Bun B - Trill OG

Texas hip-hop wasn't really on my radar until the Geto Boys hit in the 90s. I liked that Mad Flava track for obvious reasons and knew Primo was from Texas, but it wasn't until Devin The Dude rocked my world that I really started digging into the Lone Star rap. As I'm not a syrup guy, it was kind of hard to find something to grab onto, but a gang of Texans like Paul Wall, Slim Thug and a mess of others soon came on the radar gave me more than ample material to sink my teeth into.

UGK I never really liked, even after Big Pimpin made them a nationwide force to be reckoned with. They have charted consistently since the 80s going back to Pocketful Of Stones, but post-Pimpin it was the big time for the Port Arthur duo. Then Pimp C caught a three year gun charge for pulling a gun in a mall.

The bid ended up being doubly bad for Pimp C, as Bun B went for his, attacking every track he appeared on like a lion and shouting out Pimp C at every turn. It exposed what many hadn't realized: Bun B is a fucking beast on the m.i.c. His solo record Trill charted high on the pop and R&B charts, laying the groundwork for a new self-titled UGK double record upon C's imminent release. The record did well, and UGK seemed like they could finally get back to the level they operated on prior to Pimp C's incarceration. And then Pimp C was found dead in a Hollywood hotel room from a promethazine/codeine overdose.

Post Pimp C's passing, the self-titled UGK record sold a ton. Bun B retreated back to the lab, selling respectable numbers of II Trill. Now, just over two years later, we have Trill OG. I'm not one to lend a lot of credence to The Source in this day and age, but Trill OG got the first five mike rating in like six years this time around and I just might be tempted to agree. Did I mention that Bun B is a fucking beast? He kills almost every track here, whether it be on a Premier beat solo, or with trendy soon-to-be has-beens like Jeezy or Gucci. Not for nothing, but neither of those dudes are worthy. There is a healthy roster of guest spots, but the solo songs are the ones that shine here. Much has been made of the 'unreleased' verse from Tupac, but it's really nothing special. The Drake tracks are ok, but its important that everyone know that this is a Bun B record and B deserves all the accolades for it. Chalk up another win for the old heads. For every copy of this that sells, a backpacker's Zune crashes. I'm buying two.

R