Posted December 5, 2007 -- The sudden death of UGK rapper Pimp C has shocked the hip-hop community. Many rappers have credited UGK as an influence on their own music and Southern hip-hop in general. Here are some words from Pimp C's fellow artists and friends.
T.I.: "My heart goes out to Pimp C's family. He was a pioneer in the rap game. I have a lot of respect for him and his accomplishments. It's definitely a sad day in hip-hop."
Too Short: "That was my homie from when he first first signed to Jive. We did a lot of shows together over the years. We did tours together, we did several songs. He was like my little brother. I always kept in touch with him. I just saw him Saturday and Sunday in L.A. I did a show at the House of Blues, and he popped up backstage and came on stage, and we hung out after the show that night. I talked to C like once a week. My man was on top of his game, getting his hustle on, doing good and he was happy.
Rick Ross: "We lost one of the greatest icons in music, period. He’s one of my favorite lyricists that inspired me, Ricky Ross, that pushed the boundaries of Southern hip-hop. I felt like Ridin’ Dirty was one of the best three albums in the history of Rap. And just to see the loss of life, it’s a sad thing. He won’t be forgotten. My prayers go out to Bun B and Pimp C’s kids. And it’s sad to watch him go to prison and for him to come home and…they just had their number one album. Their future was in front of them. There was so much left on the table for Pimp C and UGK. My deepest sympathies go out to him and his family, straight up."
Pimpin' Ken: "A friend of mine named Paper Chase called me, telling me that Pimp C was dead. I was like, 'nah. I just talked to the man yesterday. He can’t be dead, unless he died recently.' He was like, 'It’s all over the internet. It’s all on TMZ and this and other stuff.' So I called my manager, Rick Martin, who is also Pimp C’s manager. My brother just died Friday. He was supposed to come to my brother’s funeral. I was like, 'Wow! Not again.' It was total shock, 'cause you know Pimp was like my little brother. They called me to calm him down a lot of times. I’m the one that told him to apologize to Atlanta. I’m the one that told him to reach out to [Young] Jeezy and make peace. I mean, he listens to me. I was one of the only people that went to visit him when he was in jail. We used to sleep over his momma’s house, be in the studio and kick it. He loved the game and he was all about the game."
DJ Drama: "It’s a sad thing. It’s a bittersweet day for me, personally. I’m coming out on the same day we’re losing a legend, Pimp C. I got the honor of being on a song with him on T.I.’s album called “Front Back.” I got to meet him at the video. It was an honor and a privilege. I haven’t heard too much outside to his passing. I send my condolences to Bun. We gon' rep for the big homie. Keep his legacy alive."