Last week, while writing about Slim Thug, we asked ourselves where in tarnation fellow Houston rapper Mike Jones was. But we figured the answer was staring us in the face — surely, Slim, the unofficial mayor of Houston hip hop, would have a line on Mr. Jones. But a follow-up interview with the Boss Hogg proved us wrong.

“I don’t know where the f--k Mike Jones is,” Slim told BET.com. “I ain’t seen him. The last time I spoke to him, I can’t even remember. I’d love to kick it with him and for him to come out and rep with us. It’s still love on this end. I wish he never would’ve disappeared. I think whatever he’s going through that made him feel like he had to disappear, I think he needs to shake that s--t and come back to the city.”

Jones was a big part of the mid-2000s wave of Houston rappers, which also included Slim, Paul Wall and Chamillionaire. Known for his witty "Who?" marketing campaign, relentless work ethic and easy accessibility to fans (he gave his phone number out on wax repeatedly), Jones went platinum-plus with 2005’s Who Is Mike Jones?, boosted by the drive-slow classic “Still Tippin’,” which featured Slim and Wall. According to his website, he decided to take a break in 2010. In a bio written last year, the site also insists he’s working on new music. But today, in 2012, Mike is still milk-carton material.

Slim wondered if the relentless pressure of the music biz is to blame. “The game is cruel, man — it’s tough. Ain’t nothing easy,” Slim said. “People think that people in the music business got it good, but it’s a lot of work. You can’t clock out of this s--t, you know? It’s like 24 hours. I’m Slim Thug 24 hours. Everybody can’t handle it; sometime people need to step back and just get their self together and then come back.”

But Thugga insists that we shouldn’t count out his Houston homie-in-hiding. “He got a lot of talent,” he told BET.com. “I was just so proud of him because I seen him come up from nothing all the way from high school, freestyling in the hallways and opening up at my shows. He just wouldn’t accept no. I seen him go from nothing to platinum — I’ll never doubt Mike Jones after that. I hope he comes back.”

Mike Jones, where are you? Your fans, BET.com and Slim Thug himself are all waiting. Drop us a line. 

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(Photo: KMazur/WireImage)