Rapper Pimp C, who along with Bun B comprised the Texas rap duo UGK, was found dead on Tuesday morning at the upscale Mondrian Hotel, on West Hollwood’s Susnset Strip. While local authorities told reporters that there were no signs of foul play—the rapper (né Chad Butler) was found dead in his bed and appeared at first glance to have simply died in his sleep—they would be conducting an autopsy on Wednesday to determine a cause of death.
Butler, 33, was to have checked out of the room on Monday, and after hotel personnel received no response over the course of the day and found the door locked, they alerted hotel security, who found the lifeless body and quickly called authorities. L.A. County Fire was the first on the scene, and they confirmed that Butler was dead. Police soon followed, and while, as aforementioned, there was no sign of foul play, they said that the homicide division would be looking into the case.
A spokesperson for the rapper released a statement on Tuesday afternoon requesting that “everyone please respect his family and those close to him at this time and refrain from rumors and innuendo.”
Butler has seemingly been in good health, and had even spoken with his mother, Weslyn Monroe, last weekend, as he was apparently in high spirits and excited to be collaborating with Three-6-Mafia sometime in the near future. Monroe told reporters in a phone interview, “He was in L.A., doing what he loved most.” He had been in town for a concert on Saturday, where he appeared with rapper/singer Too $hort.
(The Houston Chronicle)
