UGK, from Port Arthur, TX, the neighboring city to Beaumont, TX, released their debut EP The Southern Way in 1992. It was distributed by local record label Bigtyme Recordz and only available as an audio cassette. They quickly caught the attention of Jive Records, and were signed to a five album record contract. Their major label debut album Too Hard to Swallow was released later that same year, on November 10. While it featured several new recordings, it also featured several songs that had been culled from The Southern Way. However, several songs that had been intended to be included on the album were excised at the last minute, apparently due to their overly explicit content. Five of these songs would surface two months before Too Hard to Swallow’s release, on an EP distributed by Bigtyme Recordz; appropriately enough, the EP was titled Banned.
Their sophomore album Super Tight… was released two years later, on August 30. Unlike their previous effort, it managed to break into the Billboard Hot 200, but ultimately peaked at a disappointing #95. Two more years passed before the release of their third album, Ridin’ Dirty. It performed better than either of its predecessors, and almost broke into the Hot 200’s top-ten, before stopping short at #15. Ridin’ Dirty would also be UGK’s last album for the time being, as they went on a five year hiatus not long afterward.
In the interim, UGK made a high-profile guest appearance on Jay-Z’s 2000 smash hit “Big Pimpin” and also appeared on Three 6 Mafia’s hit “Sippin’ on Some Sizzurp” later the very same year. Both of these collaborations greatly increased their reputation, and helped fuel anticipation for their next project. Unfortunately, Jive failed to capitalize on this new-found interest in the duo, as their sixth album, 2001’s Dirty Money, came and went with little or no fanfare.
Further problems arose in 2002, when Pimp C was incarcerated for an aggravated gun assault charge on January 28. Throughout the time of his incarceration, Bun B carried on the UGK name by making numerous guest appearances on songs by other artists, with every appearance either mentioning Pimp C or featuring a “Free Pimp C!” or “Free the Pimp” chant. Many of UGK’s peers did the same, and mentioned Pimp C in their own songs with or without Bun B. During this period, Jive released a Best of UGK album, as well as a Chopped & Screwed remix album.
As a result of Pimp C’s incarceration, both members of UGK began solo careers out of necessity. Rap-A-Lot Records released Pimp C’s solo debut, Sweet James Jones Stories, on March 1, 2005. Bun B later released his own solo foray, Trill, on October 18, 2005. It opened at #6 on the Billboard Hot 200, and also peaked at #1 on Billboard’s Top R&B/Hip-hop Album chart. It was quickly certified gold by the RIAA.
On December 30, 2005, Pimp C was released from prison and was scheduled to be on parole until December 2009. He released his first post-incarceration album, titled Pimpalation, on July 25, 2006.
UGK released Underground Kingz, their 7th studio album in August 2007. The two-disc, 26-track album hit #1 on the Billboard charts after selling 157,000 copies in its first week, strongly supported by the hit single Int’l Players Anthem (I Choose You). The single featured OutKast, and used a beat created by Three 6 Mafia’s DJ Paul and Juicy J, which was originally used in a song by Project Pat.
On December 4th, 2007, Pimp C was found dead at age 33 in his room at Hollywood’s La Mondrian hotel in Los Angeles, California, where he had been playing shows with Too $hort. According to the Los Angeles County Coroner’s Office Pimp C died from accidental overdose of Promethazine/Codeine “syrup” combined with a preexisting medical condition known as sleep apnea, which causes a person to stop breathing during sleep. He was buried on December 11th, 2007 in his hometown of Port Arthur, TX.
Next Up
UGK Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But I think this right here is about to shut dem damn haters down
I'm from the streets that make niggaz walk slow, talk low
With white chalk-o, mi casa be siete uno ocho
Brooklyn motherfucker, handle this
Pardon my Spanish and French
Till your face sever, one of the greatest ever
Beyond ringin' bells, my name's so demandin'
Shit, I got the swagger that'll leave Dakota Fanning
I hope you niggaz over standin', I stay sucker-free
The next king of in the game, you ain't got enough to be
Your career last a week, that'll be luckily
Fuck with me, the rap game'll need protective custody
I'm the same thug that be surrounded with women
Gave the game true religion before you found it in denim
Feel the Wrath of Kane and you could not escape
The hip hop version of ?The Ring? and you just watched the tape
And keep your eyes on the niggas in Ward
Triple black in the candy painted car is the color of board
Me or my brother on pall with n'am nigga
We trill, workin' the wheel, understand nigga?
I smother and split a bitch down to the tendon
High pressure, if you don't break your ass bendin'
I'm way past endin' in my series of warnin'
You flex with me tonight, playa, you dead by the mornin'
Bun Beater, the best ever breathin' or deceased
From the South to Midwest, Cali to the East
Go to any city nigga and bring my name up
I bet I eat the best rapper they got in the game up
Call a nigga up, email him or chirp him
Make a meal out his motherfuckin' ass and then burp him
Don't fuck around, I'm not your lil' homey
I'm the King of the Underground, so act like you know me
Homie, we big steppin', big reppin'
We givin' kids Smith & Wesson's lessons, you get left with a sketchin'
Left with the Midwest, clique Texans
G. and Daddy Kane, the click Texas, pop you to death
I put private planes on swift Jetsons, niggaz know what it is
When you see the ball cap and a slick Thessons
Till you strip vexin? to a movie clip from the Westerns
Shit from the Uzi clip lift up your midsection
He will introduce you to the nose on the Glock fam
Give you metal jackets like clothes from a rock band
Multiple holes, you get those on your top, man
High roller dose some hoes on the cock plan
Froze but never coldly rolls with a hot hand
We stackin' cheese till the rubber bands pop scrams
And I ain't breakdancin' when I'm in the pop stance
Bank pounds like James Brown give 'em ?Hot Pants?
I make your girl get down and open it up
Put my dick up in they jaws and go in they butt
I'm a young hot street flame, they call me Sweet James
Or call me Sir Jones, two hundred dollar cologne
Board Nine or Issey Miyaki
I got your girl mine, meat strong like saki
I ain't Rocky but I keep her rockin'
Fuck around, I'll knock your tuna fish out of socket
Your bitch out of pocket, she under pimpery
She reckless eyeballin' watchin' my top fall in
On my Lamborghini with the quick scream
Fettucini, linguine, shrimp and a bowl of lean
What you know about gettin' cross country?
Nigga, your piece big but your diamond look monkey
You need to take that shit back
That ain't no Emmy diamonds what the fuck you done to that
Bitch, what the fuck you done to that?
Now, damn, somebody need to beat Jacob ass over that
The lyrics of "Next Up," a collaborative effort between UGK, Big Daddy Kane, and Kool G Rap, blend braggadocious declarations of lyrical prowess with streetwise observations on life in Brooklyn, Houston, and beyond. The opening line, "Gawddayum, I don't know what y'all been thinkin' 'bout," sets the tone for the song's confrontational, no-apologies style. Kane prides himself on his "swagger" and "clever" wordplay, while Bun B of UGK takes pride in his reputation as "the King of the Underground." Meanwhile, Pimp C of UGK boasts about his material wealth and sexual conquests. Throughout the song, the rappers assert their dominance over their peers in the rap game.
Line by Line Meaning
Gawddayum, I don't know what y'all been thinkin' 'bout
Wow, I really have no idea what's been going through your minds.
But I think this right here is about to shut dem damn haters down
However, I do believe that this song is going to silence all of the haters.
I'm from the streets that make niggaz walk slow, talk low
I come from the kind of streets where people move cautiously and speak quietly.
With white chalk-o, mi casa be siete uno ocho
These streets are so rough that people often end up dead and outlined in white chalk. My home is in the 718 area code.
Brooklyn motherfucker, handle this
I'm from Brooklyn and I'm here to take care of business.
Pardon my Spanish and French
I apologize for mixing in some Spanish and French words into my lyrics.
Okay, I stay clever like Mayweather with lay leather
I'm a clever wordsmith like boxer Floyd Mayweather throwing punches.
Till your face sever, one of the greatest ever
I'm so skilled that I can metaphorically sever someone's face. Like Muhammad Ali, I believe I'm one of the greatest ever.
Beyond ringin' bells, my name's so demandin'
My reputation and fame go beyond just being well-known.
Shit, I got the swagger that'll leave Dakota Fanning
I'm so confident and cool that even Hollywood actress Dakota Fanning would be impressed.
I hope you niggaz over standin', I stay sucker-free
I hope you guys understand that I'm wise enough to avoid being scammed or manipulated.
The next king of in the game, you ain't got enough to be
I'm going to be the next big thing in the music industry and you don't have what it takes to achieve that.
Your career last a week, that'll be luckily
Your music career would only last a week if you're lucky.
Fuck with me, the rap game'll need protective custody
If you challenge me, the entire rap industry will need to take protective measures.
I'm the same thug that be surrounded with women
I'm the kind of tough guy who's always surrounded by beautiful women.
Gave the game true religion before you found it in denim
I was rocking the 'True Religion' style before it became popular in denim.
Feel the Wrath of Kane and you could not escape
Anyone who experiences the wrath of Kane (Big Daddy Kane) will not be able to escape its consequences.
The hip hop version of ?The Ring? and you just watched the tape
My impact on the rap game is like a horror movie that you can't escape. You're just a helpless viewer who's seen what I'm capable of.
And keep your eyes on the niggas in Ward
Be careful around the rough guys from Ward, an area known for its crime.
Triple black in the candy painted car is the color of board
Our car is painted in triple black and has a candy finish, similar to a blackboard color.
Me or my brother on pall with n'am nigga
Either myself or my brother will handle a situation and not let anyone put us down.
We trill, workin' the wheel, understand nigga?
We're real and genuine, driving our car with determination. Do you get it?
I smother and split a bitch down to the tendon
I will defeat my opponent and kill them to the core.
High pressure, if you don't break your ass bendin'
I'll apply so much pressure that you'll either break or have to bend over backwards to try to survive.
I'm way past endin' in my series of warnin'
I've given out enough warnings and I'm not giving any more. I'm ready to take action.
You flex with me tonight, playa, you dead by the mornin'
If you mess with me tonight, you won't be alive tomorrow morning.
Bun Beater, the best ever breathin' or deceased
I'm Bun B, the best alive or dead.
From the South to Midwest, Cali to the East
I'm known and respected in all parts of the United States.
Go to any city nigga and bring my name up
Ask anyone in any city about me and my reputation will precede me.
I bet I eat the best rapper they got in the game up
I'm so confident in my skills that I could defeat whoever is considered the best rapper in the industry.
Call a nigga up, email him or chirp him
You can contact me through phone, email, or pager (chirp).
Make a meal out his motherfuckin' ass and then burp him
I'll completely destroy him and then be done with him.
Don't fuck around, I'm not your lil' homey
Don't try to play around with me, I'm not your boy or friend.
I'm the King of the Underground, so act like you know me
I'm the ruler of the underground rap scene, so don't underestimate me.
Homie, we big steppin', big reppin'
We're taking big steps and representing ourselves proudly.
We givin' kids Smith & Wesson's lessons, you get left with a sketchin'
We're teaching people about guns, but if you don't pay attention, you might end up dead and outlined in chalk.
Left with the Midwest, clique Texans
We represent the Midwest while also aligning ourselves with Texans.
G. and Daddy Kane, the click Texas, pop you to death
Big G and Daddy Kane are part of our gang from Texas and we're not afraid to shoot to kill.
I put private planes on swift Jetsons, niggaz know what it is
I have enough money to frequently fly on private planes, and people know that I'm wealthy and successful.
When you see the ball cap and a slick Thessons
When you see me wearing a cap and designer clothes, you'll know it's me.
Till you strip vexin? to a movie clip from the Westerns
I'll make you feel like a classic Western movie scene is playing out in front of you.
Shit from the Uzi clip lift up your midsection
I'll shoot you with such force that it will lift up your torso.
He will introduce you to the nose on the Glock fam
My gun will introduce you to its power.
Give you metal jackets like clothes from a rock band
I'll shoot you so many times that bullets will become like clothes covering your body.
Multiple holes, you get those on your top, man
I'll shoot you so many times that you'll have numerous holes in your body.
High roller dose some hoes on the cock plan
I'm a high roller and I have many prostitutes on standby.
Froze but never coldly rolls with a hot hand
I'm always confident and on a winning streak, even while trying to stay cool.
We stackin' cheese till the rubber bands pop scrams
We're making so much money that our rubber bands are breaking.
And I ain't breakdancin' when I'm in the pop stance
I'm not doing any breakdancing, I'm just standing confidently.
Bank pounds like James Brown give 'em ?Hot Pants?
I'm making so much money that it's like I'm giving it out like James Brown's famous 'Hot Pants' performance.
I make your girl get down and open it up
I can make your girlfriend dance suggestively and show off her body.
Put my dick up in they jaws and go in they butt
I'm sexually aggressive and will have no hesitation in performing any act.
I'm a young hot street flame, they call me Sweet James
I'm a young, hot, and fiery wannabe gangster and my nickname is Sweet James.
Or call me Sir Jones, two hundred dollar cologne
Or you can call me Sir Jones, a person of high status, who wears expensive cologne.
Board Nine or Issey Miyaki
I wear high-end clothing brands such as Board Nine and Issey Miyaki.
I got your girl mine, meat strong like saki
I have your girl's attention, and my sex drive is as strong as sake, a Japanese alcoholic beverage.
You need to take that shit back
You should take back whatever you've said or done.
That ain't no Emmy diamonds what the fuck you done to that
Those aren't high-quality diamonds, what the hell did you do to them?
Bitch, what the fuck you done to that?
Hey, what did you do to that?
Now, damn, somebody need to beat Jacob ass over that
That looks ridiculously cheap, someone should teach Jacob a lesson for selling such low-quality jewels.
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Songtrust Ave
Written by: ANTONIO M. HARDY, BERNARD JAMES FREEMAN, CHAD L. BUTLER, MARLON WILLIAMS, NATHANIEL THOMAS WILSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind