UGK

UGK was an American hip-hop duo from Port Arthur, Texas, formed in 1987 by Mitchell "Big Mitch" Queen and Chad "Pimp C" Butler. Big Mitch later left the group to pursue a football career, and was replaced with Bernard "Bun B" Freeman, although Mitch remained a frequent collaborator of the duo.

Port Arthur's UGK redefined Southern rap by refusing to chase New York trends, instead building an empire on chopped-and-screwed aesthetics and uncompromising lyricism through the '90s. Pimp C's production genius and philosophical wordplay paired with Bun B's street credibility created classics like *Ridin' Dirty*, which established UGK as architects of a distinct regional sound that would influence everyone from OutKast to Paul Wall. Their 2000 collaboration with Jay-Z on "Big Pimpin'" proved that the South's influence had become undeniable—a landmark moment when New York's biggest mogul had to come South to make the summer's biggest anthem.