
At first I wasn’t going to write a review for Bun B’s new 5 mic album, Trill OG. After all, to do a really thorough review you have to spend at least a couple of hours digesting an album, and as much as I love rap music, I’d much rather spend my time kicking soccer balls with my son. But, a couple of days ago I got into a text message battle with my friend Ryan Ford, former Executive Editor of The Source and current Creative Director for Cashmere Agency, about the relevance of UGK and Bun B. And now, I’ve decided that I am going to have to listen to the album this weekend so that I can review it. (I think I can fit it in during my morning workout session on Saturday.)
Four years ago, when I was writing (and not getting paid) for The Source, I strongly encouraged Ryan and other Source staff members to include UGK in an issue about future 5 Mic contenders. After all, I grew up in Milwaukee, and the basslines of UGK’s and Bun B’s music has rattled through the trunks of young men’s cars in my city for the last two decades. I argued that Bun B’s 2005 album, Trill, highlighted that the southern duo was continuing to grow and was making better music than when they had come out. Alas, UGK didn’t make the issue.
In our text message tiff, I reminded Ryan that I sorta called The Source giving Bun B 5 Mics and that had I once again predicted the future of rap music. (Like the time in 2002 when I stated that Cee-Lo was an amazing musician that would have a huge impact on the music landscape, not just rap. Or the time that I said that Krondon from Strong Arm Steady was on his way to becoming a gangster rapper, even though he started his career as a conscious MC.)
Although the “Bible of Hip-hop” (is the Source still the bible?) waited until Pimp C died to give the Houston based rap group their props, UGK and most specifically Bun B, has really been pumping out quality music for years. And despite their many contradictions, Bun B has been deserving of some special recognition from hip-hop journalists for some time now.
So this weekend I am going to listen to Bun B’s album to see if the folks at The Source got it right.