby Bland, Jimmy McGriff, the 1960’s Motown artists to Run DMC. Butler met his inseparable partner Bernard “Bun B” Freeman in high school where they formed UGK. In 1992, the duo signed to Jive Records and went on release a total of eight albums for the label. They earned their highest achievement earlier this year when their most recent album, UGK (Underground Kingz), debuted in the number one position on the album pop chart. According to the New York Times, UGK “helped inspire a generation of Southern hip-hop stars, from OutKast to Lil Wayne.”

Bun B is not available for comment at this time.