DJ Screw

DJ Screw
DJ Screw
	;
Background information
Birth name	Robert Earl Davis, Jr.
Also known as	The Originator
Born	July 20, 1971
Origin	Houston, Texas, United States
Died	November 16, 2000 (aged 29)
Genre(s)	Hip hop, Chopped and screwed
Occupation(s)	DJ, Rapper
Years active	1990-2000
Label(s)	Screwed Up Records; Bigtyme Recordz; Wreckshop Records
Associated acts	Screwed Up Click, Lil' Flip, Bizzy Bone, Chamillionaire, Slim Thug, Pimp C, Lil' Keke, Fat Pat, Big Pokey, 2Pac, ESG, Big Hawk, Botany Boyz, Southside Playaz, UGK, Big Moe, South Park Coalition, DJ Static, DJ Hipnotik
Website	http://www.djhipnotik.com

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DJ Screw, born Robert Earl Davis, Jr. (July 20, 1971 – November 16, 2000)^[1], was a central figure in the Houston hip hop scene. His innovation included the trademark technique of slowing down the basic tracks of a cut when he remixed it. He was the main music mixer for the Screwed Up Click.

[edit] Biography

He was born in Smithville, Texas to Robert Earl Davis, Sr and Ida Davis. DJ Screw had lived in Smithville, Houston, and Los Angeles; at one point his father took him to Houston in order to keep him from trouble. He received his first turn table at age 10. There DJ Screw lived in a working class, mostly African American neighborhood near Hobby Airport described by Michael Hall of Texas Monthly as "hard-edged." DJ Screw dropped out of Sterling High School during his 10th grade year and focused on music.^[2]

He became famous after releasing some of his famous "Screw Tapes" and unique phrases such as: "lay'in it dawn", and "kno~ what im saya'n". His music is looked up to these days by many lovers of hip-hop.

He began deejaying at age 13, and started his trademark slowed down mixes in 1984.^[3] During the early 1990s, he invited some of Houston's most renowned rappers from the south side of the city to flow on his Screw tapes. This eventually led to the formation of the Screwed Up Click. What originally was only a fad of Houston, Chopped and Screwed music started getting more widespread attention with the introduction of p2p programs such as Napster in the late 90s.^{[citation needed]} This ultimately led to DJ Screw getting recognition across the country and being known as one of biggest faces in modern hip-hop. He released five above ground^{[clarification needed]} releases: "All Screwed Up, Vol. 1" (1995), "3 'N the Mornin Part 1" (1995), "3 'N the Mornin Part 2 Blue" (1996), "3 'N the Mornin Part 2 Red" (1998) and "All Work, No Play" (1999).

Although DJ Screw only has a handful of above ground releases, he has recorded hundreds of different mixes, released primarily on cassette tape. These are still available for purchase at the "Screwed Up Records and Tapes" located on Cullen Blvd in Houston which opened in 1998. His mixtapes include titles such as "June 27" and "The Final Chapter." In the mid-1990s Priority Records offered DJ Screw a lucrative record deal. Screw turned down the offer. Former Priority Records executive Dave Weiner said "It wasn't about the money for him, it was about doing what he wanted to do with his homeboys." ^[4]

DJ Screw created "Chopped and Screwed" versions of famous rap songs. Some notable examples of these tracks include R. Kelly's "I Wish,"Will Smith's "Gettin Jiggy Wit It", Biz Markie's "Nobody Beats the Biz," and Bone Thugs-N-Harmony's "Budsmokers Only". In 2004, Game Over was a major hit for one of DJ Screw's protégés Lil' Flip. Houston rap artists that have recently signed major record deals, including Chamillionaire, Paul Wall, and Slim Thug, owe much of their success to DJ Screw and give proper credit in many of their songs.

After his music became popular, he moved to a house near Gulfgate Mall with long time friend OG Ron C of Swishahouse Records; fans, some driving from far away areas such as Dallas, lined by his door to receive his recordings.^[2]

[edit] Film

The 2007 documentary film Screwed In Houston produced by VBS/Vice Magazine details the history of the Houston rap scene and the influence of the Chopped and Screwed sub-culture on Houston hip-hop. The 5-part series has one full episode dedicated to DJ Screw and includes rare video footage of DJ Screw only days before his death.

[edit] Death

The medical examiner who performed the autopsy on DJ Screw concluded that Screw died from a lethal combination of codeine and alcohol. His body was also very exhausted which contributed in part of his death.^[5]

In a 2006 interview, long-time Screwed Up Click member Z-Ro revealed that the DJ Screw's autopsy found a sample of methamphetamine mixed in with the codeine. Z-Ro and other members of the Screwed Up Click have stated that DJ Screw did not use methamphetamine, and that they fully believe that someone within their large group murdered DJ Screw by slipping the methamphetamine into DJ Screw's codeine.^[6] However, the autopsy results did not report finding methamphetamine, and DJ Screw's manner of death (respiratory failure) is not usually a problem for meth users.

In the wake of DJ Screw's death Chopped and Screwed music became a bona fide sub-genre of American music in the early part of the 21st century as nearly every major hip hop label in America released at least one Chopped and Screwed version of a Southern Hip-Hop release in their catalog.

[edit] Discography

[edit] "Screw-tapes"

DJ Screw was selling "screw-tapes", which were cassettes with screwed & chopped songs, that customers could request, and also freestyles from rappers from the Screwed Up Click. From 1993 till 2000 he has made over 1000 tapes, and sold them at the "Screwed Up Records and Tapes" shop in Houston. The shop is currently collecting the tapes and releasing them on a cd, "The Diary Of The Originator". The Diary Of The Originator is classified in chapters and, as of 2009, it has 226 chapters:

Chapter 001 - Don Deal
Chapter 002 - Tales From Tha 4
Chapter 003 - Duck Sick
Chapter 004 - Choppin' Game Wit Toe
Chapter 005 - Still A G At 27
Chapter 006 - Down South Hustlers
Chapter 007 - Ballin' In Da Mall
Chapter 008 - Let's Call Up On Drank
Chapter 009 - Makin' Cash Forever
Chapter 010 - Southside Still Holdin'
Chapter 011 - Headed To The Classic
Chapter 012 - June 27
Chapter 013 - Leanin' On A Switch
Chapter 014 - Sippin' Codeine
Chapter 015 - The Next Episode
Chapter 016 - Late Night Fuckin' Yo Bitch
Chapter 017 - Show Up And Pour Up
Chapter 018 - Killuminati
Chapter 019 - 'N 2 Deep
Chapter 020 - Crumbs 2 Bricks
Chapter 021 - The World Is Mine
Chapter 022 - P's and Q's
Chapter 023 - Dancing Candy
Chapter 024 - 9 Months Later
Chapter 025 - Unpredictable
Chapter 026 - Blowin' Big Behind Tint
Chapter 027 - Plots And Schemes
Chapter 028 - Worldwide Southside
Chapter 029 - Saturday Nite Live
Chapter 030 - G Love
Chapter 031 - 2000 Tears
Chapter 032 - G-Code
Chapter 033 - G'd Up Shit
Chapter 034 - It's A Dirty World
Chapter 035 - Charge It To The Game
Chapter 036 - Who Next With Plex
Chapter 037 - 10201
Chapter 038 - Headed 2 Da League
Chapter 039 - One Life To Live
Chapter 040 - Yellowstone vs. The Nation
Chapter 041 - Ghetto Fabulous
Chapter 042 - Popped Up Smoked Up
Chapter 043 - Independence Day
Chapter 044 - Eyes On The Prize
Chapter 045 - 100% Business
Chapter 046 - Syrup and Soda
Chapter 047 - Pussy, Weed And Alcohol
Chapter 048 - Gallon 1
Chapter 049 - Codeine Fiend
Chapter 050 - Money Over Bitches
Chapter 051 - 9 Fo Shit
Chapter 052 - Only Rollin' Red
Chapter 053 - Y 2 Grey
Chapter 054 - No Haters Allowed
Chapter 055 - Back On The Streets
Chapter 056 - Blue Ova Grey
Chapter 057 - Wineberry Over Gold
Chapter 058 - You Don't Work You Don't Eat
Chapter 059 - Southside Most Wanted
Chapter 060 - All Day In The Trey
Chapter 061 - Niggas Can't See Me
Chapter 062 - Dead End Hustler For Life
Chapter 063 - Mourn U Till I Join You
Chapter 064 - Locked N Da Game
Chapter 065 - Road To Riches
Chapter 066 - Layed Back Rollin'
Chapter 067 - Back In Tha Deck
Chapter 068 - Tre World
Chapter 069 - Southside Riders
Chapter 070 - Endonesia
Chapter 071 - The Final Chapter
Chapter 072 - Off The Head
Chapter 073 - Don't Make Dollars Don't Make Sense
Chapter 074 - Mash For My Dream
Chapter 075 - Ridin' High
Chapter 076 - Black Hearted
Chapter 077 - Only The Real
Chapter 078 - Nobody Does It Better
Chapter 079 - Ain't Nuthin' Better
Chapter 080 - Hold Ya Head
Chapter 081 - Screwed Up Texas
Chapter 082 - 98 Live
Chapter 083 - Ball 2 U Fall
Chapter 084 - Str8 Puttin' It Down
Chapter 085 - Riches Over Bitches
Chapter 086 - Gees Nite Out
Chapter 087 - Shinnin' Like The Sun
Chapter 088 - Blasphemy
Chapter 089 - Outlaws
Chapter 090 - 4th Of July
Chapter 091 - Take It How You Wanna
Chapter 092 - Back N Yo Ear
Chapter 093 - Da Reunion
Chapter 094 - Still Hoopin'
Chapter 095 - Sittin' On Top Of The World
Chapter 096 - Can't Hold Ya Hand
Chapter 097 - Players Choppin Game
Chapter 098 - Four Corners Of The World
Chapter 099 - Shot Callin'
Chapter 100 - Platinum Shit
Chapter 101 - Graduation 99
Chapter 102 - 3 Years Later
Chapter 103 - Popped Up Sittin Low
Chapter 104 - Sittin' Sideways
Chapter 105 - Everyday Allday
Chapter 106 - On A Pint
Chapter 107 - It's All Good
Chapter 108 - 3 'N Da Mornin'
Chapter 109 - Einstein
Chapter 110 - Feel My Pain
Chapter 111 - Shit Dont Stop
Chapter 112 - Jammin' Screw
Chapter 113 - Barre
Chapter 114 - Bow Down
Chapter 115 - Down And Out
Chapter 116 - Straight From The Heart
Chapter 117 - Return Of The Red
Chapter 118 - Laftex
Chapter 119 - No Drank
Chapter 120 - 10 Deep
Chapter 121 - Another Day Another Dollar
Chapter 122 - Facin' Time
Chapter 123 - Snitches
Chapter 124 - Hurricane Duck
Chapter 125 - Ooh Wee Man
Chapter 126 - If The Price Is Right
Chapter 127 - Southside Holdin'
Chapter 128 - It's Gonna Get Better
Chapter 129 - In Yo Face
Chapter 130 - Back 2 The Lab
Chapter 131 - Syrup Sippers
Chapter 132 - Can't Fade It
Chapter 133 - Money By The Ton
Chapter 134 - Hard Times
Chapter 135 - Steady Dippin'
Chapter 136 - Da Funk Is On Your Mind
Chapter 137 - Blue 22
Chapter 138 - Are U Still Down
Chapter 139 - 2 Liters
Chapter 140 - Symptoms Of A Thug
Chapter 141 - Another Platinum Hit
Chapter 142 - All Work No Play
Chapter 143 - Million Dollar Boys
Chapter 144 - Heavy 'N Tha Game
Chapter 145 - S.U.C. For Life
Chapter 146 - Only Time Will Tell
Chapter 147 - Niggas & Flys
Chapter 148 - Do You Feel Me
Chapter 149 - Beatin Up Da Block
Chapter 150 - Mind On My Money
Chapter 151 - Mo Money
Chapter 152 - Pullin' On Yo Curve
Chapter 153 - Drankin' On A Gallon
Chapter 154 - Pop Trunk
Chapter 155 - No Love
Chapter 156 - 100 Minutes Of Realness
Chapter 157 - Goin' Fed
Chapter 158 - Squarin' It Off
Chapter 159 - Out The Shop
Chapter 160 - Hail Mary
Chapter 161 - Same Ol' G
Chapter 162 - Unlady Like
Chapter 163 - Mashing 'N Millenium Mode
Chapter 164 - Southside Connection
Chapter 165 - Street Fame
Chapter 166 - Telephone Love
Chapter 167 - A Million Dollars Later
Chapter 168 - No Time For Bullshit
Chapter 169 - Still Standing
Chapter 170 - Wreckshop
Chapter 171 - Freestyle Kings
Chapter 172 - Straight Wreckin'
Chapter 173 - 99 Live
Chapter 174 - D.E.A. Bootcamp
Chapter 175 - Players Ball
Chapter 176 - Robin St. 4 Life
Chapter 177 - In God We Trust
Chapter 178 - In The Zone
Chapter 179 - Mind Over Matter
Chapter 180 - 3 'N Da Morning Pt. II
Chapter 181 - Grey In The Deck
Chapter 182 - Ridin' Dirty
Chapter 183 - In The Do
Chapter 184 - Going Hard
Chapter 185 - Staying Down
Chapter 186 - Thug Life
Chapter 187 - Dead End Representative
Chapter 188 - Pay Like U Way
Chapter 189 - Another Day Another Dub
Chapter 190 - 3-4 Action
Chapter 191 - Southsiders
Chapter 192 - High Till I Die
Chapter 193 - Something 4 Dat Trunk
Chapter 194 - Thangs Done Changed
Chapter 195 - Fear No Man
Chapter 196 - Sugar Hill
Chapter 197 - Crawfish 96
Chapter 198 - Uncut Funk
Chapter 199 - Street Dreams
Chapter 200 - Ain't No Sleepin'
Chapter 201 - Players Nite Out
Chapter 202 - Still In Da Game
Chapter 203 - Almost On Dem Streets
Chapter 204 - The Meadows 94
Chapter 205 - Slippin' Red
Chapter 206 - Haters Stay Away
Chapter 207 - Goin' All Out
Chapter 208 - Austin 2 Houston Pt. II
Chapter 209 - Deep Down South
Chapter 210 - Bangin' Down The Strip
Chapter 211 - Off Parole
Chapter 212 - Still Hustlin'
Chapter 213 - Made Niggaz
Chapter 214 - Old School
Chapter 215 - South Side Players
Chapter 216 - Flippin' On A Sunny Day
Chapter 217 - Sittin' On Chrome
Chapter 218 - Way 2 Real
Chapter 219 - Leanin In The Leans
Chapter 220 - Player Memories
Chapter 221 - 2 Pints Deep
Chapter 222 - My Block
Chapter 223 - Trey Day
Chapter 224 - 97 Live
Chapter 225 - Back Up In You
Chapter 226- Million Dollar Hands

[edit] Albums

All Screwed Up (1995), a compilation of songs recorded by artists signed to Bigtyme Recordz, e.g. UGK, Point Blank, PSK-13 and 20-2-Life
3 'N Da Mornin' Part 1 (1995)
3 'N Da Mornin' Part 2 (Blue) (1996), mainly featured southern artists, e.g. Lil' Keke, Al-D, Big Moe and the Botany Boys
3 'N Da Mornin' Part 2 (Red) (1998), mainly featured west coast artists, e.g. 2Pac, C-Bo, Ant Banks and Too $hort
Disc 2 of South Park Mexican's 3rd album - Power Moves: The Table (1998)
All Work No Play (1999), a compilation of songs recorded by artists signed to Jam Down Records, e.g. Lil' Keke, Herschel Wood Hardheadz and the Mob Figgaz
The Legend (2001), He intended to release this album in 2000 but passed away before it could be finished, with the help of Daryl Scott (who was the first to slow down records)^[7] a friend of DJ Screw's who was also a DJ the project was completed and released in 2001.

[edit] References

^ ^a ^b DJ Screw The Untold Story DVD. Double Platinum, 2006.
^ ^a ^b "The Slow Life and Fast Death of DJ Screw." Texas Monthly. 2.
^ "Givin'it to ya slow" Interview in Rap Pages by Bilal Allah (November 1995).
^ Tribute Album Salutes DJ Screw - News Story | Music, Celebrity, Artist News | MTV News
^ Demby, Eric (2001-01-11). "Codeine Overdose Killed DJ Screw, Medical Examiner Says". MTV News. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1437883/20010111/story.jhtml. Retrieved on 2008-11-21.
^ | Rap Legendz
^ Though the first to discover the technique of slowing down records, Daryl Scott did not innovate the style or develop it.

[edit] External links

Screwed Up Records & Tapes - Official site (requires flash)
Swangin' and Bangin' ... and getting to that other level with the disciples of screw - HoustonPress feature article on DJ Screw by Megan Halverson (published Feb. 1997)
One Last Spin - Houston Press article by Craig D. Lindsey on DJ Screw's death (published Nov. 2000)
Davey D article regarding the death of DJ Screw
Murder Dog interview with DJ Screw 8/8/99
Soldiers United 4 Cash DVD - Documentary on DJ Screw & the Screwed Up Click produced prior to his death by REL Entertainment, LLC

[Untold-0] DJ Screw The Untold Story DVD. Double Platinum, 2006.

[SlowLifeFastDeath2-1] "The Slow Life and Fast Death of DJ Screw." Texas Monthly. 2.

[RapPages-2] "Givin'it to ya slow" Interview in Rap Pages by Bilal Allah (November 1995).

[3] Tribute Album Salutes DJ Screw - News Story | Music, Celebrity, Artist News | MTV News

[4] Demby, Eric (2001-01-11). "Codeine Overdose Killed DJ Screw, Medical Examiner Says". MTV News. http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1437883/20010111/story.jhtml. Retrieved on 2008-11-21.

[5] | Rap Legendz

[6] Though the first to discover the technique of slowing down records, Daryl Scott did not innovate the style or develop it.

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DJ Screw

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Contents

[edit] Biography

[edit] Film

[edit] Death

[edit] Discography

[edit] "Screw-tapes"

[edit] Albums

[edit] References

[edit] External links

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