UGK and OutKast’s “International Players Anthem “I Choose You” stands as a monumental track in hip-hop history, but its creation wasn’t without some tension. During an appearance on LeBron James and Maverick Carter’s The Shop, André 3000 shared a story about the late Pimp C’s strong reaction to his verse on the 2007 classic.
Reflecting on the past, André 3000 recounted how Pimp C was “really mad” at him for his approach to the verse. “Rest in peace Pimp C, but I’ve got a funny story about that,” André said when prompted by co-host Paul Rivera. “Pimp was so mad at me because they sent the beat, and I wrote my verse, put my words down, and I took the beat out for my part.”
When André 3000 sent his version back, Pimp C was furious. When I sent it back to them, Pimp was like, ‘F**k this muthaf**ka, man! This n***a done goddamn took my beat out! Who the f**k he think he is?!’ So he was really mad at the choice that I had made to take the beat out.” André recalled Pimp C saying. The reaction was intense, with Pimp C feeling disrespected by the alteration.
However, the situation was diffused when others, possibly including Bun B, explained the artistic choice. “I don’t know if it was Bun B or somebody, they were like, ‘Nah, but you don’t understand, when that beat drops, though, it sets it off.’ So it’s almost like a set-up. So it worked, and once he got that, he was like, ‘Okay, okay.’ But he was so mad at me.”
