In the wake of Pimp C's death, UGK partner in rhyme Bun B is among the first in the rap community to speak out on the use of "Sizzurp," an illegal beverage often referenced in Southern rap songs.

As previously reported, Pimp C's passing was due to complications from sleep apnea as well as an accidental overdose of prescription-strength codeine, one of the main ingredients in "Sizzurp."

In an interview with Fox 26 in Houston, Bun B said he was dismayed to find out syrup played a role in Pimp C's death, but noted it's a reality of his environment.

"It was sad, but it's a definitely real thing living in Houston, Texas," he said. "Being a person that affiliates with the common man on the street, we all know that in Houston, Texas we have a problem now with the cough syrup epidemic. And while it wasn't solely the cause of his death, we have to be very real about the consequences to some of these things." [Watch video here.]

"Pimp C did have a prescription for it, but you have to be very careful when you get prescriptions for certain things because sometimes you can tend to go a little too far with some of these things," he added. "They have very strong, addictive qualities - pills and syrups and what not."

The bottle found in Pimp C's hotel reportedly had no prescription label.

UGK often rhymed about drinking "Sizzurp," but Bun B said they were starting to walk a different path.

"We had been taking down, toning down the content of certain things in the music lately," he said. "My new album of course probably won't have any references to cough syrup in it.

"Sizzurp" is apparently behind the deaths of at least three hip-hop artists - DJ Screw, who died of a heart attack in 2000 from a codeine overdose, Big Moe, who died of a heart attack in 2003, and now Pimp C, whose real name is Chad Butler. Bun B said the problem is part of a larger epidemic.

"In Houston, on the streets, there is an epidemic with the people sipping the cough syrup, and it's something that needs to be addressed," he said. "It's a little bit more than in music. I think it's going to start affecting the personal lives of a lot of artists, and people in the Houston rap scene."

"To anyone out there thinking about sipping syrup or currently abusing syrup, you may want to take a very good look at yourself, a long look at yourself," he said.

In related news, after 15 years on the rap circuit, UGK has scored its first Grammy Award nomination for "Int'l Players (I Choose You)" featuring Outkast and produced by Three 6 Mafia.

"It was bittersweet to say the least, but this is all due to Chad and his blessed talents," Bun B said. "He was a very talented young man, had a very, strong clear vision of where he wanted to go musically, and this Grammy was something that he had always said that we would one day be able to get - which I wasn't really sure about it myself, but I had all the confidence In the world in him."

"So we stuck at it, we kept moving forward, he kept bringing all the talent he possessed, putting it into the music, and we ended up coming up with this great song," he said. "The powers that be acknowledged it and we have a Grammy nomination now, and it's all due to Chad."