UGK

Port Arthur origins

UGK, short for Underground Kingz, formed in 1987 in Port Arthur, Texas, a Gulf Coast city of roughly 60,000 people. Chad Butler, known as Pimp C, started the group with Mitchell "Big Mitch" Queen. When Queen stepped away to pursue football, Bernard Freeman, known as Bun B, took his place, while Queen remained a frequent collaborator.

Big Tyme and Jive

The duo's independent EP “Banned” was released through Houston's Big Tyme Recordz on August 1, 1992, and that same year UGK signed a five-album contract with Jive Records. The major-label debut “Too Hard to Swallow” (1992) was followed by “Super Tight” (1994), which reached No. 95 on the Billboard 200, and “Ridin' Dirty” (1996), which climbed to No. 15 and was certified gold by the RIAA. Early singles included “Pocket Full of Stones” and “Front, Back & Side to Side,” the latter reaching No. 48 on Billboard's rap chart.

Wider fame and setbacks

A guest appearance on Jay-Z's “Big Pimpin'” (2000) brought the pair a national audience, and they also featured on Three 6 Mafia's “Sippin' on Some Syrup.” Their fourth album, “Dirty Money” (2001), reached No. 18. In 2002 Pimp C was imprisoned on an aggravated assault charge, and Free Pimp C became a rallying cry across Southern rap while Bun B kept the group's name active. Pimp C was released on December 30, 2005.

Number one and legacy

The self-titled “Underground Kingz” (2007) debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200. Its single “International Players Anthem (I Choose You),” featuring OutKast, became the group's only Hot 100 entry, peaking at No. 70. Pimp C died at a West Hollywood hotel on December 4, 2007. The final UGK album, “UGK 4 Life” (2009), reached No. 6.