The Legend of DJ Screw: The Creator of Chopped & Screwed Music
The Legend of DJ Screw: The Creator of Chopped & Screwed Music
Song of the week: Lil Flip - Soufside Still Holdin’
I’ve been listening to Texas rap all week, and specifically this song. This is the Screwed version, because we’re talking about DJ Screw today. Hope you all enjoy.
That said, let’s get to today’s piece…
Today, June 28th, is the last Friday of Black Music Month.
As the month wraps up, this felt like the perfect time to talk about a Hip-hop legend whose influence on culture is widely understated.
He was a Texas-based DJ, who now has a holiday that takes place every year on June 27th. His name was:
DJ Screw.
You’ve heard the term Chopped and Screwed before, right?
That’s a reference to DJ Screw.
Surely you’ve heard his work before.
For those who don’t know the phrase, chopping refers to the repetitive play of a certain part of the song. For reference, think about what DJs do during their sets when they make the beat stutter.
Screwed, then, is a reference to when the song is pitched/slowed down. The combination of the two leads to an entirely new sounding creation.
Whether you know it or, DJ Screw’s presence (and Texas, by extent) is responsible for many trends you see in Hip-hop today (good and bad) from lean usage, Chopped and Screwed music, etc.
So, for those unfamiliar, let’s talk about it.
WHO IS DJ SCREW?
Robert Earl Davis Jr was born in Smithville, Texas, on July 20th, 1975.
Ironically, he didn’t want to be a musician as a child. His first dream was to follow in his father’s footsteps by becoming a truck driver.
It was only after watching the 1984 movie “Breakin” that Earl was introduced to Hip-hop. From there, he had a new POV on life.
Robert started DJing in the late 1980s around 12, going through records and learning how to use a turntable.
As for his name…
Multiple accounts say that Robert’s cousin, Shorty Mac, noticed that he would use a screw to scratch out the names of albums that he disliked, as he dug through records.1
Once Shorty Mac noticed the Robert was doing this, he allegedly asked him “Who do you think you are? DJ Screw?”
Apparently, Screw liked the new nickname, and decided to roll with it.
By the time Screw was 19, he had picked up a local deejaying gig at the Almeda skating rink. In between work, he’d continue focusing on his Hip-hop endeavors.
As for the creation of Chopped & Screwed Music…
Friends of Screw say that he would attribute certain aspects of his style to legendary Texas DJ Darryl Scott — the proclaimed Mixtape king who many attribute as the first DJ to make slowed-down records for his mixes.
Moreover, when it comes to Screw’s sound, his manager Charles Washington says the invention of Chopped & Screwed music was a complete accident.
As the story goes, during a recording session with his friends, Screw was messing around on the turntables. He accidentally hit a button that turned down the pitch of the song playing.
His friend was impressed by the new creation, and offered him $10 for a tape before returning the next day with more people who wanted their own tapes. 2
Those tapes, known as “Screw Tapes,” began making noise in the Houston area, which routinely led to a ton of foot traffic at Screw’s personal residence (much to the dismay of his neighbors) .
It got so crazy that Screw had to set specific times for people to come up and buy a tape. Still, the lines were around the block, and the traffic invited police attention.
By 1994, Screw’s name was mainstream in Texas — his style had attracted the attention of record labels and eventually he signed with Russell Washington of Bigtyme Records.
In 1995, Screw put out his first official LP with Bigtyme — a compilation of records that implemented his ingenius chopped and screwed sound called “Vol II: All Screwed Up”
Between the success of the albums and his tapes on the streets (one time Screw sold $27,000 in one day), Screw decided that it was time open up his own location: Screwed Up Records & Tapes.
The shop helped solve the problems Screw was facing with his neighbors and it became the hub for most of what Screw did.
The shop also became the de facto location to buy official Screw tapes from that day forward.
According to the research available, Screw rarely did interviews, but the clip below is from his shop where he is being interviewed by Bun B of UGK.
Overall, Screw went on to release over 300 Screw Tapes, and his movement played a pivotal role in shaping Houston's identity and hip-hop culture and putting Texas culture on the map.
As his style grew in popularity, many of his counterparts who were rappers from Texas were also picking up steam locally.
They would record tapes at Screw’s house, which ultimately led to the creation of a group named…
Screwed Up Click
Rappers Lil' Keke, Big Hawk, Fat Pat, E.S.G., Big Pokey, and Z-Ro were all members and each one played a role in the explosion of Texas’ Hip-hop scene.
Many of the S.U.C. members also appear on a standout record in Screw’s catalog:
JUNE 27TH FREESTYLE
This freestyle is perhaps Screw's most known contribution to culture for those who aren’t hardcore fans.
According to Red Bull, this tape was made in celebration of Screwed Up Click member DeMo Sherman, and it’s the best-selling Screw Tape of all time. 3
It featured other established Houston rappers: Lil Flip, Big Pokey (R.I.H.), Shasta, and more.
As for what made it so iconic? Well. The freestyle is over 30 minutes long.
That’s right.
A 30 min track embodying the style that Screw created. Every June 27th, Hip-hop fans remember to run it back for the icon himself.
The freestyle is below.
(fun fact: the beat to this freestyle was actually produced by Jermaine Dupri)
With Screw’s Innovation Came Challenges…
As Screw’s popularity began to grow, so did the culture of bootlegging.
Record shops, fans, and everyone in between began making unofficial Screw tapes, and as a result, Screw was having a hard time monetizing his work.
According to Texas Monthly, Screw was really keen on people pulling up to the store if they wanted his tapes — he didn’t really see the need to get ahead of the internet or protect his name, which ultimately stopped him from reaping the full benefits of the growth of his brand.
In the midst of all of these shifts, friends and family noted that Screw’s lifestyle was taking a toll. He barely slept, often staying awake for days, working on tapes and recording friends.
Eventually, his late-night lifestyle & lean usage caught up with him, and in 2000, he passed away.
SCREW’S INFLUENCE
Despite not being here physically, Screw’s name and influence is just as present now as it was back then.
Just a few years ago, TikTok was championing a producer named Slater as the inventor of a style of music named “Slowed & Reverbed.”
After the uproar online caused by the “discovery”, Slater pointed his fans to Screw, and clarified that he was not the inventor, Screw was.
Moreover, in the early 2000s going into the 2010s Chopped and Screwed music began to become more mainstream.
Another group in Texas began to make their own chopped and screwed mixes known as:
SWISHAHOUSE
Swishahouse is a Houston-based independent record label founded in 1997 by DJ Michael "5000" Watts and OG Ron C.
The label gained prominence in the early 2000s, showcasing and developing the talents of rappers including Mike Jones, Paul Wall, Slim Thug, Chamillionaire, and Lil' Keke.
Moreover, The Guardian says that Swishahouse was the first crew to chop and screw full-length albums.
I. Michael 5000 Watts
Watts helped another generation of Hip-hop fans learn about the style created by Screw and continues to work with new generations of Hip-hop stars on Chopped and Screwed versions of their albums.
II. OG Ron C & The Chopstars
OG Roc C is another Texas legend who’s widely known for his chopped and screwed tapes.
HIs signature phrase “Chopped Not Slopped” & the DJs known as The Chopstars have continued to show screwed music to a new generation of Hip-hop fans.
To date, him and the Chopstars have remixed albums for rappers like Megan Thee Stallion (a Texas native), Thundercat, and Drake.
II. Drake
We all know Drake’s affiliation with the city of Houston — a city that he’s shouted out since his breakthrough mixtape “So Far Gone” all the way to N2Deep on Certified Loverboy.
He even moved there recently.
Listen to November 18th below from So Far Gone, from the beat to the screwed vocal it’s homage to DJ Screw and Texas rap in general.
(It’s the June 27th freestyle beat, if you couldn’t tell)
N2Deep from Drake’s album CLB features a sample of a popular Bun B record ‘Get Throwed’ — if you listen to the beat, it’s a clear homage to screw’s style:
III. LEAN
For better or worse, the popularity Lean (a drug made when you combine promethazine and codeine cough syrup with soda) is also attributed to the late musician’s genius.
The purple hues that often inspire the artwork for current screwed and chopped projects shows the that ‘drank’ is an undertone of how the music was meant to be enjoyed.
While the drink robbed us of Screw way too soon, it became a staple in Texas rap, and new generations adopted the drink from Lil Wayne, to Future, and Drake.
EPILOGUE
DJ Screw was a huge reason for the surge in popularity of Texas rap and without we probably wouldn’t get some of the artists from the South that we know and love.
Every June 27th, I’m reminded to go back to his freestyle — and even if you don’t listen to the whole thing, consider how his legacy has transcended generations.
Been on a heavy Texas vibe all week — there’s no better way to close out the month.
One.
A solid deep dive on DJ Screw that accounts for numerous details of his life including the origins of his name (The Baffler)
Texas Monthly has a really thorough article on DJ Screw that gave me the context for the story. Check it out here (Texas Monthly)
Throughly enjoyed this!