UGK (short for Underground Kingz) was an American rap duo from Port Arthur, Texas, formed in 1987, by Mitchell “Big Mitch” Queen who would eventually leave the group to pursue a football career [1]and Chad "Pimp C" Butler with Bernard “Bun B” Freeman replacing Big Mitch who would still make guest appearances on UGK songs.

Originally from Port Arthur, Texas UGK members Pimp and Bun were from the same town as Janis Joplin and Robert Rauschenberg.

They called themselves "Underground Kingz" because their country rap style was so full of "slang and twang" they thought it inaccessible for outsiders.

UGK blended "deep bluesy texures, triumphant church organs, thick funk and meaty soul".

[2] Pimp, or Chad Butler, is the son of a trumpet player and has had an interest in music since childhood: "I come from a classical background, I came up singing Italian sonnets, Negro spirituals, and shit of that nature."

Even before studying musical notation in school he learned to play many instruments by ear including piano, trumpet, drums and flugelhorn.

Influenced by Run-DMC, he started synthesizing beats to rap over after receiving a drum machine and keyboard one Christmas.

[2] In 1992, UGK was signed to Jive Records under a five-album contract, releasing their major-label debut album Too Hard to Swallow.

[12] Featured guests included Talib Kweli, Too Short, Rick Ross, Z-RO, Three 6 Mafia, Slim Thug, OutKast, as well as hip-hop legends Kool G Rap and Big Daddy Kane on a Marley Marl-produced track titled "Next Up".

On December 4, 2007, Pimp C was found dead at the Mondrian Hotel in West Hollywood, California, after Los Angeles County Fire Department responded to a 9-1-1 call.

[19] UGK (most notably Pimp C) has also influenced other rappers such as Big Boi of OutKast, Boosie Badazz and Paul Wall.