Rewind: UGK 'Too Hard to Swallow'

Underground Kingz formed in 1987, but would only self release a handful of EPs until their 1992 major label debut 'Too Hard to Swallow'. UGK's debut features a who's who of sampled artists, making it one of the early 90s best produced efforts.

The opening track 'Something Good' produced by Bernie Bismark and Shetoro Henderson samples Rufus and Chaka Khan's hit 'Tell Me Something Good' from Rufus' 1973 album 'Rags to Rufus'. Bill Withers' slow motion break on 'Use Me' is the perfect sample for Texas' slow motion raps on UGK's 'Use Me Up', produced by Pimp C. 'Cocaine in the Back of the Ride' does a great job of thematically sampling Curtis Mayfield's 'Superfly soundtrack hit single 'Freddie's Dead'. UGK's 'Crampin' My Style' samples former Five On It winner 'Between the Sheets' from the Isley Brothers' 1982 album of the same name. Finally, the Isleys are sampled again on the Pimp C produced 'I'm So Bad' which samples 'I Turned You On' from the 1969 Isley Brothers album 'The Brothers: Isley'.

UGK followed 'Too Hard to Swallow' with five albums leading to 2007's #1 album 'Underground Kingz', formerly reviewed in this blog. UGK recently released their final album 'UGK 4 Life', completing the work Pimp C and Bun B started before Pimp C untimely death.

The Lowdown:
UGK 'Something Good', 'Use Me Up', 'Cocaine in the Back of the Ride', 'Crampin' My Style', and 'I'm So Bad'
from 'Too Hard to Swallow' (1992) (MP3/CD)
Rufus and Chaka Khan 'Tell Me Something Good'
from 'Rags to Rufus' (1973) (MP3/CD)
Bill Withers 'Use Me'
from 'Still Bill' (1972) (MP3/Import CD)
Curtis Mayfield 'Freddie's Dead'
from 'Superfly' (1972) (MP3/CD)
The Isley Brothers 'Between the Sheets'
from 'Between the Sheets' (1982) (MP3/CD)
The Isley Brothers 'I Turned You On'
from 'The Brothers: Isley' (1969) (MP3 not available/CD not available)

Related Posts:
UGK 'Underground Kingz' (Part 1)
UGK 'Underground Kingz' (Part 2)