Mike Dean talks about working on UGK's final album

[Lunatic]

http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/160...0302/ugk.jhtml

UGK's final studio album, 4 Life, is due out March 31, and for everyone involved it's been an emotional journey. Back in 2007, Pimp C was found dead in his hotel room, the result of an accidental overdose of codeine medication combined with a pre-existing sleep condition, according to the Los Angeles County Coroner's Office. 4 Life is both UGK's last studio album and a tribute to Pimp C.

Mike Dean, who mixed the upcoming album, said Bun B and Pimp C originally wanted their 2007 LP Underground Kingz to be a double-disc effort, so naturally there was a lot of unused material left over from the sessions. A lot of this material makes up 4 Life, which includes both Bun B and Pimp C on every track.

"It was an extremely emotional experience for me," Dean said of mixing the record. "I worked with Pimp C since he was 14 years old, and he was one of my best friends."

Dean also said that the album includes some of UGK's "nastiest raps ever." And while Bun B originally told MTV News that it wasn't likely the album would feature guest appearances, now there are quite a few, including Snoop Dogg, E-40, B Legit, Lil Boosie, Webbie, Too Short, Raheem Devaughn, Sleepy Brown, Akon and Big Gipp.

Production on the album came from Mannie Fresh, Akon, Cory Mo — who Dean says was a good friend of C's — and others, many of whom are up-and-coming producers who were protégés of Pimp C.

The first single, "Da Game Been Good to Me," has been out for a few weeks, but Dean said the next single is likely to be "Still on the Grind," featuring Raheem Devaughn. He also mentioned two of his other favorite tracks on the album, "Steel Your Mind," featuring Too Short and Snoop Dogg, and "She Luv," which features just the classic raps of Pimp C and Bun B.

The entire album includes a lot of singing by Pimp C, but without Auto-Tune — a method that has become increasingly popular (and some say abused) in the industry. Giving us Pimp C's probable reaction to applying Auto-Tune to his vocals, Dean laughed and said, "[He] would've come up from the dead and given me a bitch slap!"

Dean is really excited about this album, even though it was an emotional challenge to finish it without Pimp C. It did, however, create a new bond between him and Bun B. "We had to make sure the album was extra super-tight because this is UGK's final album," he explained. "Pimp C was usually the one at the studio overlooking the producing and recording, so it was a whole different vibe for Bun B to be doing it — and exciting for him, in a way ... though emotional."

Now that Mike Dean is finished with 4 Life, he will be producing and mixing part of Bun B's upcoming solo album, as well as Mike Jones' new album Voice of the Streets (Dean is also shooting the video for "On Top of the Covers," a track off of Streets), Slim Thug's upcoming Boss of All Bosses, and Clipse's upcoming Till the Casket Drops.

I really can't wait for this shit; so snoop is also on the track that ft's too short

[Lunatic]

1. Intro
2. Still On The Grind featuring Rahemm DeVaughn
3. Everybody Wanna Ball
4. Feelin' You
5. The Pimp & The Bun featuring Ron Isley
6. She Luv It
7. 7th Street Interlude
8. Swishas & Erb featuring Sleepy Brown
9. Purse Come First featuring Big Gipp
10. Harry Asshole featuring Lil Boosie and Webbie
11. Used To Be featuring B.Legit,E40 and 8Ball & MJG
12. Steel Your Mind featuring Too Short & Snoop Dogg
13. Texas Ave Interlude
14. Hard As Hell featuring Akon
15. Da Game Been Good To Me
16. Outro

[sav]

A new solo album from Bun? 

[Lunatic]

The entire album includes a lot of singing by Pimp C, but without Auto-Tune — a method that has become increasingly popular (and some say abused) in the industry. Giving us Pimp C's probable reaction to applying Auto-Tune to his vocals, Dean laughed and said, "[He] would've come up from the dead and given me a bitch slap!"

LMAO! long live the soul of the Pimp! damn I miss him..

[Booz]

Back in 2007, Pimp C was found dead in his hotel room

It was over a year ago? Damn time passes by fast...
I was just listening to Underground Kingz, great stuff. Should check those older albums too, must be one of the only south artists I can listen to a whole album without skips, Facemob(+ Devin The Dude solo) & OutKast being the other ones.

[stillinrehab]

Back in 2007, Pimp C was found dead in his hotel room

It was over a year ago? Damn time passes by fast...
I was just listening to Underground Kingz, great stuff. Should check those older albums too, must be one of the only south artists I can listen to a whole album without skips, Facemob(+ Devin The Dude solo) & OutKast being the other ones.

Yeah those are along the same ones that I can enjoy aswell! RIP Pimp C this guy is sorely missed but will be good to hear him once more! 

[Jaydc555]

Yeah its tragic ugk was the best thing out of the south.

[Rick McCrank]

it's guaranteed heat when Mike Dean is fuckin with a project...

I really wanna hear the track with $hort and Snoop

[INGlewood4Life]

AHHHH Shit cain't wait mane

[Lunatic]

Yeah its tragic ugk was the best thing out of the south.

agreed

[sav]

Should check those older albums too,

Try "Dirty Money".   

[R1ZE]

dirty money was meh... super tight and ridin dirty >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> it

[Rick McCrank]

"Dirty Money" had some monsters on it though...

Wood Wheel
Look At Me
Let Me See It
Choppin Blades
Take It Off
Dirty Money
Don't Say Shit


speaking of this album... does anybody have the explicit version of "Aint That A Bitch"

[Lunatic]

Ridin Dirty > Too Hard To Swallow > UGK > Dirty Money > Super Tight

[the ghost]

Looking forward to this:)