UGK (consisting of Bun B and Pimp C) - the southern rap duo that is unfortunately perhaps best known in popular consciousness for either their feature on Jay-Z's "Big Pimpin" or their late era masterstroke that featured Andre 3K, "Int’l Players Anthem (I Choose You)":
Great tunes, both of them - but when I think of UGK, I'm not thinking of either of these songs.
I'm thinking of one of the all-time greatest rap tracks - I'm thinking of "One Day", the opening tune from their best album,
Ridin' Dirty. This isn't just glorification of drug dealing and partying as is the case with a lot of southern rap - it deals deftly with the consequences of living these lifestyles - it's emotionally charged and poignant as hell. This track paints a picture of a never-ending cycle of drug-dealing, incarceration, death, and sadness. The whole song is elevated to the level of classic with Ronnie Spencer putting in an amazingly soulful performance for the chorus and the woozy guitar that accompanies everything.
Lyric examples:
Spoiler for Verse 2 - Bun B:
Down in Orange, my nigga Pots died on the corner
Behind a funky-ass dice game
I saw him once before he died, wish it was twice, man
I remember being eight deep off in Chucky crib
Lettin' us act bad, not givin' a **** what we did
When we lost him, I knew the world was comin' to the end
And I had to quit lettin' that devil push me to a sin
My brother been in the pen for damn near ten
But now it look like when he come out, man, I'm goin' in
So, ****, I walk around with my mind blown in my own ****in' zone
'Cause one day, you're here, the next day, you're gone
Oh yeah, one more thing: I think at their best, they were a better rap duo than Outkast were. Don't believe me? Check out "Murder", the third track on
Ridin' Dirty - Pimp C drops bombs on the track - and that's just the pre-game before Bun B goes absolutely nuclear:
So yeah - "One Day" is a masterpiece of a track - and
Ridin' Dirty is a certified rap classic. If you haven't heard it, you're missing out.