Bun B: Remaining Trill September 2005
As part of UGK (Underground Kingz) alongside Pimp C, Bun B has been one of the South’s most familiar and respected faces. For thirteen years, he has taken Southern Hip Hop to higher levels of respect, and after a break with Jay-Z’s “Big Pimpin” UGK were known by Hip Hop fans across the world.
Over the past few months, Bun B has been on everyone’s album and mixtape. From Paul Wall and Slim Thug to Lil’ Kim and everyone else, a guest appearance by Bun B has been easy to find.
This October, through Rap-A-Lot/Asylum Bun B will release his first solo album “Trill” featuring a large array of big name guests and producers.
MVRemix: Where does the name Bun B come from?
Bun B: Bun is short for Bunny and B came from the early 90’s where everyone pretty much just had that initial.
MVRemix: Tell me about “Trill”
Bun B: The album is coming out October 18th on Rap-A-Lot/Asylum records. It’s my first solo project – ever… Born out of necessity rather than anything to keep the name and the UGK legacy alive. Basically it’s the soundtrack to the steets.
MVRemix: Can you tell me about guests/producers that are on there?
Bun B: Sure, there’s production by Mannie Fresh, Jazze Pha, Lil’ Jon, Mr. Lee in Houston, Salih Williams who produced “Back Then” and “Sittin Sidewayz.” A couple of vocal producers, I was trying to get a couple of guys – Shot To The Game by Blackout Productions out of Miami.
MVRemix: People wondered, why work on a solo with Pimp C’s parole hearing coming up so soon?
Bun B: Well because of the fact that we put it off until the last minute to do it because we were hoping that he’d get an early release.
MVRemix: A lot of people want to know whether your verse from the song “Murder” on “Ridin’ Dirty” freestyled or written?
Bun B: It was a written rhyme, but it literally was written on the spot and recorded on the spot.
MVRemix: With the volume of verses you’ve put out over the past 2 years, do you feel burned out, think it sounds repetitive or ever suffer from writer’s block?
Bun B: No, not at all. I’ve got more than enough information – sometimes I feel like I don’t do enough songs.
MVRemix: What really happened that night Master P had Pimp C beat up in that hotel room?
Bun B: It’s kind of hard to say because I wasn’t really there. Yeah, you’d probably have to ask Pimp C or Master P about that.
MVRemix: Do you know what it was over?
Bun B: [Nonchalantly] People don’t get along all the time. That’s the way the world works sometimes, everybody’s not meant to get along. You know? Sometimes these things get bigger than… These things happen.
MVRemix: What was it like working with J. Prince?
Bun B: I mean I’ve always in some form or fashion done business with J. Prince over the past thirteen years of my career. But this point is that we’re just actually working together on something that we’re doing as opposed to working together on something he’s doing or working together on something I’m doing. This is a collaborative effort.
MVRemix: Do you have any connections or ties with the other guys that were in the original 4 Black Minister or UGK?
Bun B: Of course, Big Mitch was in my video this weekend when we filmed “Draped Up” in Port Arthur. I couldn’t get in contact with Jalon.
MVRemix: Is Middle Fingaz “No Apologiez” being released at any point in the foresseable future?
Bun B: Yes, in the first quarter (2006). We’re looking at a February release some time we’re co-ordinating for promotion around the time of the All-Star game.
MVRemix: There were rumours of a new Geto Boys group you were going to form – is there any light you can shed on that?
Bun B: It was something that was thrown around a couple of years ago about another possible inception of the Geto Boys. But after further consideration, it was decided for everybody that the original Geto Boys weren’t done yet and that’s where you get the foundation of it.
MVRemix: How would you compare your career before and after the success of “Big Pimpin” with regards to your level of exposure?
Bun B: Naturally, of course, exposure wise I got moved into a different level of exposure. Anyone, it doesn’t have to be UGK, but any artist, even today, any artist that were to do a song with Jay-Z would be automatically propelled into a totally different media bracket. But yeah, it definitely helped as far as exposure with getting us out there. I mean, of course, it’s not like Jay-Z put UGK out there. We were on the song, I mean he put us on the song but once we were on the song we made it ours.
MVRemix: With all the beefs that have been going on with Texan artists and artists in the South, do you have any stance as to what has been going on… Do you see the reason for it escalating now because of their recent success?
Bun B: I think that there’s so many more outlets for so much more information. I think there has always been beef in Hip Hop and people have always had problems with people. It’s just the fact that you didn’t hear about everything all the time. I think now that with the net and blogs and chat rooms and everything and mixtapes… There’s just a lot more avenues for that information to be passed around and unfortunately some of that information is diss music or cut downs or whatever the fuck you wanna call ‘em.
MVRemix: What are your thoughts on the way the US Government has handled Hurricane Katrina thus far?
Bun B: I think for a lot of people it’s a wake up call. Me, myself, being from Texas I’ve already seen the action or should I say in-action that a Bush-regime will take in certain circumstances with certain people. I guess for America this is a wake up call for a lot of people who may have still given this guy the benefit of the doubt.
MVRemix: A la “Fight Club,” “If you could fight any celebrity, who would you fight?”
Bun B: Probably Michael Jackson.
MVRemix: And what would be the reason?
Bun B: [in a low tone] I think we all know the reason.
MVRemix: Aside from the album do you have any other guest appearances or compilations you’ve been working on?
Bun B: Yeah, I’m featured on pretty much everybody coming out from the south right now. A few from the east and one or two from the west. I’d hate to speak on somebody in a publication and not mention everybody because I really don’t know everybody that I’ve worked with. But yeah, I’ve done a lot of stuff for a lot of people. What’s happening now is you’ve got a lot of artists who are in a situation where they can bring other artists into the game. And like with the Middle Fingaz, I’ll do something with their artist that they’re trying to bring up and they’ll do something with one of my artists in return. Like say for instance, Jim Jones will come and do a verse on a Middle Fingaz album and in return I may do something with Hell Rell or J.R. Writer, whatever’s the case.
MVRemix: Any last words?
Bun B: Yeah, definitely wanna let them know that it’s UGK for life. Definitely wanna let them know we’re still screamin’ “Free Pimp C!” And if they down with Bun B and if they down with Pimp C and if they down with UGK, if they “Trill” or wanna be “Trill” or wanna know what”Trill” is then go get the album on October 18th on Rap-A-Lot/Asylum records.
|
