Artist: Pimp CTitle: PimpalationRating: 3 1/2 StarsReviewed by: Dr. Zero
It is a no-brainer that UGK has solidified themselves as Hip-Hop legends. At a time where East coast lyricism and West coast gangsta rhymes dominated, UGK was there to represent the 3rd Coast along with acts like Scarface, Outkast, 2 Live Crew and other talented Southern artists. The famous duo was composed of Bun B; the lyricist known for his gritty rhymes while Pimp C also handled the production. As their career progressed, C was jailed leaving Bun B to represent the team the best way he knew how dropping more cameos than Busta and releasing his first solo joint Trill. Fresh out of prison, Pimp C follows Bun’s footsteps by releasing his solo Pimpalation (Rap-A-Lot/WEA).
One thing that fans have come to expect from UGK are great sounds for the specific purpose to vibe to or chill to. Pimpalation lives up to these standards and may even surprise a few listeners with how good the production is. The strength lies in the uniqueness of the beats. Despite the trademark drum bass sounds, each beat still has enough instruments and tunes blended extraordinarily to create a great rhythm that will have people ripping the beats for an instrumental album. “I Don’t F## With U” illustrates this point well. Although the beat features an average bass line, the drum and cymbal tunes beautifully with the electric guitar and medium-pitched piano keys.
Aside from the production, Pimp C does a commendable job lyrically. C is primarily carried by his excellent delivery, good flow, and rugged voice that accompanies the music well and other nontechnical skills. The album is pretty much about chilling, getting on the grind, f*cking bad women, etc (i.e. the same repetitive topics). Pimp C could have spoke more about his experiences in prison instead of the same cumbersome themes. Caution: If you are a fan of wizardry with words, this album is lacking in this department as well. Again C never claimed to be a lyricist and even the guest appearances can’t overshadow this fact. Pimpalation is still a decent album and dismisses the stereotype that a member of a duo cannot put out a successful solo record.