Author Topic: DJ Screw (Read 939 times)

clif · « **on:** January 20, 2020, 03:22:12 PM »

There are a ton of tapes. Is there anywhere particular to start or does it really matter?

Just looking for thoughts.

I know there was a dirty south hip hop thread, so thought I would give this a try here.

aleatorick · « **Reply #1 on:** January 20, 2020, 03:43:28 PM »

I think Chapter 13, “Leanin’ on a Switch,” is a great place to start. My personal favorite right now is Chapter 57, “Wineberry Over Gold,” where Screw featured all west coast hip hop.

Spacecase Records · « **Reply #2 on:** January 20, 2020, 11:30:13 PM »

One of the very few -- possibly the only -- good things about moving to Central Texas was hearing DJ Screw for the first time. A hot rod shop I worked at -- the owner was from the Houston area. The scene was hot rods and 1970s GM donk cars. Anyway, he played a lot of DJ Screw while we were working. All of those tapes blended into one and they were all good.

rutabowa · « **Reply #3 on:** January 21, 2020, 03:13:43 AM »

i would just leap into youtube, this comp is a good short intro tho
https://neonspublishing.bandcamp.com/album/dj-screw-live-slow

dr_chile · « **Reply #4 on:** January 21, 2020, 10:27:35 AM »

6/27 Tapes put out a couple excellent compilations of his a few years back. Doesn't look like they sell them directly through their big cartel link but I reckon you can find them on Discogs.

https://627tapes.bigcartel.com

Jared · « **Reply #5 on:** January 21, 2020, 10:46:30 AM »

The reason 6/27 Tapes is called what it is called is because of the "June 27th Freestyle", one of the greatest pieces of recorded music of the 20th Century and a great place to start.

There's a couple different categories of Screw tapes. Those that just function as mix tapes, and those that he was providing slowed beats for the Screwed Up Click to freestyle over, which he would then slow down even further after they were recorded. I like both, but prefer the latter, like the aforementioned 6/27. Or this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7XL6HE-ls4

This is helpful and goes into much more depth than I could:
https://www.complex.com/music/2013/11/dj-screw-10-best-mixtapes/dj-screw-blue-22

Kugelberg's publishing house put out an excellent and lavish oral history book about Houston rap too.