I was 10 when Pac and Big died.

Today, I understand how big these losses were. At the time though, I was relatively calm about the events.

But when Pimp C died a year ago to this day — that shit hit me like a ton of bricks.

Gotty™ said it best when describing why Pimp C is so beloved:

“And dear Lord, the brother came hell & raised an insane amount of hell, calling out any & all rappers. Sometimes the claims were outlandish, perhaps provoked by the Devil’s dandruff (see: the infamous Atlanta radio interview). Other times they were on point & a good dose of reality that some of these egotistical rap hacks needed (see: criticism of hip-hop’s glamorization of jail).”

I looked up to him as a father figure for all MCs south of the Mason/Dixon. I distinctly remember the pride and comedic appreciation I had for Pimp’s rant at the end of “Quit Hatin the South” from the last UGK album in which he put the South on his back to defend it against those northern detractors. Yea, Pimp can throw rocks at the scene in Atlanta, but he wasn’t going to let some outsider do it.

When I heard that Pimp C had passed, I was at a loss. A few days later I listened to Bun B’s emotional radio interview, looking for answers on how to cope with this loss. I just remember the host asking Bun what the last thing he said to Pimp C was. Bun’s response:

“I love you.”

They always said that when they parted ways to that in the unfortunate event that someone doesn’t make it back, they would have gotten that off their chests. That shit amazed me. Pimp C was the first person to call a dude a “dick in the booty ass” if that person was acting a little funny. Still, he put that to the side to tell Bun he loved him every day. With the explosion of “no homos” and “pauses” all over the net, there just doesn’t seem like a place for that emotion between two guys. Though it’s hard to muster the whatever it is it takes to say that to a guy, Pimp C’s passing taught me that it’s important to put that tough guy shit to the side every once in a while so that I wouldn’t have a close friend gone before I had the chance to say how much he means to me.

Now that I’ve said that- it’s time to say fuck that mushy shit. I got my Polo on (fuck that Hilfiger!!!) and I’m whippin up some Crown and Coke to salute the almighty Pimp C.

R.I.P. to a leader and an all-time great.

Smoke summin’ beeeech!!!

Bun B Feat. Juvenile & Webbie – Pop It 4 Pimp