Another tragic loss hit the entertainment industry today when UGK member Pimp C was found dead in an upscale LA apartment. He was 33 years old. Here’s a statement released from Jive Records:

It is with great sadness that Jive Records announces the passing of Chad “Pimp C” Butler, a member of the celebrated rap duo UGK (Underground Kingz). Jive Records’ President and CEO Barry Weiss states: “We mourn the unexpected loss of Chad. He was truly a thoughtful and kind-hearted person. He will be remembered for his talent and profound influence as a pioneer in bringing southern rap to the forefront. He will be missed and our prayers remain with his family and Bun B. I’ve known Chad since he was 18, and we loved him dearly and he was a cherished member of the Jive family.”

Born in Port Arthur, Texas, Butler’s father was a trumpet player who played professionally with Solomon Burke. Outside of his father, the 33-year old rapper’s influences varied, ranging from Bobby Bland, Jimmy McGriff, the 1960’s Motown artists to Run DMC. Butler met his inseparable partner Bernard “Bun B” Freeman in high school where they formed UGK. In 1992, the duo signed to Jive Records and went on release a total of eight albums for the label. They earned their highest achievement earlier this year when their most recent album, UGK (Underground Kingz), debuted in the number one position on the album pop chart. According to the New York Times, UGK “helped inspire a generation of Southern hip-hop stars, from Outkast to Lil Wayne.”

Bun B is not available for comment at this time.

To a mainstream audience, Pimp C was best known for UGK’s cameo on the Jay-Z hit “Big Pimpin’,” and for “Free Pimp C” T-shirts and shout-outs, ubiquitous in rap several years ago while he was jailed on gun charges. On Tuesday, his MySpace page had been changed to read: “C the Pimp is FREE at last.”

Born Chad Butler, Pimp C was found dead in a room at the Mondrian hotel, a longtime music industry hangout not far from the House of Blues on Sunset Strip, where he had performed on Saturday night alongside rap veteran Too $hort. Capt. Ed Winter of the Los Angeles County coroner’s office said Butler had apparently died while in bed in his hotel room. CONTINUE READING

THIS WEEK’S TOPICS » Usher’s birth of his first son – 50 Cent smack talks Jay-Z, Diddy, Def Jam and others – Update on the Sean Taylor care + more!

Looks like Foster is taking the animosity surrounding her in the media not too well, proceed:

The mother of R&B star USHER’s baby boy has lashed out at the singer’s jealous fans, who have made her life a misery ever since the couple announced its engagement.

Tameka Foster, who wed Usher in September (07) and gave birth to their son last week (26Nov07), can’t believe how the black media and black women, in particular, have turned on her.

She insists her love for the Yeah! hitmaker is for real, despite claims she’s using Usher to boost her fashion empire.

Foster tells Essence magazine, “We (black women) don’t like ourselves. If I were Hispanic, Usher would have the sexiest wife alive. If I were mixed, he’d have the sexiest wife alive.

“But he has a black girl, and it’s like, ‘She’s horrible and she’s ugly!’ “OK, maybe I don’t fit the cookie-cutter standard – 25 and a size two – but this is who he loves.” And Foster insists those that just want to bad mouth her should turn their attentions to more pressing matters.

She rants, “There are women getting raped in Darfur, young girls being turned out every single day right here in Atlanta. We have bigger issues to worry about than two people in love with each other.” And soul star Patti LaBelle, who refers to Foster as her “second daughter”, backs her up in the article, adding, “Tameka is a pretty black woman who has been married before… but Usher knows her past and he loves her.”
Source(s): PR-Inside.com via UsherForever.com

Damn, did I mention how much I love her? She has a point, you know. I could care less about Usher’s personal life, much less who he weds, hell — Usher can marry a man (no pun intended) — I wouldn’t care. As long as he is happy (and making good music of course) and truly loves this beautiful black woman I see no cons. I must admit, we as black people, are our own enemies. White people love and adore Britney, Lindsay, etc. How come we don’t support each other more? It’s sad.

I was highly disappointed in fellow native J.Lo in her Brave efforts but there may be hope with “Hold It, Don’t Drop It.”

Police in Florida say they have more than one confession from four suspects (Venjah K. Hunte, 20; Eric Rivera Jr., 17; Jason Scott Mitchell, 17; and Charles Kendrick Lee Wardlow, 18) arrested Friday (Nov 30th) in the murder of NFL star Sean Taylor. Investigators think burglary was the motive in last Monday’s morning break-in at Taylor’s Miami-area home.

The suspects weren’t expecting Taylor to be home, said Miami-Dade police Director Robert Parker, but Taylor was recuperating from a knee injury and had returned home from Washington. Taylor died the following Tuesday of a gunshot wound to the leg.

The funeral for the football player was held Monday morning at an arena on the campus of Florida International University. According to The National Post, Taylor’s casket was surrounded by large bouquets of flowers and was placed in front of a large video screen which showed highlights from his playing career. Part of the bouquet was arranged in the design of a number 21, Taylor’s jersey number.

Several speakers addressed the crowd of mourners, including NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, Redskins coach Joe Gibbs, Redskins running back Clinton Portis and Reverend Jesse Jackson. “The NFL is proud of Sean Taylor, not just of his Pro Bowl ability,” Goodell said. “He loved football, and football loved him back. “But more important is what he was as a man and what he was becoming as a man, for lots of people here today – fans, family, admirers. He made an impact on all of us.”

Taylor was the first player drafted together by Gibbs and Redskins owner Daniel Snyder, who also was in attendance. “Over the four years, the thing that excited me most – it was about Sean’s life,” Gibbs said. “It was not about football. (It) was the maturing process in his life.” Portis, also a teammate of Taylor’s at the University of Miami, donned large sunglasses and spoke of the Pro Bowl safety’s ferocity and talent on the field. CONTINUE READING