By Ryan J.
Hip-HopVibe.com Contributing Writer
June 27 has become a staple in Houston hip hop. Those familiar with this day understand the significance of its meaning and influence on the culture. This year’s SCREWFEST will honor the legacy of DJ Screw and the Screwed Up Click in memorable fashion.
Fans who cherish the legacy of DJ Screw, nationwide and abroad, anticipate the release of the late Big HAWK’s single “S.U.C.” It features DJ Screw, Lil KEKE, Big Pokey, FAT PAT and up and coming female artist DARIAN. All provided by Ghetto Dreams Entertainment.
GDE also prepares to lead an anti-piracy movement and compensate the Screwed Up Click Estate for lost damages and intellectual property theft committed, in recent years. Meshah Hawkins, widow of the late John Edward Hawkins aka Big HAWK, has been working for several years to lead an effort to work with all the family members and legal teams from the deceased pioneers of Houston’s hip-hop movement; FAT Pat, DJ Screw, Big HAWK, and Big Moe.
To commemorate the 10-year passing of rapper Big Moe, the City of Houston is set to grant his estate a proclamation which will make a day in August his official holiday, beginning in 2017. For those who are unfamiliar with this urban legend of DJ Screw, in the early 1990s, a new type of music began gaining popularity in Houston, called “Chopped and Screwed.” Pioneered by DJ Screw, the sound was created from a turntable technique, which allowed DJ Screw to slow down the tempo and lyrics of famous hip-hop records, making the lyrics easier to understand.
In 1993, he began to release the Screw Tapes compilation projects that manipulated records and, most importantly, included freestyles by a group of local rappers, who soon came to be known as the “Screwed Up Click,” or “S.U.C.”
There are a few hidden gems within the release of “S.U.C.” Aside from it being the first time DJ Screw’s voice is ever heard on radio, this is also the first single of Big HAWK’s posthumous release HAWK FOREVER with powerhouse features from past and present artists. Thirdly, this is the unofficial remix of DJ DMD’s “25 Lighters,” and features the late Fat Pat’s famous verse from the original song. Lastly, this song introduces the multi-talented producer/song-writer DARIAN’s voice to the world.
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