| Too Hard to Swallow | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | November 10, 1992 | |||
| Recorded | 1991–1992 | |||
| Genre | Southern hip hop | |||
| Length | 57:43 | |||
| Label | Jive | |||
| Producer |
| |||
| UGK chronology | ||||
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| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [1] |
| RapReviews | (10/10) [2] |
Too Hard to Swallow is the debut studio album by American hip hop duo UGK. It was released on November 10, 1992, by Jive Records.
| No. | Title | Length |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Something Good" | 5:27 |
| 2. | "Use Me Up" | 4:29 |
| 3. | "Pocket Full of Stones" | 6:09 |
| 4. | "Short Texas" | 6:18 |
| 5. | "Cocaine in the Back of the Ride" | 3:44 |
| 6. | "It's Too Hard to Swallow" | 5:19 |
| 7. | "Cramping My Style" (featuring Infinity) | 4:45 |
| 8. | "Feel Like I'm the One Who's Doin' Dope" | 6:17 |
| 9. | "I'm So Bad" | 3:34 |
| 10. | "Trill Ass Nigga" | 4:26 |
| 11. | "976-Bun B" | 2:48 |
| 12. | "Something Good (Pimp C's Remix)" (Bonus Track) | 4:34 |
| Chart (1992) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard) [3] | 37 |
| US Heatseekers Albums (Billboard) [4] | 14 |
UGK was an American hip hop duo from Port Arthur, Texas, formed in 1987, by Chad "Pimp C" Butler and Bernard "Bun B" Freeman. They released their first major-label album, Too Hard to Swallow, in 1992, followed by several other albums charting on the Billboard 200 and Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums charts, including the self-titled Underground Kingz album, which contained their single "International Players Anthem " and debuted at number one on the Billboard 200, in August 2007. The duo has also been featured on hit singles by several other artists, such as "Big Pimpin'" by Jay-Z and "Sippin' on Some Syrup" by Three 6 Mafia. Pimp C founded UGK Records in late 2005. On December 4, 2007, Pimp C died in his West Hollywood, California hotel room.
Chad Lamont Butler, better known by his stage name Pimp C, was an American rapper and record producer. He was best known for his work with Bun B as one half of the hip-hop duo Underground Kingz (UGK).
Bernard James Freeman, known professionally as Bun B, is an American rapper. He is best known as one half of the southern rap duo UGK, a group he formed in 1987 alongside Pimp C. Aside from his work with UGK, Bun B has released five solo albums, including 2010's Trill OG, which received the rare 5-mic rating from The Source.
Chapter II is the second studio album by American singer and songwriter Ashanti. It was released by Murder Inc. and Island Def Jam on July 1, 2003 in the United States. Ashanti reteamed with Murder Inc. head Irv Gotti and producer Chink Santana to work on the album. Chapter II features a guest appearance by rapper Ja Rule, Chink Santana, and Gunnz. Critical reception towards the album was generally mixed, with critics commending the album's autobiographical lyrics, and its fun yet light nature, while other critics felt Chapter II lacked creativity and personality and relied too heavily on the formula of her debut album (2002).
The Peoples Champ is the second studio album by American rapper Paul Wall. It was released on September 13, 2005, by Atlantic and Asylum Records, alongside Swishahouse. The album debuted at number one on the US Billboard 200, selling 176,000 copies in its first week. This serves as his first number one in two solo studio releases after Chick Magnet (2004). The album was supported by four singles: "Sittin' Sidewayz", "They Don't Know", "Girl", and "Drive Slow". Both "Sittin' Sidewayz" and "Girl" became a certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for selling 500,000 copies each in the United States.
Complicated is the second studio album by American singer Nivea, released in the United States on May 3, 2005 on Jive Records. It was primarily produced by her then-husband The-Dream, with additional production from Lil Jon, R. Kelly, Bryan Michael Cox and Jermaine Dupri. The album peaked at No. 37 on the US Billboard 200 album charts and peaked at No. 9 on the R&B chart. Complicated was critically acclaimed, but failed to receive major commercial success, eventually becoming Nivea's lowest selling album to date with just over 100,000 copies sold in the US.
King, is the fourth studio album by American rapper T.I., released on March 28, 2006, through Grand Hustle Records and Atlantic Records. Recording sessions for the album took one and a half years to complete in late 2005 according to T.I. in an interview with MTV News. Production was handled by several high-profile record producers, including DJ Toomp, Just Blaze, Mannie Fresh, Swizz Beatz, Keith Mack, Travis Barker, The Neptunes, Kevin "Khao" Cates, Nick "Fury" Loftin, and Tony Galvin, among others. The album also serves as the soundtrack to T.I.’s feature film debut, ATL.
Finding Forever is the seventh studio album by Common, released on July 31, 2007, on GOOD Music and Geffen Records. Like Common's previous album, Be (2005), Finding Forever is primarily produced by Kanye West. The album debuted at the number one on the Billboard 200, selling 155,000 units in the first week, becoming Common's first chart-topper. Selling over 500,000 units in the US, it has been certified Gold. Finding Forever was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Rap Album, losing to Kanye West's Graduation at the 50th Grammy Awards.
Knowledge Is King is the third solo studio album by American rapper Kool Moe Dee, released on May 30, 1989, via Jive Records.
"(At Your Best) You Are Love" is a song by R&B group the Isley Brothers. It was originally released on their album Harvest for the World. The song was dedicated to their mother, Sally. Although not a single, the song was a radio hit in 1976, and later became a hit for R&B singer Aaliyah in 1994.
Music from the Motion Picture Poetic Justice is the soundtrack to John Singleton's 1993 film Poetic Justice. It was released on June 29, 1993, through Epic Soundtrax, and consisted of a blend of hip hop and R&B music. The album peaked at number 23 on the Billboard 200 chart in the United States and was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America on August 25, 1993.
Underground Kingz is the fifth studio album by American hip hop duo UGK. The album was released on August 7, 2007, by Jive Records. The album includes collaborations with Z-RO, T.I., Talib Kweli, Rick Ross, Jazze Pha, Kool G Rap, Big Daddy Kane, Slim Thug, Dizzee Rascal, Too Short, Charlie Wilson, Middle Fingaz, Outkast, Three 6 Mafia, and many more. Production mainly came from Pimp C, N.O. Joe, Lil Jon, Jazze Pha, Swizz Beatz, DJ Paul & Juicy J, Scarface and Marley Marl.
Ridin' Dirty is the third studio album by American hip hop duo UGK. It was released on July 30, 1996, by Jive Records. Despite no music videos or official singles being released, it is their best selling album with over 850,000 copies sold to date, with 70,000 copies sold in its first week.
Dirty Money is the fourth studio album by American hip hop duo UGK. It was released on November 13, 2001, by Jive Records. The album came after a five-year hiatus, however, the duo had been planning on releasing this album since 1998, and ads for it appeared in some of the late 1998's Jive albums.
The Love Experience is the debut studio album by American singer Raheem DeVaughn. It was released on June 28, 2005 by Jive Records. DeVaughn who wrote or co-wrote every track on the album, worked with a variety of musicians on the album, including Kenny "Dope" Gonzalez, Andreao Fanatic" Heard, Terry Hunter, and K-Murdock, among others. The album cover was photographed by Daniel Hastings, who was known primarily for his work on seminal 1990's East Coast hip hop albums.
II Trill is the second studio album by UGK member Bun B. It was released on May 20, 2008 by Rap-a-Lot Records, Asylum Records and Warner Bros. Records.
"Use Me" is a song, composed and originally recorded by Bill Withers. It was included on his 1972 album Still Bill and was released as a single. An eight-minute live version opens the 1973 album "Live at Carnegie Hall."
So Far Gone is the third mixtape by Canadian rapper Drake. It was released on February 13, 2009, self-released under his October's Very Own label. The mixtape was met with critical and commercial success, serving as a catalyst for Drake's career as a mainstream musical artist. So Far Gone peaked at number seven on the Canadian Albums Chart and number five on the Billboard 200. It remains Drake's final independent project.
UGK 4 Life is the sixth and final studio album by American hip hop duo UGK. It was released on March 31, 2009, by Jive Records. This is also the first posthumous album for Pimp C.
"I" is a song by American rapper Kendrick Lamar featuring Ronald Isley of The Isley Brothers. It was released on September 23, 2014 as the lead single from Lamar's third studio album To Pimp a Butterfly. The song uses music from "That Lady", written by and originally performed by R&B group The Isley Brothers, elements from which were re-recorded rather than being directly sampled from the original record. "I" won two awards at the 2015 Grammy Awards: Best Rap Performance and Best Rap Song.
