This interview with Bun B reminded me how much I like his verse on Outkast's "Tough Guy," an otherwise forgettable song.

In fact, I think the beat on "Tough Guy" is both dull and irritating. The snare is the only part of the instrumentation that comes even close to producing any kind of intensity. Big Boi and Andre don't sound especially comfortable here, maybe it's the subject matter, maybe it's the beat, but their boasts sound empty. Andre is especially weak, but Outkast has enough amazing material that they can phone in a song every now and then.

Fortunately UGK is on board to pick up the slack. Bun B gets the second verse (or the first verse after Big Boi) and owns this bouncy snare track by emphasizing syllables all over the place. For the first half of his verse he raps lines that are about one beat short of a full bar, so up to his first break it sounds like's he's rapping 3/4 over a 4/4 beat. He varies his flow the whole way through and the length or rhythm of his next line isn't predictable. It's just brilliant. Pimp C picks up the momentum and carries it through, but he doesn't raise the bar - although that's a tall order.

I know this wasn't a contest, but if this song is some referendum on UGK v. Outkast, I think UGK takes this one hands down.

Outkast and UGK - "Tough Guy"