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a14 people & arts
Wednesday 18 november 2020

‘All Screwed Up’ aims to untangle the legacy of DJ Screw

from New York' or 'You got
to bring somebody from
L.A.,' said Yowman, whose
background is directing
music videos. "I wanted to
be super intentional about
making sure the crew was
one 100% based in Texas.
So people know, 'Hey man,
you can come to Texas
and do major things, major
productions.'"
The "slowed and reverb"
controversy wasn't the only
time this year that DJ Screw
got renewed attention. Af-
ter George Floyd was killed
by a Minneapolis police
officer sparking worldwide
protests throughout the
summer, it was revealed
that Floyd, a native Hous-
tonian, was friends with
Screw and even rapped
on a few Screw tapes.
Keke, who also knew Floyd,
said he believes his friend
was on the minds of many
fellow citizens as they cast
their ballots in the presiden-
tial election, and he hopes
his impact will continue to
This image provided by IYO Visuals shows Rosha Washington as DJ Screw in a scene from the visual tribute "All Screwed Up." be felt.
Associated Press Floyd's "anniversaries and
things will be coming up
By GARY GERARD HAMIL- who's songs "Southside," sluggish, psychedelic tem- "All Screwed Up" hopes to just in a minute — it'll be
TON "Pimp tha Pen" and "Still po as he scratched and put the emphasis back on one year and two years
Associated Press Pimpin Pens" are Texas mixed songs. He eventu- the innovator himself. and three years," said
New York (AP) — When DJ music staples. "They don't ally formed the Screwed "This history that we made, Keke. "We'll see if the world
Screw started trending in know that this 'trend' came Up Click (S.U.C.), a collec- we made it in the moment," (has) done (anything) dif-
August, it wasn't because from a very important per- tive of friends that included said Keke, who's worked ferent after that."
of newly discovered music son to our culture." notable rappers such as Lil with Beyoncé, Scarface, Yowman didn't know Floyd
or a coordinated effort by "All Screwed Up" combines Keke, Lil' Flip, Z-Ro, Trae tha and Birdman in a two-de- but after his death, he was
his devoted fans. The chat- biopic film elements with Truth and E.S.G. The sound cade independent career shocked to discover that
ter surrounded a TikTok vid- animation to detail the would be copied on the and serves as a consulting Floyd was aware of "All
eo that quickly went viral early years of Screw's life north side of the city by producer on the project. Screwed Up" and said he
for all the wrong reasons: a before his "screwed" mu- Swisha House artists such "We had no idea that these was "proud" of the project.
teen attempting to explain sic technique exploded as Slim Thug, Paul Wall and particular tapes and these "I was in tears, bro, be-
a "new" music trend called in Houston and spread Chamillionaire who even- mixtapes were going to cause I never met him be-
"slowed and reverb." The throughout the South. Its tually burst on to the na- change our lives." fore," said Yowman. "It was
problem — as Twitter unfor- release Monday coincides tional scene a few years "All Screwed Up" is a pas- confirmation for me that
givingly pointed out —was with the 20th anniversary of after Screw died in 2000 sion project for creator and what I was doing was the
that it was nearly a direct Screw's death. of an accidental codeine director Isaac Yowman right thing. It was just literal-
copy of DJ Screw's iconic The project will be released overdose. who grew up in Houston ly like…an angel just com-
sound. on www.allscrewedup. The sound is still prevalent engulfed in its music cul- ing, (saying) 'Bro, I'm proud
That's why Lil Keke, one of com for $99, which includes today with native Hous- ture. He focused the visual of you. Keep doing what
Texas hip-hop's most influ- a commemorative giftset tonians such as Beyoncé tribute on Screw's early life you're doing.'"q
ential rappers and a friend designed to look like an and Travis Scott incorpo- because many Housto-
of the late DJ, says the ap- original DJ Screw grey tape rating screw elements into nians consider it a special
proximately 50-minute "vi- filled with an "All Screwed their music, along with time as the city began es- Solution Sudoku
sual tribute" "All Screwed Up" tribute cassette, a other huge artists such as tablishing its own musical
Up" debuting Monday is cassette player and other Drake, Kendrick Lamar, identity and the Rockets
being released at the right commemorative items. Kanye West, A$AP Rocky were winning NBA champi-
moment. Plans are to release the vid- and Bryson Tiller. But the onships. And much like the
"It's people who use this eo for free at some point. genre has also floated into sound, he wanted to make
genre…(and put) it in Born Robert Earl Davis, suburbia, and some critics this a homegrown produc-
songs. I'm talking about Jr., Screw began slowing say discussing "slow and re- tion.
big platinum artists (who down songs on the south verb" without properly ac- "The problem is you do have
are) slowing down records, side of Houston in the knowledging Screw's blue- some big productions that
and they had no idea who early 90s. At the time, the print is only gentrifying his come here, but people
this man is and where this method involved pitching sound and whitewashing have this mindset of, 'Oh,
came from," says Keke, down his turntables to a his legacy. you got to bring somebody Puzzle on Page 13