“Big Pimpin'” is easily one of the best and biggest crossover hits between the East Coast and the South. As such, a sequel sounds like a fantastic idea, but one half of UGK recently explained why they didn’t think it was very feasible. Moreover, Bun B recently joined Math Hoffa’s My Expert Opinion podcast alongside Statik Selektah to talk about, among other things, their new album Trillstatik 3. At one point during their conversation, they eventually got around to “Big Pimpin’.” The Houston legend explained that the duo’s label, Jive Records, wanted them to do “Big Pimpin’ 2,” but succinctly pointed as to why it wouldn’t have been the best idea for financial and creative reasons.
“UGK was [the late Pimp C]’s baby, and he would put his heart and soul into it,” Bun B remarked. “And he didn’t wanna do all of that to get to this point and do one song with somebody and have his legacy perverted. That was the way he looked at it. When we were getting ready to do the next album, the label, Jive, was like, ‘Let’s do a ‘Big Pimpin’ 2.’ Let’s buy a Jay-Z verse, let’s buy a beat from Timbaland, let’s get a video from Hype [Williams], and let’s do it again, boys!’
Bun B Speaks On Pimp C, Jay-Z & “Big Pimpin'”: Watch
Then, the Trill Burgers boss revealed that their first collaboration already sunk them in some debt with the label. “I was like, ‘If I don’t do a song with JAY-Z and Timbaland, do I still get a Hype Williams video?’” Bun B elaborated. “It was never, ‘No.’ They were like, ‘Why wouldn’t you want that?’ What? Besides [the] $2.5 million in the hole from the first song we recorded?” Also, he theorized that Pimp C wouldn’t have considered a Hov verse as “equal value to him” if they proposed a song-for-song trade agreement.
In fact, regarding these Southern pioneers’ history, Pimp apparently didn’t want to do “Big Pimpin'” at first out of respect for Tupac Shakur. Eventually, he and Jay squashed this dispute across a dinner table, but perhaps some feelings keeled over for a sequel. Either way, we’re glad that the original remains intact and didn’t ruin itself with a second attempt at lightning in a bottle. On that note, keep checking in with HNHH for the latest news and updates on Bun B, UGK, and Jay-Z.
Long Live Pimp C.
