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Bun B - TrillAlbum Review by:
John Burnett
Sunday, October 30, 2005
 With the West and the East Coast monopolizing the hip hop market, there was little discussion of the Dirty South holding it down when it came to the rap game. The limelight did not begin to shift to the South until the release of Outkast’s debut Southernplayalisticadillacmuzik , and even still many denied the South. Before the Atliens there was U.G.K. (Underground Kingz—Bun B and Pimp C) who had already been putting it down for Port Arthur, Texas and the South for a number of years. Personally, it took one listen to classic album Ridin Dirty to convince me. Their combination of suave pimp talk, laid back third coast slang, country twang, and raw narration of ghetto life threw some pot holes in the game, and even had—self-proclaimed king of New York—Jay-Z showing love, giving the Underground Kingz a feature on highly successful track “Big Pimpin.” With this track vaulting Bun B and Pimp C’s name to the mainstream, one would imagine their next album would be wildly successful. It was not, and the future found Underground King, Pimp C incarcerated. Bun B hit the mixtape circuit hard, along with an abundance of features on popular artists’ tracks, but with Pimp C locked up fans wondered would Bun B remain stagnant until Pimp C was freed. Bun B answered with Trill his forthcoming solo album.
Bun B ushers his vault for southern kingship with “The Inauguration.” Militant drums, patriotic horns, and a heavy bassline are paired with a sped up Bun B to open this album letting other southern rappers know that the ambassador of all that is trill is here to claim what is properly his: the throne below the Mason Dixon Line. The parade of features begins on “Get Throwed” with Pimp C, Z-Ro, Young Jeezy, and the big homey, Jay-Z. In this all star line-up, each rapper brings their unique substance to the table to concoct another anthem to ride slow or just lay back and chill while drinking a cup of that purple stuff (neither John Burnett nor Nobodysmiling.com endorses the consumption of purple stuff, lol) . Later, we see two of the greatest from the south—Bun B and Scarface— and newcomer Young Jeezy on “Pushin” relating tales of moving that white stuff and cooking in those infamous pyrex pots. “Pushin” will appeal to those dope dealers who stay dodging the feds, and will illustrate that lifestyle to those suburbanites. The combination of the introspective track, Bun, Face and Jeezy doesn’t hurt this one either. The Texan does make one for the ladies in the form of “Hold U Down” featuring the new choice R&B thug these days, Trey Songz, Cash Money Millionaire, Baby and fellow Texan, Mike Jones. This piano-laced ode to that bottom chick delivers an anthem to the bounce-heavy album. “Draped Up (H-Town Mix)” unites Houston all stars Lil Keke, Paul Wall, Z-Ro, Mike Jones, several others and the most surprising beefing artists Slim Thug and Lil Flip to commemorate the memory of screw creator, DJ Screw and to support Bun B.
This album does have some weak filler tracks including the repetitive and annoying “Bun.” Also there’s the all so common, floss out fest on “I’m Fresh” featuring Mannie Fresh, and the formulaic “club song” “Git It” featuring the Ying Yang Twins which contains the production of new sensation, Collipark. These tracks do not degrade the overall quality of the album, but could have easily been replaced or omitted.
This album’s strength’s is also its weakness: the features. Everyone from Jay-Z to Too Short to T.I. to all of H-Town grace the mic on this one, yet isn’t it Bun’s solo album? Fans will cop this album to hear Bun, but will actually hear a lot of other emcees. But I have to admit, it’s pretty hot to hear the best in the game come together to give shine to one of the most slept on artist ever, Bun. This album delivers what is expected: bass, laid back Texas swagger, pimp talk, tales of the pyrex pots and re-ups, several exclamations to “free Pimp C” and just in general trillness. Though one would like to see Bun expand his horizons on this solo effort, I also enjoy what we’ve come to know and love Bun B for, which is being trill.
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