Video Re-Cap: Bun B at Red Bull EmSee

In case you missed it the other night, here is some footage of the Red Bull EmSee show featuring Bun B...courtesy of the homies over at Fresh Start.

Pics and Re-Cap: Bun B Trill O.G. Listening Party at Patchwerk

Last night Bun B played his new album Trill O.G. (get it? as in trilogy?) at Patchwerk Studios for a host of media folks, music folks and just cool folks in general. The album was bumping in the studio but of course you have to test it out at the crib and car before you can just label anything. But I will say this, its some music for the Slab. Every track had some knock to it. I didn't hear any just mind blowing lyricism ala "Murder," but it had plenty of attitude to it. Its a listen that is full of moments, both good...and awkward.

Freddie Gibbs feat. Bun B-"Rock Bottom"

Freddie Gibbs feat. Bun B-"Rock Bottom"

So glad to see these two finally hook up. Gibbs had asked me for Bun's number a while back. I gave it to him, he called but nothing came of it at the time. The next time I hollered at Bun I asked him he had heard from him. At the time, I think Bun (who probably gets a gazillion phone calls for features) probably just looked at Gibbs as another kid looking for a verse. Fortunately, these two met not too long after and really got to chop it up I guess...because I'm hearing that they are actually in somewhat of a group together with Chuck English and Chip Tha Ripper.

Anyways, this song came out really dope. Its more than just some guy getting another guy to hop on a song. The two really teamed up and cranked out something that means something. Good stuff.

Gibbs' Str8 Killa No Filla will be dropping soon in both EP and mixtape forms with some songs being on one and some being on the other. Either way $upport the homie.

Rare Footage: UGK Performing in San Antonio (1994)

Man...I stumbled across this footage over at what is becoming one of my favorite blog, Trill Connection, where you will find a wealth of information on the legendary UGK. At first I thought it was just this video, but then I found THREE more of Pimp and Bun running through their catalog...well, not exactly, because at this time they only had two albums out. This video was recorded in 1994 meaning that it was probably right after Super Tight came out. Anyways, skip to the 3:45 mark to go to UGK's set. The rest of these videos are nothing but them two doing their songs.

Man videos like this truly show the essence of this Southern Hip Hop shit. Look at how small the club is. Nobody popping bottles and begging for attention and ALL the damn lights are on in this mahfuggah, haha. I love it.

Bun B Recording Tracks for "No Mixtape"

The homie Naztradamas just sent over this footage of Bun B working in the studio on his No Mixtape project.

Bun B-"I Went In" freestyle

Bun B-"I Went In"

Shied...Bun just texted me and said this was sitting in my inbox. Dude is in rare form nowadays. He said DJ Drama debuted it earlier but it had tags...but this one that he sent doesn't...so, Enjoy.

Andrew at FSD has a fie ass Bun freestyle on that "Adrenaline Rush" beat too, btw.

Oh yeah, Bun is organizing a benefit concert for the Haiti earthquake victims...find more info HERE

Yelawolf feat. Bun B "Good To Go"

Yelawolf feat. Bun B "Good To Go"

Just some unadulterated snappin' as you would expect from both of these gentlemen. I'm telling ya now, Trunk Muzik is straight fie.

Prod by Supahot Beats. Spotted at BLVDST who will be hosting Trunk Muzik

Previously: Yelawolf "F.U." x "I Wish" feat. Raekwon

R.I.P. Chad "Pimp C" Butler 1973-2007

Of course...Bun B wrote this song about Pimp C when he was away in jail...but the song is still fitting (if not more) in his death.

Damn...its been two years already? What would Pimp C think or say about what's going on in rap right now? A whole lot I could imagine. Sometimes I forget that he's not with us physically anymore because hell, I've listened to him for years and continue to do so. You can still hear traces of his influence in rap right now actually.

I wrote a piece for XXLMag.com back when I used to have the Black Ice blog/column over there. It pretty much sums up how I feel to this day.

XXLMag.com/Black Ice: Southern Hip Hop No Longer Immune

Behind the Scenes Pics: Bun B x Pill x Motion Family x Bertell

Yesterday the OG Bun B was in town to shoot a video for this song "She's Bad" with Bryan-Michael Cox's artist Bertell. He hit me and invited me out just to chop it up for a sec and fall through the shoot. As expected small crowds started forming when Bun was spotted walking around and posting up. Sheid, folks was running up on Pill too.

The video was shot at Dallas Austin's ROWDY store at Lenox Mall, they actually had some ish in there that was kinda fresh. Quite snug, but fresh. The video was shot by Motion Family. Figured I'd take some pics for the cause. Hopefully I'll be using this above pic for a track that I'll get to leak in the near future...


Chris Johnson, Bun B, Pill and Whiteboy D


Bertell, Case, Bryan-Michael Cox, Bun B and Pill


Bryan-Michael Cox, Bun B and Pill


Bun B and "She's Bad"


Pill and David KA of Motion Family

www.MAURICEGARLAND.com Ticket Giveaway: Big Boi x Clipse x Yelawolf at The Gallery at King Plow

Thanks to the wonderful folks of The Gallery Group, I'm able to giveaway two pairs of tickets to this incredible show which goes down this Friday, the day after Thanksgiving. I'm letting one pair go today and another tomorrow.

As usual with my giveaways, were going to do some (simple enough) trivia:

Out of these six facts about them, name three that Big Boi and Clipse have in common:

1.) Has served in the US Armed Forces
2.) Has been nominated for a Grammy
3.) Has owned a clothing line
4.) Has been Punk'd by Ashton Kutcher
5.) Has been signed to Jive/Arista Records
6.) Has recorded a song with Bun B

First person to leave the correct answers in the comments section gets the tickets! Make sure you leave your email addy or twitter or something so that I can contact you with how to claim your prize. Good luck folks.

Tickets also available HERE

UPDATE: Contest is now closed. Check back tomorrow for the next giveaway.

Freddie Gibbs Performs "Iodine Poison" for Fader TV

"I'm Too Hard To Swallow, the son of Super Tight/Was raised on Ridin Dirty, Dirty Money off the white/Kept a couple Side Hustles 'til rapping was just a dream, lay that snap on the track like I was an Underground King"--Freddie Gibbs

Maaaan. "Iodine Poison" is probably my 2nd or 3rd favorite song (behind "Talkin Bout You" and "Still Standing" on Freddie Gibbs' Midwestgangstaboxframecaddilacmuzik mixtape. Its an ode to Pimp C that samples Mr. Butler on the hook and uses clips from his infamous "Atlanta Ain't the South" interview from a couple years ago. Gibbs had emailed me a rough of this track a while back and asked if I could pull some strings to get Bun on it. I put them in contact with each other, but obviously that wasn't able to happen in time before the mixtape was scheduled to be released but it still jams either way.

Spotted at BLVDST via DGB

Bun B x Noz x NPR Interview

[photo taken August 19th 2008]

Where do you think the Dungeon Family went wrong? It seems like around the turn of the century the whole movement just kind of dissipated.

Bun B: I can’t really say because I wasn’t that involved internally. The music is still as strong today as it was then, I can’t say if it was lack of support from the record companies or if there was internal friction. I just know that hip hop is not better off because of it. We definitely lose when the Dungeon Family isn’t united. As hip hop fans and artists we all lose.

The homie Noz of CocaineBlunts caught up with Bun B recently, interviewing him for NPR about one of his favorite albums, Goodie Mob's Soul Food. As expected, it was a great read.

READ: CBRAP.com-Interview: Bun B Talks Soul Food

Lost & Sound: UGK-Trill Azz Mixez (1999-00?)

[UPDATE: I was finished with this post and about to hit publish. Right before I hit the button, I texted Bun B to ask him a quick question. The quick question turned into brief phone conversation revealing even more history about this CD. I kept my post the same, but added his input. His new added quotes are in the block quotes.]

On the previous Lost & Sound I mentioned that I found this week's feature at the same time I found it, well here it is, UGK's Trill Azz Mixez a must have and heard for any and every UGK fan.



I can't remember if I copped this in 1999 or 2000, but I remember exactly where...the student center at my alma mater Fort Valley State University. Yep, while other schools had credit card companies in the student center signing up kids for new debt, FVSU had the bootleg CD man posted up with at least four tables worth of photocopied album covers and slim CD cases. I was always weary about copping stuff from the bootleg man, because shit, the CDs were bootleg. They were liable to play in one CD player and not the next. Or, they'd play in your CD player for about two weeks and just stop working. It's like they had an expiration date or something.

Plus, 99-00 was a time when albums first started leaking to the internet and at the time my college radio station partner-in-crime Shawty Slim was a wizard on the computer so I'd have most if not all of what the bootleg man was selling, weeks prior. But, one day when I was going through the student center to pick up some lunch, I decided to go see what he had on the table. MAN! When I saw the UGK crest logo it seemed like it was glowing and everything else got blurry. I remembered reading a couple things about TAM on a old UGK Geocities site called Country Rap Tunes, that I used to check religiously!

But, reading about it and actually expecting to find it was two different things. I have to remind you, this was damn near 10 years ago when you had to do more than just dream of something leaking to the internet, google it the next day and waah-laah, its there. Hell, the only reason I came up on the Dirty Money bootleg in '99 was because my college roommate at the time went to Texas for the summer and cameback with it somehow. I just thought TAM was gonna be some CD that wouldn't make it past Alabama. But, here it was staring me in the face. I immediately copped it for $5...photocopied cover and all.

Now, I know most artists out there frown upon people buying their product from the bootlegger. But, seeing as how UGK are the Underground Kingz, I think they damn near wanted folks to buy their shit from the bootlegger, unless it was one of their retail projects. Plus, like I said, this was at the height of the "where's Dirty Money?" days so I had to get this joint. Hell, for some years, the only way to get new UGK music was through an illegal means. Plus, I was wearing out my Dirty Money bootleg to the point that the film on the CD started chipping.

Bun B: Trill Azz Mixez was originally conceived by DJ Wiz in Nashville. He begged us to do it. This was back when mixtapes were actually "mixtapes" and was only available in mom and pop stores. Wiz used to do a lot of Cash Money and No Limit mixtapes and he always wanted to do one with us. We'd always just be like "yeah, aight, whatever." But, when we started having all of the label trouble we said we should do a mixtape and go ahead and put it out with Wiz. After it came out everywhere we went, people wanted it. We'd never have enough copies of it. To this day we still don't. We'd always talk about bringing it back and re-releasing it. We actually did shows in the Midwest and the majority of the show would be based off the mixtape. It created income and we sold them at shows. Big up to DJ Wiz, he was an undying supporter of UGK. He hepled us understand the scope of our spread. Doing that tape with him is the reason why we put the UGK logo big as hell on all of our CDs now.

But yeah, I'm doing all of this talking and haven't spoken on the actual CD. Well, Trill Azz Mixez is a blend tape of classic UGK songs and lyrics over other beats, a great example of Southern Hip Hop. Example:

"Back, Front, Back, Side to Side" x "P.W.A."


I wish I could have edited these two together for ya'll, because they way they blend into each other on the CD is flawless.

"I Left It Wet" x Too Short's "Freaky Tales"


Another thing I dug about this CD was that it had the best of two extremes. One minute it was mixing UGK lyrics over Bone instrumentals:

"Tell Me Something Good" x Bone & 2Pac's "Thug Luv"


Then it had blends that were more homegrown:

"Murder" x Lil Keke's "Southside"


Again, you have listen to the CD in its entirety to appreciate how the songs blend into one another:

"Break 'Em Off Something" x "Southside"


I would upload the flawless blend that is "2 Real" x "Diamonds & Wood" but I want to leave something left for you to experience when you download the CD.

Easily and obviously the highlight and standout of the CD is "Top Notch Hoes." Its the only song on the CD that isn't blended, its a standalone track. When TAM came out, the only other CD I ever heard this song on was my Dirty Money bootleg that I scored a year or so prior. Again it was the standout on there too because it was on the only song that sounded of decent quality and actually finished.

Question, am I the only one who thought Pimp was dissing The Roots on this song when he said "What They Do, What They Do, nigga was corny is fuck/You get no play that Texas, you're shit don't bump in the trunk." Its obvious that he was dissing BET and their East Coast biases, but I always wondered/overthought about that line in particular.

"Top Notch Hoes"

Bun B: Everybody wanted "Top Notch Hoes." We got shows off that song. That’s a hardcore UGK song. You came up to us tell us that was your shit? We knew you've been rocking with UGK for real. I'm not sure what or who's album that was for. It might have been for Kool Ace. I think "Top Notch Hoes" was supposed to be another Kool Ace song. Kool Ace was a big friend to UGK. When we recorded it we considered holding on to it and putting it on Dirty Money but we said fuck it because we didn't think Dirty Money was ever coming out.

Yeah, Pimp was talking about The Roots on his verse. Bygones are bygones now, but yeah, he was talking about them. He thought they were shooting at Too $hort in the video. And you know how close they were. Pimp was always taking up other people's battles. He never really had any proof that they were dissing him in the video, so when he says that line "I saw your video nigga sound like you dissing my friends" I'd be like exactly! That's what it "sounds" like, you don't really know. But Pimp actually liked what The Roots was doing, he always talked about having a live band on stage with him. They probably never knew Pimp was dissing them or ever did, I guess they do now. The only reason he said that was because he thought they were dissing $hort. Pimp just like to say things to get under people's skin, including mines.

Once again, the post is getting lengthy so I'll wrap it up now. If you are a UGK fan or even if you're just now getting introduced to them YOU NEED to have Trill Azz Mixez in your possession, this is classic and a gem. Up until 15 minutes ago, I never even knew who mixed this joint down, but Bun just informed me that it was DJ Wiz from Nashville, so shout out to him. Great work. Hope ya'll enjoy.

DOWNLOAD: UGK & DJ WIZ: TRILL AZZ MIXEZ

Bun B Interview on The Sound of Young America

Bun B recently did an interview with The Sound of Young America. Sit down and enjoy it when you get a minute...well, 38 of them actually.

Is Bun B in Your Fave 5?

As I've said time and time before, I don't really get engaged in Top 5, 10, Ever arguments when it comes to rappers. My mind can change tomorrow. But, even in that there are usually at least 1 or 2 mainstays in everyone's lists. They're usually Pac, B.I.G., Jay-Z and Nas. To me Pac and B.I.G. should be retired from all "Top" discussions, they are givens at this point. And I've noticed that most people that say Jay-Z and Nas just be saying it just because.

But that said, don't ya'll think its time we seriously start mentioning Bun B's name in these discussions?

Bun B outshining everyone on this Clipse feat. Kanye West Remix of "Kinda Of A Big Deal"


I mean he's outshined everyone from Jay-Z to Jeezy. He's been rapping consistently for going on two decades and has stayed relevant the entire time. He never fell off. He never "got wack." And above all else, he's completely loyal to the craft. I mean, I'm sure Bun has other aspirations and what not, but...he's not like the rest of these cats (my Faves included) who ran off to Hollywood or quit rapping. Hell, this man has endured seeing his rhyme partner incarcerated and dead...and he is still here doing it for us. Gets no Triller than that.

Am I just tripping right now? Does the general population consider Bun a "Top" emcee and I'm just not hearing them say it?

Bun B x Mike Jones x Paul Wall Show Photos and Recap

Last night I fell through the Loft for the Myspace Houston Takeover show featuring Bun B, Mike Jones and Paul Wall. I was kinda in a foul mood late in the evening and almost didn't go...but I'm very glad that I did.

The thing I love about the free shows at the Loft is that they usually start on time, the artists are always there in a timely fashion and little to no time is wasted. Tonight was no different. Everybody hit the stage when they were supposed to and the performances had no more that 4 minutes of lag between them.

As far as the performances themselves, I think everybody did well and had their moments.



Paul Wall has hits in case you forgot or didn't notice. So with his performance he didn't really have to do a whole lot because the crowd just wanted to go crazy to his songs regardless. I heard some people say that his show wasn't all that, but I'm not sure what people expect a pudgy white guy to do on stage anyway. I liked it and "Bizzy Body" jams.



Most people at the show are going to tell you the low point of the show was Mike Jones' performance. Mainly because he did a lot talking and holding the mic to the crowd for them to rap...you know that ish Steve Harvey was complaining about on Kings of Comedy. I mean, I can't sit here and say he was my favorite either, but he did go out on a good note when he ended his set with a 5-minute straight freestyle.



As for Bun's set..."you awready know." Man, I've seen Bun perform a couple times before but he was doing mostly his solo stuff and popular UGK radio songs like "Big Pimpin" and "International Players Anthem." Not that I have a problem with that at all, but I never got to see UGK live before (sad right) so I never got to go crazy while hearing my UGK classics get performed. That changed last night as Bun dug into the catalog and did "Back Front Back," "Pocket Full of Stones," and got damn "Hi Life." Dammit he even did his verse from "Trap or Die" which to me is an all-time fiest Bun verse, right up there with "Murder" in my opinion. So yeah, you should be able to tell that Bun did his damn thing.

After the show I had a talk with the homie Derek about Bun's status in the game and I think he hit the nail on the head when he said that Bun is pretty much Hip Hop's President. The man gets diplomatic immunity where he goes. Hell, he's Ali status if you ask me. And the great thing about it is that he fucks with everybody that fucks with him. I'm still blown away by the time he told me he checks my blogs out, and the time he kinda sonned Terrell Owens to say what's up to me at All-Star weekend in New Orleans last year.

But yeah, he genuinely messes with folks that supports him, hense him rocking a Standard t-shirt last night. I remember in his Ozone cover story from '05 he was talking about becoming the President of the South. Shied, he's eclipsed that if you ask me. Oh yeah, by the way, make sure ya'll check out the latest issue of Ozone Magazine with Jim Jones on the cover. I have a feature interview with Bun where talks about how he has to support all things underground if he expects to be called the Underground King (might scan it for ya'll later, we'll see).

As for now, check out the rest of the pics I took at the show. You can catch some video over at the Kaos Effect too. Let me know what ya'll think I'm really trying to step my photography game up again. Peace.

*To all of my fellow bloggers and media folks, I can make desired photos tagless and email them to you if you want to use/borrow them that way. Holler at me.

And shout out to Ms. Rivercity for actually going down to the box office and getting me a ticket and extra shouts out to DJ Jayforce for shouting out my website all night last night!

Aggressive Listening: A-Dam-Shame- "Get It"

{you may have to scroll down to pause the video at the bottom of the post, it starts automatically}}



I don't know why. But I just woke up with this song on my mind this morning. Which prompted me to blast this ish on repeat during my morning run. My heart almost exploded. Not because of my shape (I'm in the best shape I've been in years, btw) but because this song is that crunk. I've seen plenty of asses beat to this song.

I hadn't heard anything from A-Dam-Shame in a minute though. They used to rep Scotsdale hard as hell. For a minute only them and Ghetto Mafia was all us Eastsiders had to claim in this rap sh*t (One time for Mr. Ku and Scotsdale)I used to ride to alot of their music. Granted their songs rivaled Run-DMC's length wise and they overused similes from time-to-time, but it still jammed.

Today's motto is GET IT!

Bonus Listens:

A-Dam-Shame-"Southern Hospitality" (1997)



A-Dam-Shame-"The Game Ain't Rated" feat. UGK & Too $hort (1997)



A-Dam-Shame feat. Lil Jon, Big Floaty & Bun B-"Don't Play Dat" (2003)

Statik Selektah feat. Bun B & Cory Mo - "Get Out The Way"

I'm interviewing Bun today...

Bad News=Bad Broads

A post over at Complex reminded/inspired me to briefly speak on some thing me and my boy Eric been talking about for some weeks now. Is it us, or does it seem like the badder the news gets in this country, the better looking the anchors get?

There are times when I'm watching CNN, Headline News or even some of the local news...and just be like damn she looks good. So good that the fugged up ish she's reporting probably isn't hitting me as hard as it needs to be hitting me sometimes.

I swear, all that bailout news CNN was reporting on a couple weeks ago, it took me a little longer to realize just what the hell was happening. One, because the shit came out of nowhere. Two, the news wasn't really breaking it down for people who didn't work on Wall Street. Three, because I was distracted by the female reporters looks.

It probably goes without asking if this is blatantly done. Lord knows you don't wanna hear bad news from a Whoopi Goldberg looking mah fugga. I mean, of course there's never just been a bunch of just ugly ass people doing the news, ever. They know that you want to see a pleasant face on the TV. Its all science. Its just that, it seemed like back then, the anchors were just pleasant in the most non-sexual way possible. But now sheid...but like I said, its a science, they know what people want to see.

I remember in one of my news reporting classes in college they said most news channels either try to avoid or don't allow their anchors, especially weatherpeople to wear the color red because its too alarming. I feel that, red most definitely turns heads. When they showed us an example where the weather reporter was talking about a tornado in red jacket as opposed to a dark blue one, it made a big difference. That red jacket had me bout scared than a mah fugga.

But yeah, back to what I was saying about the looks. I guess it goes back to even when we were kids. Hearing something messed up from an ugly person is worst than hearing it from a good looking one. I remember when I was in 3rd grade, this girl named Sheroneeka (with her California Raisin with a dried up jheri curl lookin ass) had the audacity to call me ugly. I got mad as hell at her and threw my eraser at her. But when this other girl Katrina (who was the consensus "cute" girl in class) said something similar I didn't get mad and throw nothing at her. I think I just said "shut up" and sulked on the inside.

Hmmm, not sure if that example conveyed my point, hahhaa. I guess what I'm saying is if someone looking hit was telling America "yo, shit is fucked up!" people are probably going to get madder than usual because that persons face is already threatening them anyway. But when you got a nice looking female saying the same exact thing, people are gonna be like "damn, shit fucked up, damn" and just kinda sulk.

Sistas, how do ya'll feel too. I ain't afraid to say, but it seems like these news networks are also trying to hire more handsome and hipper males as well. Does that make your newswatching experience any better?

But yeah I wouldn't put it past these folks to hire exceptionally attractive women to not only boost ratings but make hard news a tad bit softer. After all, the same people who are putting these pretty faces on the screen are the same folks who always seem to stick the brotha in front of the camera when its time to report on some foul, heart-wrenching, heinous shit. While their counterparts of a lighter shade be reporting on bakes sales at the Humane Society and shit.

What ya'll think?

p.s. Yeah, I know, a couple of them pics are very average. But trust me, all of these women be looking good as hell on TV.

John McCain Is A P.A.N.

So Mr. McCain, this is what you do in the face of adversity? Run and duck off in a corner and "suspend" your campaign and try and cancel the debate you know you wasn't ready for to begin with. Worst off you agree to address the American people alongside Obama only to hop on TV first to try and look good, and then try to convince Obama to run and hide with you? In that token, Obama, I know you're all about inclusion, but you should probably put down the Kanye and Common CDs and pick up some UGK...they told you, "never let hoe ass niggas riiiiiide."

I never considered you a war hero Mr. McCain, you was just a dumbass who got caught by the other team. But still, I thought you had some balls off GP. I was wrong. If this isn't a sign of a man not well equipped for the job of President of the United States, I don't know what is. So, just as I dedicated "Bitch Please" to Hillary Clinton, I am dedicating "P.A.N." to you. Because based on your behavior, that is exactly what you are...

Ray Cash feat. Bun B, T.I. & Pastor Troy-"P.A.N."