In a city where barbacoa and breakfast tacos reign supreme, Bernard “Bun B” Freeman is carving out his own culinary territory. The UGK legend, who helped define Southern rap alongside the late Pimp C, has traded studio sessions for sauce recipes, building Trill Burgers into Houston’s hottest food concept.
The transition from microphone to menu wasn’t immediate. Like many artists exploring business ventures, Freeman initially questioned whether his musical expertise could translate to hospitality. That uncertainty quickly dissolved when he reframed both industries through a service lens – entertaining crowds and feeding customers require the same dedication to quality and customer satisfaction.
What started as a casual collaboration with family members has evolved into a legitimate restaurant empire. Freeman’s partners approached him with their burger concept, and after one taste, he knew they had something special. The second sampling confirmed it – this wasn’t just another celebrity food venture, but a product worthy of the Trill name he’d spent decades cultivating.
He took time from his busy schedule to converse with rolling out managing editor Porsha Monique.
What inspired you to take that leap from hip-hop to hospitality, and how was the idea of Trill Burgers formed?
I’m glad you asked because initially, I didn’t think I had the right experience for the food industry. But after working in the business and trying to understand the company dynamics, I realized something important – being an entertainer and being a restaurateur both exist in the service industry. Once I reframed that relationship, I understood I had more experience than I’d given myself credit for.
As for creating Trill Burgers, I was approached by my partners with this burger concept. It wasn’t entirely my idea – my two partners brought me this amazing burger to try. After the first taste, I thought it was incredible, but they refined it even more. When they brought it back, I knew we had one of the best burgers I’d ever had.
We spent time trying to figure out what to call it – Bun’s Burgers, Buddy’s Burgers, all these different variations. But then I realized, Trill has thirty years of equity built into it. Why not transfer that brand recognition from music to food? The same standards I demanded for our music, I demand for this food. I wouldn’t put the Trill name on just an okay burger – this has to be exceptional, and I stand behind that claim.
I just had the burger and it was delicious. You have some type of special sauce on there.
That’s our Trill sauce – it’s proprietary intellectual property, our secret sauce. What’s interesting is how my wife contributes to every aspect of this business. When we walk into meetings, we have different assignments – I’m there to talk, she’s there to listen. I’m watching numbers and paperwork, she’s watching mannerisms and body language.
I bring my wife to all business meetings because she needs to understand how everything works. People will try to take advantage if she doesn’t know the business inside and out. She’s not just my wife in this company – she’s a partner who brings a different perspective to every decision.
My wife brings opportunities to this business the same way she brought inspiration to the studio. She’d tell me to make music that worked for different audiences, and now she helps us think about our restaurant from various angles.
Expansion and future plans
We’re expanding thoughtfully. We now have our chicken tender concept, Trill Tenders, which we’re presenting at the Houston Rodeo this year. The plan is to have four Trill Burgers stores in Greater Houston by the end of 2025, then expand into other Texas cities and potentially nationwide.
But we’re patient – we’re in no rush. I could franchise quickly and walk away with immediate money, but that’s not what we want. We’re building this company to retain its reputation, quality, and brand integrity. I try to stay as involved as possible because I know this company can succeed, but I want to ensure it grows the right way.
What’s exciting is that nobody else is approaching the food space quite like we are. We get to take creative liberties while maintaining the standards that made our music successful. I make myself as available as possible to this company because I believe it will go far.
The Trill Burgers story represents more than celebrity entrepreneurship – it’s about applying artistic integrity to business ventures.
Freeman’s methodical approach to expansion, emphasis on family involvement, and unwavering quality standards suggest this Houston legend is building something designed to last well beyond the next album cycle.
