Death ‘accidental’

LOS ANGELES – Influential Southern rapper Pimp C died of an accidental overdose of a combination of drugs he had named in his lyrics – codeine and promethazine, the county coroner’s office ruled.

The drugs are key ingredients in “syrup”, a narcotic of choice in Southern rap circles that was most famously celebrated by Three 6 Mafia and Pimp C’s group Underground Kingz in the 2000 single ‘Sippin’ on some Syrup’. The coroner’s office said on Monday that Pimp C had sleep apnea, which causes people to stop breathing for up to 30 seconds at a time while sleeping.That illness combined with large amounts of prescription-strength cough syrup is what killed the rapper, coroner’s Captain Ed Winter said.DJ Screw, another influential figure in the Texas hip-hop scene, died of a heart attack in 2000 after a reported overdose of codeine-laced cough syrup.Pimp C, born Chad Butler, was 33.With partner-in-rhyme Bun B, Pimp C was half of the pioneering Port Arthur, Texas-based rap duo UGK.The group’s self-titled CD topped the Billboard charts last year.Pimp C had been working on a solo effort before he died.Nampa-APThe coroner’s office said on Monday that Pimp C had sleep apnea, which causes people to stop breathing for up to 30 seconds at a time while sleeping.That illness combined with large amounts of prescription-strength cough syrup is what killed the rapper, coroner’s Captain Ed Winter said.DJ Screw, another influential figure in the Texas hip-hop scene, died of a heart attack in 2000 after a reported overdose of codeine-laced cough syrup.Pimp C, born Chad Butler, was 33.With partner-in-rhyme Bun B, Pimp C was half of the pioneering Port Arthur, Texas-based rap duo UGK.The group’s self-titled CD topped the Billboard charts last year.Pimp C had been working on a solo effort before he died.Nampa-AP

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