Houston, TX

Houston rap legend Chad “Pimp C” Butler, who tragically passed away in 2007 from a drug overdose, is the first solo Hip Hop artist to be immortalized at Rice University Research Center for Engaged Research and Collaborative Learning (CERCL), where the UGK co-founder’s lyric sheets and personal items are on display. On Monday (January 31), a panel dubbed “Pimp C: A Trill Legacy” is scheduled to discuss Southern rap and Pimp C’s pivotal role in its rise to the forefront of the culture. The panel features past collaborators, including his UGK partner Bun B, close friends and notable names who were influenced by the talented Grammy Award-nominated rapper and producer.

According to the CERCL website, the collection contains “several documents and other paraphernalia such as handwritten song lyrics on loose leaf paper and cardboard, papers from the Texas Department of Justice relating to his arrest for aggravated assault, a Grammy nomination, copy of his obituary from his funeral, and marketing plan by FM2 Radio, and the joint venture deal with Universal Music Group. Also included in the collection are several forms of artwork featuring Pimp C and a 12-inch record (warped) with the songs ‘Stop-N-Go’ and ‘The Game Belongs to Me.'”

Rice panel to explore legacy of Houston rapper Chad ‘Pimp C’ Butler HOUSTON – (Jan. 12, 2017) – The life and legacy of Houston rapper Chad ‘Pimp C’ Butler will be the focus of a panel at Rice University Jan. 31. The event marks the creation of the Pimp C Collection in the Woodson Research Center at Rice’s Fondren Library. The collection, part of the Center for Engaged Research and Collaborative Learning’s Hip-Hop Archive at the Woodson, includes several documents and promotional items including handwritten lyrics and contracts to promotional flats for the rap group Underground Kingz (UGK). What: Pimp C: A Trill Legacy, a panel hosted by Center for Engaged Research and Collaborative Learning (CERCL). The event is free and open to the public. When: Jan 31, 2017 7-10 p.m. Where: Rice Memorial Center Grand Hall 6100 Main St. Parking is available in the Central Campus Garage In 1987, Butler was a founding member of UGK along with Bernard “Bun B” Freeman in Port Arthur, Texas. They released their first album “Too Hard to Swallow” in 1991. In 2000, they were nominated for a Grammy for Best Rap Performance by a Duo or Group for “Big Pimpin” with Jay-Z. In July 2006, he released his first solo album “Pimpalation.” In 2007, Pimp C reunited with Bun B, and released the UGK album titled “Underground Kingz.” The album was Pimp C's final performance before his untimely death on December 4, 2007 in Los Angeles, CA. After his death, Bun B released the final UGK album “UGK 4 Life,” in which most of the recording was finished before Pimp C's death. Panelists will include Bun B, American rapper and half of the southern rap duo UGK, CERCL Distinguished Visiting Lecturer at Rice University; David Banner, Grammy Award winning rapper, record producer, actor and activist; Lil Keke, American hip hop recording artist from Houston, Texas; Mr Lee, multi-platinum hip-hop/rap music producer from Houston, Texas, Co-Executive Producer of "Long Live the Pimp" Album; Chinara Butler, Co-Executive Producer of "Long Live the Pimp", CEO of UGQ Enterprises, LLC and Founder of Pushing Into My Purpose, Inc.; DJ Michael 5000 Watt, Co-Founder of Swishahouse Records

A video posted by Pimp C (@darealpimpc) on

In a statement to HipHopDX, Founding Director of the CERCL, Anthony B. Pinn, said, “The CERCL archive is committed to preserving the historical and cultural memory of Houston, and in this way helping to recall how Houston fits into national conversations and developments. One dimension of the archive involves Hip Hop culture in Houston. A vital component of the history of Hip Hop in Houston involves UGK, and so we are delighted to include Pimp C in the archive. His materials shed additional light on the importance of Houston and the global development of Hip Hop.”

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He expresses excitement about the panel where guests will get firsthand accounts of Pimp C’s impact on the culture.

“I’m looking forward to hearing from those who knew him well,” Pinn continues. “Those who can talk about his motivations and about him as a person as well as an artist.”

The collection is open to the public. Click here to RSVP to the January 31 panel.