Bun B

Bernard Freeman — known better to the world as Bun B - has been changing the hip-hop landscape as one half of the legendary UGK alongside the late Pimp C for over 30 years. While the Grammy nominated duo collectively delivered six classic albums and two EPs, Bun solidified his solo warrior status with five projects that embodied his Port Arthur, Texas mantra to keep it trill.

From UGK’s 1992 debut Too Hard to Swallow and their groundbreaking “International Players Anthem (I Choose You)” with Outkast 15 years later, to their cameo on Jay-Z’s “Big Pimpin,” Southern hip-hop was made better thanks to the Underground Kingz. In 2006 Bun B won an ASCAP Award for Top R&B/Hip Hop Song for his writing and performance on the single “Give Me That” and also holds an MTV Music Award for Best R&B Video for Beyonce’s “Check On It” featuring himself and Slim Thug. His third solo album, 2010’s Trill O.G. was met with critical acclaim, garnering five-mics from The Source and an XL rating from XXL Magazine, with guest appearances from Drake, Gucci Mane, Jeezy, T-Pain, and more. By 2013, he would release his last project before his musical break, The Epilogue, boasting big name collaborations with Rick Ross, 2 Chainz, and Big K.R.I.T.

As a professor of Theology at Houston’s Rice University, Bun led a course about Religion and Hip-Hop Culture, that in 2015 became available digitally. On top of academia, Bun released the Rap Coloring and Activity Book with Shea Serrano, grabbed a hold of lifestyle and sneaker culture with the Nike Jordans Classics program for young players, and showed the world his foodie side with the launch of the food blog YouGottaEatThis.com via the Complex Network.

When Hurricane Harvey hit in 2017, Bun was at the forefront of recovery efforts, and he helped host the Hand In Hand Telethon, raising $40 million. A second round of fundraising brought in an additional $20 million dollars.

In August 2018, Bun B delivered Return of the Trill, a full length effort produced by Big K.R.I.T..

During the past couple of years, Bun has continued his involvement with local communities and community leaders in support of a wide variety of relief efforts. Most recently, he has worked closely with political leaders during the current presidential elections to help promote voting campaigns and has participated in the organization of major rallies to honor the legacy of George Floyd and call for policing reform.

In 2021, Bun welcomed the new year with the release of the collaborative EP Distant with fellow Houston rapper LE$. He also launched his latest food venture Trill Burgers with a series of pop-ups in his city of Houston. In July of 2022, Trill Burgers won the title of best burger in America from "Good Morning America."

From selling millions of albums to Grammy nominations, changing academia, publishing, sneaker, food, and car culture, plus philanthropy, there isn’t much that Bun B hasn’t done. His mantra is simple and one that has carried him for decades and will do so for decades more. “Live for today,” he declares, “but be smart in case tomorrow comes.”