Making his way to the Big Apple by way of Port Arthur, Texas, Bun B held a private listening session for his forthcoming album, Trill OG, last night (June 1) at Dame Dash’s DD172 gallery. Nestled on the outskirts of New York’s artsy Tribeca district, media, friends and special invited including guests Chamillionaire, Slim Thug, Asher Roth, Cool Kids and others gathered in the former (and new!) Roc-A-Fella CEO’s creative playhouse to get the first listen to Bun’s latest chapter in the Trill saga.

While the mix of bloggers, hipsters, artists, and media types rubbed elbows, Bun B grabbed the mic to say a few words before introducing the album. “I am very proud of this album, Trill OG—I put a lot of hard work, pain and sweat into this record. But with that being said it’s not preachy or sad. It’s very entertaining and just an incredible record.”

Sticking to his guns, the living legend rhymes familiar themes on his forthcoming third solo LP but comes up with anything but stale material. He enlisted beatsmiths such as DJ Khalil to bring some new flavor to his candy-coated bars and veteran DJ Premier to lace a neck-breaking track sure to get play way on both sides of the Mason-Dixon. Bun B shows he can still be the star of the show when riding with some today’s biggest names. On “Just Like That,” Bun gets an assist from Young Jeezy as the two lyrically abuse the record’s relentless snares and snyths.  Bun also gracefully dissects syllables and crushes any doubts that he’s fallen from his Underground King throne on the Preemo-produced “Let Em Know.”

But the record that commanded an immediate silence from the chatter was “Right Now,” which features posthumous verses from the late Pimp C and Tupac and Trey Songz on the hook, all weaved together so nicely that the record sounds as if it were recorded yesterday.

You can hear Trill OG for yourself when it hits stores Aug. 3. —Mikey Fresh

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