Bun B Feature: The Source, May 2008

[click pics to read]

This piece has alot of backstory to it.

I first met Bun B back in 2005 when I was working for Rolling Out. Me and my co-worker Kim met up with him at Studio 7303 in Houston. He seemed to be in a very agitated mood that day. When we were walking in, he was storming out going off on a stylist. I was almost afraid to do the interview. After he seemed to calm down, he gave me 15 minutes of his time to talk. I asked him the obvious stuff at the time: How often do you talk to Pimp C (who was incarcerated at the time)? What's the solo album going to be about? Blah Blah Blah.

He must have been doing interviews all day long because he seemed very tired. He answered the questions cordially, but that was about it. He didn't show me any energy when I snapped photos of him, but then again, I don't think I showed any back.

That would be the last time I talked to him for damn near 3 years.

The next time I'd come in contact with Bun would be indirectly. When Pimp C passed, I wrote a blog at XXLMag.com about how his passing was just as devastating as Big and Pac's were, especially in the eyes of a Southerner. The shit was kinda heart wrenching to write. I had never met or spoke to Pimp. So for my first piece on him, other than a music review, to be a eulogy of sorts really messed with my head. The blog post got a lot of good feedback. But one comment that stood out in particular was one from Bun B himself. Of course, with the internet being the slimy place that it is, I didn't believe it was Bun at first. I just thought it was some overzealous fan with misguided emotions.

But, when I got on the phone with Bun to do this interview for the Source, I told him that I wrote a Pimp C blog for XXL and asked him if that was him that left that comment. He confirmed and said yes. I ended conversation telling him that I'd hope to run into him in New Orleans during All-Star Weekend. He said he hoped the same.

Lo and behold, thats exactly what happened. While working with Konsole Kingz covering different events, I ran into Bun at a billiards tournament that Shaq and Reggie Bush were hosting. I introduced myself and he seemed glad to see me and in a better mood that what I saw 3 years ago. We chopped it up for a few minutes before I had to get back to work securing other interviews.

After that me and man Branden Peters (XXL Lifestyle Editor) headed over to a Brand Jordan Party where the bar was wide open. So open that people were fixing their own drinks at one point. I met Magic Johnson there, got a picture too. From there we were joined by Khalid Salaam (SLAM Magazine Senior Editor) and hit up an ESPN party, and then their VIP late-night/early morning breakfast.

The 3 of us were waiting in the buffet line, hungry as hell. The place was packed with athlete's and celebrities. When Bun and his wife entered though, it seemed like everybody stopped what they were doing for a minute. Terrell Owens went out his way to come speak to Bun screaming "WHATS UP BUN!" loud enough for everyone to hear him. Bun acknowledged him, but he kinda sonned him at the same time by just shaking his hand, nodding his head and keeping it moving. But what's crazy is that when Bun saw me and boys in line, he smiled and said "WHAT UP REESE!" At that point, I felt cool as hell. Bun B sonned T.O. to come holler at me.

He asked if he could skip me in line to get a plate for his wife, and like a straight up fan I replied "hell yeah, you Bun B!" So, I'm not sure if he greeted me like that because he was happy to see me or if he was just trying to skip in line. I'd like to think it was more of the former since he talked to me the whole time we were in line as if we had known each other for a minute.

The food was excellent if you were wondering.

Anyways, I was able to inject most of that backstory into this here feature. I think it added a lot of color to it, making it that much better. I was kinda dissapointed when I turned it in though. The editor, Ryan Ford told me that he absolutely loved the piece, but that I must have forgot the word count because I went way over it, so he had to do some cutting. Luckily, the cutting isn't really noticeable because the story still flowed well. In fact, I need to go back and check to see exactly what he cut, because I hardly even noticed.