The hip-hop community is remembering Pimp C on Wednesday, marking 18 years since the influential UGK rapper passed away at the age of 33.
Chad Lamont Butler — known to millions as Pimp C — was found dead on Dec. 4, 2007, in his West Hollywood hotel room. The Los Angeles County Coroner later ruled his death an accidental overdose of codeine-promethazine cough syrup, complicated by sleep apnea. No evidence of foul play was found.
Born Dec. 29, 1973, in Louisiana and raised in Port Arthur, Texas, Pimp C co-founded UGK (Underground Kingz) with longtime partner Bun B in the late 1980s. Together, the pair helped shape the sound of Southern hip-hop with their blend of gritty storytelling, bluesy production, and unapologetically Texas identity.
UGK released several acclaimed albums throughout the ’90s, including Too Hard to Swallow (1992), Super Tight… (1994), and Ridin’ Dirty (1996), the latter of which later earned platinum certification and is considered a genre classic. Their influence reached mainstream audiences in the 2000s through high-profile collaborations with artists such as Jay-Z (“Big Pimpin’”) and Three 6 Mafia (“Sippin’ on Some Syrup”).
At the time of his death, Pimp C was in Los Angeles promoting new music. He had recently completed recording on what would become his posthumous solo album, The Naked Soul of Sweet Jones, and had performed with Too Short two nights before his death.
The hotel staff discovered him after he missed his scheduled checkout time. According to the coroner’s report, he was found lying in bed with no signs of trauma.
UGK’s influence has only continued to grow in the years since. Today, artists including Travis Scott, Megan Thee Stallion, Don Toliver, Maxo Kream, and Sauce Walka cite Pimp C as a key inspiration. His production style, built around live drums, heavy basslines, and funk-driven melodies, helped define the Houston sound and contributed to the rise of chopped-and-screwed music.
He was later inducted into the Texas Music Hall of Fame, and several streets in Port Arthur now bear his name.
Bun B has continued to honor his late partner through a successful solo career and frequent tributes, keeping UGK’s legacy alive for a new generation of listeners.
Eighteen years later, fans across the world are still celebrating the voice, vision, and impact of the man they call “the Pimp.”
