Pimp C Pimpalation: 2 CD CD

PIMPALATION is as glitzy and glamorous as the lifestyles of the crunk and famous can get, with sung choruses and lusher production than has been heard out of the Swishahouse contingent since its early days. In fact, the standout tracks lean as much toward the '90s West Coast G-funk of Nate Dogg and Warren G as they do Pimp's woozy style. Tracks such as "Free" (cribbing a chorus from Tom Petty's hit "Free Fallin'") and the Mike Jones collaboration, "Pourin' Up," demonstrate that even jailtime hasn't taken away Pimp C's spirit or his ability to turn a clever verse.

As the incarcerated half of criminally overlooked Houston hip-hop duo UGK, Pimp C had to sit behind bars while the style of music he helped usher in (with colleagues such as Three 6 Mafia, Mike Jones, and Paul Wall) became the dominant force in mainstream hip-hop. While his partner in UGK, Bun-B, hit it big in 2005 with his solo debut, TRILL, Pimp C's release PIMPALATION serves to balance out the scales in his favor (even if the scales of justice tipped unfavorably).

Personnel: Pimp C (rap vocals); 8Ball, Jazze Pha, Lil' Keke, Mannie Fresh, Mike Jones , Slim Thug, Bun B (rap vocals).

The Wire (p.64) - "Swishahouse's Michael '5000' Watts proves himself the style's virtuoso exponent, transforming PIMPALATION into a blur of twitching breakdowns and swirling molasses vocals."
XXL (Magazine) (p.148) - "Rightfully so, Pimp opens the album with 'Free,' a folksy, feel-good recording where Tom Petty's 'Free Fallin'" gets the crunk treatment..."