Ridin' Dirty

Infobox Album
Name = Ridin' Dirty
Type = studio
Artist = UGK


Released = July 30, 1996
Recorded = 1995 – 1996 at Bangin' Studios, Studio G and Battery Studios in Texas
Genre = Southern rap, gangsta rap
Length = 66:12
Label = Jive Records 01241-41586-2
Producer = Pimp C, Mr. 3-2, Sergio, N.O. Joe
Reviews =
* Allmusic Rating|4.5|5 [http://allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:3zfpxquhldhe link]
* RapReviews.com Rating-10|10 [http://rapreviews.com/archive/BTTL_ugkridindirty.html link]
Last album = "Super Tight" (1994)
This album = "Ridin' Dirty" (1996)
Next album = "Dirty Money" (2001)

"Ridin' Dirty" is the fourth album from the Port Arthur, Texas rap group UGK. It was released July 29, 1996 on Jive Records. Jay-Z, T.I., and Chamillionaire have cited this as their favorite UGK album. It was the group's most successful album, going gold with over 500,000 sales in the U.S, even without a music video or a single. It is also made many end of year lists and was not followed up until 2001's "Dirty Money".

"Ridin' Dirty" is a highly acclaimed and influential album. The iTunes album review states that "It has been said that "Ridin' Dirty" is to the South what Public Enemy's "It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back" is to New York, namely, a work of such immense and enduring power that no one making hip-hop after its release can completely escape its influence." The review also says "The reputation of "Ridin' Dirty" will only grow with time, hip-hop has rarely been rendered with so much gravity." [http://ax.phobos.apple.com.edgesuite.net/WebObjects/MZStore.woa/wa/viewAlbum?i=268523132&id=268522887&s=143441] The Rapreviews.com review states that the album "is an undeniable classic", and gives it a 10 out of 10 rating. [http://rapreviews.com/archive/BTTL_ugkridindirty.html]

Trivia

*People typically wrongfully cite the R&B vocalist on "One Day" as Ron Isley, but it is in fact, a local southern singer named Ronnie Spencer. The vocals themselves are partially interpolated from an Isley Brothers song "Ain't I Been Good to You" (1974).
*DJ Screw and UGK collaborated on a screwed and chopped mixtape as a prequel to this album in 1996. It also heavily featured original Screwed Up Click member, Dat Boy Grace, who Pimp C demanded have an involvement with the tape after being impressed with his presence on various screw tapes. The tape featured freestyle tracks, slowed down, over various songs -- including "Fuck My Car," which later appeared as a song on the album, and other classic hip-hop instrumentals. It was only released as a cassette.
*The voice on the interludes, portraying the life of an incarcerated man's conversation with a close friend regarding life in a penitentiary, is of Jackson, Mississippi rapper and UGK affiliate Smoke D, who also appeared on the song "Protect and Serve" on UGK's second LP, Super Tight. Smoke D is still incarcerated, and Pimp C would often reference him in various UGK songs ("Man hit that sweet one time cause Smoke D locked down in that pen").
*Bun B has stated that initially he was apprehensive towards recording "One Day," which has become one of the quintessential UGK records and southern rap songs altogether, due to the down tempo nature of the song. He cited that the death of a close friend (which he mentions in his verse: "I remember being eight deep off in Chuckie's crib / lettin' us act bad / not giving a fuck what we did / when we lost him, I knew the world was coming to an end / And I had to quit lettin' that devil push me to a sin.") was responsible for ultimately leading him to agree to recording over the song.
*The photography on the album cover was allegedly shot in front of DJ Screw's house in Houston.
*UGK released an accompanying 12" record of the album entitled "Ridin' Clean," which featured all of the vocals on the album re-done, without any curse words or lyrics that could be taken as offensive. Due to UGK's often outlandish and aggressive word choices, the results were often far different from the original lyrics. For example, "Fuck My Car" became "Ride My Car," where Bun B's infamous "And didn't even fuck! Man what the fuck? If you didn't want to fuck, then get the fuck out the truck!" line is transformed into "You didn't even hit! Man you need to quit! If they ain't wanna hit, they need to get up out my shhhhh...".

Track listing

References