Customer Reviews

Trill (Chop)

5 star:		(60)
4 star:		(27)
3 star:		(9)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Although I had heard of UGK before, I started paying attention to them once I heard a track called "Wood Wheel". J Prince, of Rap A Lot, released a 2 CD set entitled The Realest ..... Down South" and "Wood Wheel" was featured on there. UGK made a video for "Wood Wheel" and then I started to notice who they were. Once Jay Z featured them on "Big Pimpin'" and Three 6 Mafia featured them on "Sippin' On Some Sizzurp", that's when I decided to check into UGK's CD catalog. The first CD that I purchased was "Ridin' Dirty". Anyone that had UGK's CDs told me that was the 1st CD I should check out. I was instantly hooked with the title track, "One Day", which had a tight Isley Brothers sample and "Diamonds & Wood", which is still my favorite UGK song today. I eventually purchased "Super Tight" and "Too Hard To Swallow" as well. "Dirty Money" was supposed to be released and I kept waiting and waiting but with the politics that were going on between UGK and Jive Records, the CD kept getting delayed. "Dirty Money" was finally released and believe me it was worth the wait. Although, the momentum they had created with "Big Pimpin'" had worn off they still managed to create classics like "Choppin' Blades", "Look At Me", "Ain't That A B...." with Devin The Dude and the title track. UGK fans weren't disappointed eventhough there was only 10 tracks of new material on the CD. UGK fans would be dealt another blow once Pimp C was sent to jail and left Bun B alone to keep the UGK name alive. I always wondered what a Pimp C or Bun B solo CD would sound like but I didn't think either was possible sent UGK was such a strong unit as a group.

I didn't hear too much from Bun B, other than some collaborations he had been featured on like "Bezzle" with TI & 8Ball and MJG, "Gots To Go" with David Banner and Devin The Dude and "The Streets" with 8Ball & MJG. Then all of a sudden, it seemed as if any Down South CD that came out Bun B had a verse on it. Mike Jones, Webbie, Paul Wall, David Banner, Slim Thug, Young Jeezy and others had Bun B guest appearances on their CD. It seemed as if Bun B was being recognized by other Down South artists for all that UGK had done for Down South rap music throughout the years. Bun B translated the success from UGK and his guest appearances to create "Trill".

The CD gets off to a nice start with "The Inauguration", which serves as the intro for the CD. Over a sample that even George Bush would love, Bun B puts his stamp on the Down South map. "Bun" is a decent track but compared to the other material that is on "Trill", the track doesn't hold too much weight. My favorite track on "Trill" is Track 3, "Get Throwed". "Get Throwed" is a track that has Bun B, Pimp C, Young Jeezy and Jay Z, yes Jay Z, trading verses while Z-Ro hooks up a nice chorus to the track. Ladies and gentlemen it doesn't get any "triller" than this track. Mr. Lee, who also produced "3 Kings" which featured Slim Thug, Bun B and TI, from Slim Thug's "Already Platinum", produced "Get Throwed" and definitely gets props from me on this track. "Draped Up" features Lil Keke and is the 1st single on "Trill". "Draped Up" is a tribute to the late DJ Screw and other people that were involved in the early stages of "screwed" music. This track is definitely one of the better tracks on this CD and was a good choice to be the 1st single on this CD. "I'm Fresh" is produced by Mannie Fresh and is a nice change of pace for Bun B. Mannie Fresh does the hook and Bun lays three tight verses to the track. "Trill Recognize Trill" features Ludacris and is produced by Lil Jon. What makes this track so nice is that this is not the typical "party" and get the club crunk Lil Jon beat. This track is very "dark" and lets Bun B and Ludacris get some things off their chest while they are rhyming. "Pushin'" features the real King Of The South, Scarface and the soul survivor himself, Young Jeezy. The tales of hustlin' and being on the grind have been heard before but you won't mind after hearing this track. Young Jeezy doesn't have as much lyrical weight as Bun B and Scarface does but that doesn't bring the quality of the track down at all. "I'm Ballin" featuring Jazze Pha may be a little bit much for Bun B fans. Once you hear Jazze Pha say "I'm Ballin'" for the 10th time, you'll want to fast forward the track, but Bun B still manages to hold his own on the track. "What I Represent (UGK)" is also produced by Mannie Fresh and while the track may not be as tight as "I'm Fresh", the song is still worth listening to. "The Story" is definitely one of the best tracks on "Trill". The Bido track tells the UGK story from day one and the track is about 6 minutes long. Bun B starts from the beginning and gives details about the problems with different management groups and with Jive Records. The beat will remind you of an old Geto Boys track from back in the day. Bun B slows it down on "Hold U Down". The song is co-produced and features Trey Songz with Mike Jones and the Birdman himself laying verses down with Bun. I can atleast listen to the track, but some core UGK fans may not be able to get down with a track like this. "I'm A "G" features TI and is also one of the better tracks on "Trill". TI gives a nice verse and Bun B holds hsi own on another Mr. Lee track. The track that is a sharp contrast from anything that I have heard from Bun B or UGK is "Git It". Imagine "Wait (The Whisper Song)" or "Play" with Bun B having a verse on the track. I know that's hard to imagine but that is exactly what "Git It" is. Although it's hard to believe Bun B holds his own weight to the Ying Yang Twins on the club bouncer. However, I think that Bun B is definitely straying way too far from the UGK realm on this one. Bun is not afraid to take chances so I still must give him props for doing something different. "Who Needs A B...." is the Bun B that I am use to and with Too Short and Juvenile joining him on the track, Down South fans know what this song is about. "Retaliation Is A Must" features Bun B's Middl Fngz crew. Bun B has the best verse but his crew does make decent contributions on the track. The H Town All Star remix of "Draped Up" is a classic. It's hard to imagine how he got Mike Jones, Chamillionaire, Paul Wall, Slim Thug and Lil Flip on the same track. I am pretty sure that some of them recorded their verses in separate studios or they showed up to the same studio at different times so they wouldn't run into each other. A classic remix was the end result regardless of the situation. Aztec and Z-Ro didn't keep up with the others too well but they didn't do that much damage to mess things up. "Late Night Creepin'" is a bonus track that was included on "Trill" and once you listen to it then you will realize why since it adds no value to the CD whatsoever. Bun B would have done better off with just leaving this song off of the CD.

Overall, "Trill" ends up being one of the best releases from the Dirty South in the year 2005. Some people will say that there are too many guest appearances on this CD and I will agree with them. However, you also have to consider how many guest appearances that Bun B has made in the past 2-3 years. He has done his best to keep UGK alive and he should be commended for that. Although, this isn't a UGK CD, Bun B holds his own for Pimp C and anyone involved in the UGK movement. If you are a fan of UGK, you can not afford to pass up on "Trill".

FREE PIMP C, YOU KNOW IT MANE!!

James' Top 5

1) Get Throwed w/Pimp C, Jay Z & Young Jeezy
2) The Story
3) Draped Up
4) Trill Recognize Trill w/Ludacris
5) Draped Up (H Town Mix) w/ Lil Keke, Slim Thug, Paul Wall, Mike Jones, Chamillionaire, Lil Flip, Aztek & Z-Ro

Bun B of UGK really outdid himself on this album. The beats are cold, and the lyrics are HOT! He tells the real life story of a thug that just can't stop, no matter what he is gonna make his paper. I never had to skip a song on this album.the whole album is so good it's unreal. Trust and believe. Please go and get this album. I promise you will LOVE it. If you don't e-mail me and I'll refund your money. I have just that much confidence that it will be the best cd you've ever heard. Dirty South Baby...Keepin it TRILL.

Everyone listens to rap for different reasons: beats, lyricism, punchlines, stories, messages, etc. When listenin' to Bun B's Trill, you get all of that. You can't really go wrong if every facet of the rap game is covered. Being a record from the dirty dirty, I assumed there'd be songs about purple drank, swangas, grillz, woodgrain, and candy paint; those being big parts of the southern culture and all. However, I was surprised to actually hear about other things than just that (I'm talkin' to you Paul Wall). We all get to hear "The Story" of UGK and the struggle to keep it trill while gettin' their sound out. Now that Pimp's in jail, Bun hasn't forgotten him (if only half of my friends were as loyal to me as Bun is to Pimp C). Bun's rhyme scheme isn't anything special, but he has a way to capture your attention because he rhymes with passion and charisma (something hip-hop's forgotten about in the past few years). His delivery is the exact opposite of Young Jeezy's; it's on beat and sharp. So, lyrically, the album doesn't disappoint. The subject matter is the usual stuff, but there's something about Bun B that's different. So, that aspect of the CD is good. On to production... Wow. That's really all I can say. Collipark, Lil Jon, and others, know how to make a beat. On "Who Need a "B" not only do you have a dark, grimy beat, but you get a cowbell as well! HA HA, I love it. Anyway, I'm not too big on long ass reviews, but this CD's worth it. So, if you like Bun B, crunk music, hella good line up of guest appearances (Too Short 4 LIFE), and sick beats, then I recommend this CD. If you like tracks like Laffy Taffy, Candy Shop, or any other songs that relate sex to candy, then this record's probably not for you. Sorry mane.

Bun B has been in the rap game since the 1980s and has no signs of stopping any time soon. From his early work with Pimp C to the pinnacle of his career with the guest appearance on Jay-Z's "Big Pimpin" off Vol. 3: Life and Times of S. Carter in 1999, Bun B has seen the best and worst of times over the years. His label woes, the incarceration of Pimp C, and his fight to stay relevant in a ever-changing Rap arena are all examples of the things that could make or break a rap career. Politics, interruptions, and significance are the major factors that ultimately decide how far any rapper will go in the music business. Bun B has that drive that every artist should have if they want to seriously make a living off this rap game. He 'knuckled up' and focused on cleaning up his act, getting right with the record execs, and popping up on songs on the albums of anybody willing to trade verses with a certifiable legend. He kept his eye on the prize, and for Bun B, that was simply doing what it took to keep the UGK name out there while Pimp C remained in jail. He continues his push with the solo release of Trill, a culmination that everybody always wanted but ultimately only surfaced because of necessity.

Trill starts off with an introduction by Rap-A-Lot's J. Prince and Bun B highlighting things like the whole New Orleans fiasco, the 'Free Pimp C' movement, and his aspirations of being the unofficial president of the South. Right after that, he rips out a verbal assassination on "Bun," and resurrects Jay-Z from "retirement" to join him as well as Young Jeezy and Z-Ro on the song "Get Throwed." The first single "Draped Up" showcases some conventional UGK-sounding grooves, along with "What I Represent" and "Retaliation Is A Must." Anyone looking for an autobiography of Bun B can hear it on the song "The Story" where he details the good, the bad, and the ugly. But Bun B ventures beyond his comfort zone and does a few songs that are not typical UGK songs. "I'm Ballin" featuring Jazze Pha is more radio-friendly than most anything UGK has ever done. Scarface collaborates with Bun and Young Jeezy on "Pushin," an attempt to appeal to the pimps, players, and the hustlers still reppin' for the streets.

Tracks like "Git It" with the Ying Yang Twins and the slow R&B-tinged "Hold U Down" with Trey Songz, Mike Jones, and Baby leave loyal fans raising their eyebrows while the bandwagon crowd will embrace it without thinking twice about it. "Who Need A B" is injected with Juvenile and Too Short's vocals along with Short Dog's production that has remained the same since Born To Mack. It's almost a given that Ludacris offers a unexciting appearance on "Trill Recognize Trill." And the weird "Late Night Creepin" features a peculiar participation from Skinhead Rob and Travis Barker of the punk rock group The Transplants. Trill is nevertheless a decent album considering Bun B had to pretty much go at it alone. But with the possible release of Pimp C from confinement by year's end, Bun will be able to put UGK back on the front burner.

Im being for real on this... this cd is too tight, not only does the album have all peeps from tha south like (in no order) slim thug, mannie fresh, juvenile, baby, TI, Scarface, lil flip, ying yang twins, ludacris, lil keke, too short, young jeezy, jay z, z-ro, jazze pha, trey songz, mike jones, paul wall, etc. and of course pimp c...... but tha beats are just so sick, got a lil bit of that old school flava type beats similar to tha ridin dirty album, and got that new age "get crunk" flava to it also. i dont just give out 5 stars to anyone (let alone fill out any reviews lol) so if ur any bit of a fan of Underground Kings (UGK - Bun B/Pimp C) or tha slightest bit of a fan of tha music from tha south THIS IS A MUST HAVE!!! WORTH EVERY BIT (if mine were to come up unplayable or missing id cop it again!) FREE PIMP C!!!!

Amazing album. After countless guest appearances this year, Bun B has definitely delivered on his solo album.

I would consider giving it 5 stars..... but I just can't stand the song with The Ying Yang Twins (the only bad song on the album).

Favorite song is "The Story".

The President of the South has earned his seat.... so support him and buy the album.

Free Pimp C.... all the way from New Jersey

This cd was crazy tight! Every song roll! My favorite tracks are 3, 4, 7, and 11. My most favorite is proabably number 3 because Jeezy's my boi. Bun is definitely one of the best souther rappers ever and I can't wait for Pimp C to get out so they can put out another UGK cd. This is one of the best Southern Hip-Hop cds put out in a long time. *OnE LoVe*

UGK will go down as the Underground Kings of the Hip Hop community. Since Pimp C (Bun's Partner in UGK) got locked up, he decided to take the reign's and take UGK into the mainstream world a little bit.Below You will find a Song By Song Rating. Check it out.....


1.The Inauguration-8.5/10-Intro Presidential Style,Bun Starts off by letting us knwo whos the Boss.
2.Bun-6/10-A track i dont really like but maybe it floats ur boat, but i'd say skip it.
3.Get Throwed Ft. Young Jeezy,Pimp C,Z Ro,And Jay-Z-10/10 Stand-Out track that CRACKS you gotta love this song, makes me wanna get throwed...... SON!!!!!
4.Draped Up Ft. Lil Keke-8.5/10-Nice 1st single Bun keeps the flow of the song going....one of the few solo efforts, Lil Keke doesnt rap he just talks.
5.Im Fresh Ft. Mannie Fresh-9/10 Stand-Out Production, but what do you expect from DJ Fr-Fr-Fr-FRESH, Bun also laces us with some Royal lyrics.
6.Trill recognizes Trill Ft.Ludacris-10/10-Bun and Luda keep it Grimey and Cris' just adds to the list of great guests on the cd.
7.Pushin Ft. Young Jeezy and Scarface-10/10-Talks about pushin that crack rock-n-thangs wiht Mr. Snowman and Face....A must listen.
8.Im Ballin Ft. Jazze Pha-7/10-Sort of a pop song doesnt really fit with flow of a cd, But i guest everyone trys to get them radio spins.
9.What i Represent-8/10-Nice beat nothing much to say i cant really explain this track its an album cut fo sho.
10.The Story-10/10- Nice Story, im Loving the UGK history lesson,Bun kills the beat This song is TRILL :->
11.Hold U Down Ft. Trey Songz, Baby, And Mike Jones-7/10-Girl Song but nowadays you cant get an album with-out one so i guess hes just following the code.....
12.Im a G ft. T.I.-10/10-Catchy Hook and T.I. gives us further proof that he is the king of the south. Bun also holds his own(My Bad).
13.Git It Ft. Ying Yang Twins-9/10-Ying Yang be getting that Crunk Music goin' on and Bun controls the track like a mutha F***ing car.
14.Who Need a B ft. Too Short and Juvenile-7.5/10-A Nasty girl track juve and bun create nice yet gross verses....while Too Short comes up Too Short in his verse...too bad man your prime was up in 97.....
15.Relatiation is a must Ft. Mddl Fngz-8/10-Nice joint and goes wit the album very well, I liked it but it took a couple times.
16.Draped Up REMIX Ft. EVERYONE-10/10- NICEST TRACK ON THE ALBUM...Everyone goes hard and gets that H Town Flava on it...Could contend wiht Kiss Yo Ass goodbye for remix of the year.
17.Late Night Creepin Ft. Skinhead Rob and Travis Barker-5/10-Not a personal favorite....just think of the album with 16 songs and you'll be fine.TRUST ME....................

With his boy Pimp C on lock, Bun B decided to go for dolo (although Pimp could possibly be getting out at the end of the year). Bun Bizzle delivers a solid album with a few stumblings, and although he's one of my TOP emcees/rappers from the south and just period, I can't help to think that on this album, his lyricism has slouched a bit. (Compare lyricism on this album to Bun flexing lyricism on the album 'Ridin Dirty' from 1996.) Perhaps Bun took after the Wu-Tang in their post-heydey (read: 'Iron Flag' and 'The W') and decided to extensively dumb down his lyrics to reach a wider audience (which, :::eyes rolling::: includes the damned "MTV kids").

That latter point (reaching a wider audience) is, in my opinion, where this project seems to stumble. We know the UGK boys for hardcore southern rap: clean cars, money, grills, girls, plush living, drug dealing, and so forth. Right away, you may be able to tell that I'm one of those individuals that falls into the category of UGK's original fanbase (okay, well I started listening to them back in 1994 when I was like 9 years old). Bun gives us the aforementioned goods but also gives us (read: original fanbase) a lot of other things that if he were Mase or Jigga, we'd expect it from him...but we don't.

Songs like "Git It" (produced by Collipark) featuring the Ying Yang Twinz are no-brainer attempts at trying to get some play in the clubs and widening that gap to allow more people (and girls) to "like" UGK. (An aside: Is it just me or does Collipark's beats sound the same? And is that little siren he used on David Banner's 'Work' and this song supposed to be his signature sound, kind of like Just Blaze's signature sound on his beats? Just a thought...)

There are a few other slacking moments like the Jazzie Pha produced "I'm Ballin", which seems to me a song that was an attempt to connect with a major head (Jazze) in the industry. Bun could've kept "What I Represent" produced by the terrible Mannie Fresh whose been slacking lately (glad he's deciding to retire). I know Bun's probably trying to get at the ladies with "Hold You Down" (feat. Trey Songz, Mike Jones, and Baby) but I expect some hardcore gangsta ish from my boy, not this trash. Listening to Bun rap about some "softcore" material on this slow-paced bump-n-grinder is like hearing that Malcolm X married a white woman -- it just doesn't work.

I shook my head in disgust when I learned that Bun dug up Too Short (Why Bun?!??!?) from retirement to bring us this crappy nonsense that goes by the title "Who Needs A 'B'". Keep Short Dog and his no rapping behind in retirement where he needs to stay. Terrible, terrible, disgustingly terrible. And lastly, I don't where and when Bun decided to pick up Travis Barker (ex-drummer for Blink 182) and Skinhead Rob (of the punk rock/hip hop band, The Transplants) for the last song (which he definitely could've kept), "Late Night Creepin". ...?... Come on Bun.

Amidst the 5 or 6 tracks of stupidity I just blew on, there is some real TRILL ish on 'Trill'. Tracks like "Get Throwed" bump HARD, I mean HARD (heck, Bun even made Jigga come out of retirement to give a verse, as well as featuring Z-Ro on the hook and Young Jeezy on another verse); "Draped Up" with Lil Keke might make you break your neck it'll be bobbing so hard (you'll see...); "Trill Recognize Trill" with Luda (produced by Lil Jon); the dope as hell "Pushin" (with that phat old school sample); there's too many bangers to name them all, but they're straight HEAT. You'll equally like the dope track "The Story" which is 6 minutes of Bun on a no-chorus-straight-spittin song revealing the history of the UnderGround Kingz.

If you're a MDDL FNGZ fan like myself, you'll love the gangsta-as-hell-(too)-hardcore "Retaliation is A Must". (You'll come away thinking, "Dang, those are some criminal a** dudes!" They don't play around.) I was a little disappointed though: my favorite cat out the MDDL FNGZ is Young Kilo (he's without a doubt the breakout artist of the whole crew) and he as well as another member of the 5-man outfit was not present, AT ALL. Where's Kilo? This song may whet MDDL FNGZ fans' appetites for their album WHENEVER it's supposed to drop. (SHAMELESS PLUG: If you're interested in the MDDL FNGZ last album 'Live! From da Manjah' sounded, check out my review on it!)

Like I mentioned before, this is a great album; I can even see "Get Throwed" and "Draped Up" becoming classics down here in the near future. And although there's a fair share amount of crap on here, it's not really enough to get in the way of you enjoying the bangers that outshine the dull moments on the album. In other words, they don't slow the tempo of the album down (although the journey through this album isn't a consistent one in terms of subject matter). In the end, it's all good because while UGK's original fans want 17 tracks of pure unadulterated UGK circa 1994-2001, they've grown up, have more fans now, and need to make more moves. So I guess after all, the pop-sounding tracks aren't too bad -- I just won't bump 'em.

Vote for my review! (You know, the little 'Yes' and 'No' buttons you see below the review!) PEACE!

If you are a fan of southern rap then you already know this cd is gonna be good, if you dont know then you need to pick this up and learn somthin. Stop reading right now and buy this album. I bought this cd today and have listened through it 4 times so far, im lookin for a reason not to love it but i just cant find one. This is an instant classic. Bun B again puts it down and proves that lyrically he is above any other rapper i can think of, and im not just talkin about tha south. New York, Cali, ATL, wherever else theres hip hop, the competition is none. Aside from Bun killin it hes got everybody on this cd with him showin him respect. Jay Z,Scarface, TI, Ludacris, Mannie Fresh, Jazze Pha, Slim Thug, Chamillionaire,Lil Flip, Paul Wall, Lil Keke, Too Short, Juvenile, Ying Yang Twinz, Birdman,mike jones, Jeezy, Z-RO, and of Course PIMP C. If you dont know Bun B is one half of UGK with PIMP C and they have been puttin it down for texas for 15 years. UGK is not just the name of their group its what they are UNDERGROUND KINGS. This cd is good from intro to the last song. Put this cd on, Po up a 4 and smoke sumthin bxtch. FREE PIMP C