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The Screwed Up Click (or S.U.C.) is an assortment of rappers mainly from the southside of Houston started by DJ Screw.

After appearing on numerous screw tapes and spreading their name throughout southern hip hop, they have become well known. Despite the deaths of several members and the incarceration of others, S.U.C. continues to produce music.

The original members of the S.U.C. include DJ Screw himself, Kay-K, Lil' Keke, Fat Pat, Big Hawk, Big Pokey, Botany Boyz (C-Note, Will-Lean, B.G. Gator, & D-Red ), Big Jut, Point Blank Big Moe, Z-Ro, Trae, Lil' O, Lil Flip, Dat Boy Grace, Southside Playaz (Mike D, Clay Doe, & Mr. 3-2 ), Lil' Head, Lil' 3rd, C-Ward, Samuel-R, E.S.G., Tha Raider, Randy and Rhino, LOS, C-Loc, and Henne.

Since then, members have left while others like Woss Ness (Big Steve, Big Bee, Mistah Luv) Big Mello, Yungstar, Wood, and Al-D (DJ Screw's brother) and others have joined. In addition, Lil' Troy, UGK and South Park Mexican are considered "Screwed Up Affiliated". 3rd Ward/South Park is the group's place of origin. In 1999 they released the Blockbleeders compilation. In addition to this recording, the numerous members have all played a significant role in the hundreds of DJ Screw mixtapes to filter out of Houston during the 1990s.

Original members[link]

Al-D[link]

Al-D is a southern rapper from Houston, Texas. He joined the southern hip-hop group Screwed Up Click with his brother, the late DJ Screw, who was the founder of the Screwed Up Click. He has done many mixtapes with the Screwed Up Click and other rappers from the south. He was also the host of Z-Ro's first featuring on a tape.

Big Hawk[link]

Big Hawk or H.A.W.K was a rapper from Houston, Texas. He joined Screwed Up Click when his brother Fat Pat persuaded him to join, leaving his job at an insurance company. He was a member of the rap group Dead End Alliance, which included his brother, DJ Screw, and Kay-K. He was respected in the Houston underground rap scene and appeared on numerous mixtapes from artists such as Trae, Paul Wall, Lil' Flip, Z-Ro, E.S.G., Lil' Keke and Big Pokey. After Screw's death in 2000, he was the main person responsible for keeping the S.U.C. together, so much so that his nickname was the Five Star General of the Screwed Up Click. He was shot and killed while waiting at his friend's house to play dominoes. There is still no suspect in his shooting death.

Big Jut[link]

Big Jut is a barber and rapper from San Antonio, Texas. He was DJ Screw's personal barber and was associated with the Screwed Up Click, he introduced rappers such as Dat Boy Grace to DJ Screw. He released Screwed Up Fo Life in 2004 featuring Yungstar, Nino of P.K.O., Beltway 8, S.U.C., C-Note, 3-2, Lil Keke, Big Pokey, Ronnie Spencer, Shot Callers, Kazy D, Black Mike and others.

Big Moe[link]

Big Moe, from Houston, Texas became one of the first to break out of Texas and go national. Unlike most of the Houston rappers, who tended to offer a hardcore style, Moe offered a much more accessible one. He both rapped and sang, and his producers crafted smooth, melodic tracks that bounced along at a leisurely pace. Plus, he precisely balanced the fine line between the underground and mainstream. Moe's songs were often street-themed, with intoxicants being a prime theme; yet they were simultaneously radio-friendly and hook-laden, with his breakthrough single, "Purple Stuff," being a perfect example. Big Moe died of complications from a heart attack on October 14, 2007.

Big Steve[link]

A founding member of the group "Woss Ness" with Rasir X and Mista Luv. Also known as Granpappy and Mafioso, he was murdered two years after the group's debut album "Da Game Changed Forever".

Big Pokey[link]

Big Pokey, from Houston, Texas, specifically in the Yellowstone neighborhood, and is one of the more accomplished members of the Screwed Up Click. Big Pokey hooked up with DJ Screw in the early '90s and started dropping rhymes on the DJ's many mixtapes. His first full-length album finally appeared in late 1999, "Hardest Pit in the Litter", which was considered one of the better underground hip hop albums to come out of the South that year. He frequently collaborates with Chris Ward, a fellow member of the Screwed Up Click, who is also from Yellowstone.

Bird[link]

In 1989 Bird met DJ Screw at Quail Meadows Apartments, where then teenaged Screw lived with his father. Screw’s friend Toe famously commissioned the first tape and then played it for Bird, who was among the first to commission a second round of tapes. “Back then, we’d only freestyle on the last ninety seconds of the tape. And I still have every Screwtape I ever made with Screw. I only ever lost one tape.” Unfortunately, the one he lost was a rare original master that Screw let out of his sight. While Screw sold tapes hand over fist out of the house, from 8PM to 10PM, Monday through Saturday, he asked Bird to stand behind the door with a gun, “Hoping we wouldn’t ever have to use it.” “Everything we did was legal. Screw told us never to have weed or nothing in our cars because he knew the feds were watching. I had my car torn apart several times on my way out of his house. And eventually they did arrest Screw. But they didnt find anything. All they found was music.” Bird was one of Screw's closest friends until the end.

Botany Boyz[link]

The rap group the Botany Boyz, which includes rappers C-Note, Will-Lean, B.G. Duke, & D-Red, are also original members of the Click.

C-Nile[link]

Originally from Mobile, Alabama. He debuted in Houston with the rest of the S.U.C originals on a few albums before his solo-debut album THE GOLDEN CHILD, Which featured S.U.C originals such as Z-Ro, Lil Keke & Big Pokey on it.

Clay Doe[link]

Clay Doe is a rapper based out of Houston, Texas, who along with Clay Doe, Fat Pat and Mr. 3-2, formed the rap group Southside Playaz.

Dat Boy Grace[link]

Dat Boy Grace now known as Macc Grace as well as his brother Lo$ were members of the Screwed Up Click, in which he developed a long time friendship with DJ Screw. He was introduced to Screw by his barber, Big Jut, a fellow Screwed Up Click member. He then teamed up with fellow Houston rappers Fat Pat, Lil' Keke, E.S.G., and Big Pokey.^[1]

DJ B.I.G. Baby[link]

The cousin of DJ Screw.

DJ Screw[link]

DJ Screw was a central figure in the Houston rap scene. During the early 90s, he began slowing hip-hop instrumentals - some his, some by other artists - and invited some of the most renowned rappers from the south side of Houston to flow over his Screw tapes. He was also a member of the rap group Dead End Alliance. This eventually led to the formation of the Screwed Up Click. DJ Screw died on November 16, 2000 from a lethal combination of codeine and other drugs. ^[2]

E.S.G.[link]

E.S.G. is from Bogalusa, Louisiana. He trail-blazed through the early-'90s movement and helped popularize the "Screwed and Chopped" which was created by DJ Screw and a style associated with his one time home, Wreckshop Records. He is also known for static between him and Lil' Flip, for the claim of "Freestyle King", which was eventually resolved with Lil' Flip claiming the title.

Fat Pat[link]

Fat Pat was a rapper from Houston, Texas and an original member of DJ Screw's Screwed Up Click. Also known as Mr. Fat Pat and P-A-T, he was most prolific in the mid-1990s alongside his brother Big Hawk and longtime friend Lil' Keke. Fat Pat was signed to Wreckshop Records. On February 3, 1998, Fat Pat was shot and killed after collecting an appearance fee from a show promoter. He was a member of the rap groups Dead End Alliance as well as Southside Playaz.

Jason[link]

Began rapping on tapes in the early to mid 90's. He was murdered in 1997.

Kay-K[link]

Kay-K was a member of the D.E.A. (Dead End Alliance), which also included DJ Screw, Fat Pat, & Big Hawk. Along with Yungstar and others, Kay-K was featured on the very famous June 27 freestyle (Celebrating D. Moe's^[3] birthday) and was very active on rapping on Screwtapes.

Lil Flip[link]

Lil Flip is from Cloverland in South Houston. He is an American multi-platinum hiphop artist best known for his singles "Sunshine", "Game Over", "The Way We Ball", "I Can Do Dat" and Rollin on 20's from the 2 Fast 2 Furious soundtrack A long time affiliate of the Botany Boyz and DJ Screw he went on to be one of the few platinum selling artists in Houston. Before Screw died he inducted Lil Flip into the Screwed Up Click and dubbed him the Freestyle King for his ability to freestyle at Screws shows.

Lil' Keke[link]

Lil' Keke, from Houston, Texas is an emcee and member of the Screwed Up Click,and former member of the Herchelwood Hardheadz(also S.U.C.), Lil' Keke proved himself to be one of the collective's strongest artists, strongly aligning himself with Z-Ro the city's underground rap don of the south. Not only by appearing on countless "Screwed" DJ mixes but also a seemingly endless number of other albums to come out of the South, he also became one of Houston's most visible rappers, releasing solo albums for Jam Down Entertainment. Lil' Keke has become a well known rapper in Houston and continues to record albums annually. Even with the disapproval of some S.U.C members and fans he is now signed with Swishahouse Records.

Lil' O[link]

Lil' O is a southern rapper, born in Lagos, Nigeria to African parents and raised in Southwest Houston, Texas. He is an original member of DJ Screw's Screwed Up Click. He was also known as O or Da Fat Rat Wit Da Cheeze. He dropped his debut album in 2000 "Blood Money" that garnered him major down south hits like the "Playa's Get Choose" and "Rags to Riches", the album sold over 30,000 copies independently. His next album "Da Fat Rat With The Cheeze" sold over 75,000 copies. He collaborated with Big Hawk on the hit single "Back Back". "Back Back" led him back to a nationwide deal with Atlantic Records, which he later left in 2003.

Mike D[link]

Mike D is a rapper based out of Houston, Texas, who along with Clay Doe, Fat Pat and Mr. 3-2, formed the rap group Southside Playaz. Mike D was able to create a lot of tracks with Fat Pat before his death, which are still included on new Southside Playaz CDs to this day. He is also known as Bosshog Corleone, and Dickbone Corleone.

Mr. 3-2[link]

Mr. 3-2 is a rapper based out of Houston, Texas. While signed to Rap-A-Lot Records he was involved with three groups, The Convicts, Southside Playaz and Blac Monks, and released one solo album. After leaving Rap-A-Lot, 3-2 released albums on "N yo Face" and "Street Game Records." He has collaborated on tracks with Z-ro, E.S.G, UGK, Scarface, 8 Ball & MJG, Lil' Keke & Too Short. He has heavily participated in the Screwed and Chopped movement.

Mr. True Fame[link]

Sherro[link]

An original Screwed up Click member since 96 Sherro along with Enjoli, Angel, and Tori, were the first females to rap on a DJ Screw tape. Sherro made her debut on Independence day along with Enjoli and Angel. She Made several more tapes from then on such as Another Day Another Dub, Southside most Wanted, S.U.C 4 Life, ETC. She also has kept making tapes since the passing of DJ Screw, with his cousin DJ B.I.G Baby of the S.U.C.

Trae[link]

Trae gained a name on the Houston Rap scene when he was featured on Z-Ro's album Look What You Did to Me. He co-founded the rap group Guerilla Maab, which featured Z-Ro and Dougie-D. He has been featured on several recent hit singles "Swang", "In The Hood", "Screwed Up" featuring Lil Wayne, "Throwaways" Featuring Yung Joc And Gorilla Zoe, "No Help" Featuring Z-Ro, and most recently "Inkredible" Featuring Lil' Wayne And Rick Ross, with a video which has been featured on MTV. His two biggest albums are "Restless" and "Life Goes On".

Z-Ro[link]

Z-Ro was raised in the Ridgemont 4 Neighborhood (Missouri City/Houston), Texas. Z-Ro's first solo release, Look What You Did to Me, was described by Murder Dog magazine in 1998 as a "ground-breaking record" and a "masterpiece". Interestingly, that first album regularly sold for over $100 on online auction site eBay, before its recent re-release. 1999 saw the release of the equally lauded Rise by the Guerilla Maab, a group Z-Ro formed with Trae and Dougie-D. His songs are known for reflecting the hurt and pain he has gone through in his life, which is a major draw for the listeners of his music. The has remained a strong influence in his music and has future collaborations planned.

Later members[link]

Chris Ward[link]

Chris Ward, also known as C-Ward, is one of the last members added to the Screwed Up Click roster before DJ Screw's death. He was also a member of Slim Thug's Boss Hogg Outlawz.

Big Mello[link]

Big Mello gained a name on the Houston Rap in 1992 with the album "Bone Hard Zaggin" on the Rap-A-Lot Records label. Those who encountered Big Mello's deep Texas sound compared him to favorably to Scarface or Z-Ro, but Rap-A-Lot never found the right way to package Mello and soon he was on to other labels. He died in 2002 after he lost control of a vehicle he was driving, also killing a passenger.

Blac Attac[link]

Blac Attac met DJ Screw in Jan of 1999 while attending Texas Southern University he debuted on Tha Da Reunion,Playa Choppin Game,& Mash N Millen Mode. When DJ Screw passed in 2000 he continued reppin Screwed Up Click by collaborating with DJ Screw's Cousin DJ B.I.G Baby in 2001.

Herschelwood Hardheadz[link]

Named after the south side Houston Texas neighborhood they grew up in and their state of mind to "the game", the group Herschelwood HardHeadz was formed in 1993. Composed of Duke, Knock, Archie Lee and former member Lil KeKe, they made appearances on several of the late DJ Screw and his collaboration of artists The Screwed Up Click (SUC) mix tapes and CDs.

Yungstar[link]

Yungstar, who grew up on the southwest side of Houston, Texas, began rapping at age ten. In the early 1990s, he began working with DenDen, CEO of Straight Profit Records. He first gained attention freestyling over tapes made by DJ Screw and emerged nationally with a guest appearance on Lil' Troy's "Wanna Be a Baller". Then went on to release the hit song "Knocking Pictures Off The Wall" with Lil' Flex.

Dat Boi T[link]

Dat Boi T is the newest and the only official Hispanic member of the click, while South Park Mexican was the first Hispanic affiliated with the group he was not an official member, Dat Boi T is an official member,even though he was never brought in by Screw himself, he was sworn into the Click by Al D (screws brother). He is also known by "S.U.E" ("Screwed Up Essay")

Screw Up Affiliated[link]

Rappers including South Park Mexican,UGK,and Lil Troy are considered "Screw Up Affiliated" since they were not official members of the group they were only affiliated and were friends with Dj Screw.

Reunion tour[link]

The S.U.C. had a reunion tour in 2010 which included Big Pokey, Lil Keke, Lil O, and Z-Ro.^[4]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Screwed Up Records (Official DJ Screw Site)
• DJ Screw & the Screwed Up Click
• Screwed Up Click Lyrics

Screwed Up is the third and final album by Queensbridge hip hop group Screwball, released July 19, 2004 on Hydra Entertainment Records.^[1] Godfather Don produced 7 of the tracks.^[2] Member Blaq Poet has since gone solo. Member KL has since died. The album features songs form their previous albums as well as remixes and new songs.

Tracklisting[link]

1. Stretch Armstrong/Poet (Intro)
2. Urban Warfare (Rmx)
3. Dirt Thugs (Feat. Godfather Don)
4. Torture (Feat. M.O.P.)
5. Who?
6. That Shit
7. Take It There
8. Guilty
9. Seen It All
10. Loyalty (Feat. Cormega)
11. The Blocks (Feat. Nature)
12. Hostyle
13. Real Niggaz
14. Greatest On Earth
15. Attn A&R Dept
16. You Love To Hear The Stories (Pete Rock Remix) (Feat. MC Shan)
17. Be On Your Way (Feat. Fred Fowler)
18. Like A Gangster (Feat. Matrix Bars)
19. The Operation (Feat. Nashawn)
20. Gorillas (Feat. N.O.R.E. & Kool G Rap)
21. F.A.Y.B.A.N
22. What The Deal? (Feat. Cormega)
23. Where U At? (Feat. Nature)
24. On Point (Rmx)
25. Heat Is On (Rmx) (Feat. Prodigy)
26. I Ain't Saying Nothing
27. Somethings Gotta Give
28. Crime Unit
29. Ride For Free
30. Who Shot Rudy?
31. Taking All Bets
32. Screwed Up
33. On The Real (Feat. Cormega & Havoc)
34. Shouts

References[link]

Robert Earl "DJ Screw" Davis, Jr. (July 20, 1971 – November 16, 2000)^[1] was a Houston, Texas-based DJ. He was known as a central figure in the Houston hip-hop community and was the creator of the now-famous Chopped and Screwed DJ technique. This creation led to his nickname of "The Originator." Davis was recognized for his various mixtapes and albums mostly on a regional level, until after his death. His legacy was discovered by a wider audience when Houston hip-hop began reaching a national audience in 2005.

Biography[link]

DJ Screw was born in Bastrop, Texas, not far from Smithville, Texas. His father, Robert Earl Davis, Sr., was a long-haul truck driver based in Houston. His mother Ida May Davis (who had a young daughter from a previous marriage), came to the area to be with her mother when her son was born in 1971. She returned to Houston, but the marriage was floundering; soon it would be over, and she and her kids moved to Los Angeles for a couple of years, then back to Houston, and returned to Smithville in 1980 at the age of nine.^[2]

A young DJ Screw had aspirations of being a truck driver like his father, but seeing the 1984 hit break dancing movie Breakin' and discovering his mother's turntable permanently derailed those dreams. He would take her B. B. King and Johnnie Taylor records and scratch them on the turntable the way deejays did, slowing the spinning disc and then allowing it to speed back up, playing with sound. Robert Earl began buying records of his own and playing deejay with his distant friend Trey Adkins, who would rap. "Screw had a jam box," Adkins told Texas Monthly, "and he hooked up two turntables to it and made a fader out of the radio tuner so he could deejay." Adkins said if Robert Earl didn't like a record, he would deface it with a screw. One day Adkins asked him, "Who do you think you are, DJ Screw?" Robert Earl liked the sound of that and in turn gave his long time friend a new name: Shorty Mac.^[2]

He began DJing at age 12 in 1983, and started his trademark slowed-down mixes in 1990. The mixes began as special compilations requested by friends and those in the know. He soon made them available for sale when his close friend Toe offered to buy a mix from him for ten dollars. At that point, customers had increasingly begun requesting his more well-known mixes instead of personalized lists. During the early 1990s, he invited some of the Houston rappers from the city's south side to rap on those mixes.^[3] This coalition of rappers eventually became the formation of the Screwed Up Click.

He moved to a house near Gulfgate Mall. Fans, some driving from far away areas such as Dallas and Waco, lined up at his door to obtain his recordings. He started his own business and opened a shop up on 7717 Cullen Blvd in Houston TX called Screwed Up Records and Tapes. It has been shown in numerous music videos and documentaries as well as independent films. There are now several Screwed Up Records and Tapes spread out through Texas, including one in Beaumont and in Austin.^[2]

Texas Governor Rick Perry honored him by making him an official Texas Music Pioneer.^[4]

Death[link]

Davis died on November 16, 2000. Fans speculated about the true cause of his death. Some believed his tireless work ethic had caught up with him, while others considered his unhealthy lifestyle of constant fast food and little exercise to be the culprit.^[5] When the coroner reports were released, they confirmed that he died of a codeine overdose in addition to mixed drug intoxication. The codeine came from a prescription-strength cough syrup that he would mix with soda to concoct a beverage called purple drank. In addition to codeine, Valium and PCP were found in his blood.^[2] His funeral took place at Mount Pilgrim Baptist Church in his hometown of Smithville, Texas.^[2]

Legacy[link]

DJ Screw has been a considerable influence in the Houston scene, which is sometimes referred to as "Screwston" in his memory. His distinct musical stylings influenced countless rap acts. Alternative weekly The Houston Press named the 1995 album 3 N' Da Mornin, Part 2 as no. 13 on its list of the 25 best Houston rap albums of all time. The newspaper credited the release for the way it helped shape Houston's hip-hop culture.^[6] The newspaper also referred to Chopped and Screwed music as the second most likely type of music to be associated with Texas, an example of DJ Screw's influence in the region.^[7]

DJ Screwfest[link]

A music festival and car show in honor of DJ Screw was set up in 2006. The inaugural DJ Screwfest featured 200 vehicles ^[8] and a setlist featuring notable Houston hip-hop acts like Slim Thug, Trae, and Chingo Bling. The first festival, which took place at the Pasadena County Fairgrounds, ran into problems including rain and limited sound equipment.^[9]

Screwed Up Click[link]

When the Houston hip-hop scene became nationally prominent in 2004, many of the biggest acts could be traced to DJ Screw's crew, the Screwed Up Click. The expansive crew, which featured more than 15 rappers, were featured prominently on his mixtapes and often spent nights with him recording. Some of the more famous rappers to come out of the Screwed Up Click include Big Hawk, Lil' Keke, and Fat Pat. While many of the S.U.C. rappers enjoyed major-label success, DJ Screw himself remained largely underground. He was uncomfortable with mainstream business practices like bank accounts and copyrights.^[2] He would allow members of the S.U.C. to rap on his mixtapes free of charge, despite the large amount of exposure a screw tape feature could provide. A single tape could have reached 100,000 listeners according to some estimates; they often led to further success, including recording contracts.^[5]

Discography[link]

"Screw-tapes"[link]

Screw tapes were tapes that DJ Screw made himself and mainly sold from his house or when traveling to do shows. Many of his friends freestyled and spoke over instrumentals/songs.

The mixtapes were re-released after his death in 2000 and given "chapter" titles. Despite this they were not re-released chronologically. The works date between 1994 and 2000.

Albums[link]

1995 All Screwed Up Big Tyme Records -

Also Appears on[link]

• SPM(South Park Mexican) Power Moves double Disc 1998
• Al-D - Home Of The Free 1995
• Al-D - Unconditional Luv 2002
• Aggravated - Accept 1995
• Botany Boyz - Thought of Many Ways 1997
• Mr. 3-2 The Wicked Buddah Baby 1996
• DJ DMD - Eleven 1997
• Dead End Alliance - Screwed 4 Life 1997
• Lil Keke - Don't Mess With Texas 1997
• Lil Keke - The Commission 1998
• C-Note - 3rd Coast Born 1999
• Lil O - Blood Money 1999
• 5th Ward Soundtrack 1999
• Lil' Flip - The Leprechaun 2000
• K-Rino - No Mercy 2000
• HAWK - Under Hawks Wings 2000
• Rap-a-Lot Records - R.N.D.S. Compilation 1999
• Point Blank - N Tha Doe 1996
• Point Blank - Bad News Travels Fast 2000
• Big Moe - City of Syrup 2000

Film[link]

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 video footage of DJ Screw days before his death.

References[link]

External links[link]

• Mtv DJ Screw Album Discography

	Houston portal
	Biography portal

• Screwed Up Records & Tapes - Official site (requires flash)
• Deft Magazine Commemorative Rest In Peace Mixtape - Deft Magazine

Mike D
Background information
Birth name	Michael Diamond
Also known as	Mike D, Country Mike, The King of Lunch, Meshach
Born	(1965-11-20) November 20, 1965 (age 46)
Origin	New York City, United States
Genres	Hip hop, rap rock, hardcore punk, alternative hip hop
Occupations	Rapper, musician, songwriter, drummer
Instruments	Rapping, vocals, drums, percussion, keyboards
Years active	1979–present
Labels	Def Jam Records Grand Royal Records Capitol Records
Associated acts	Beastie Boys The Latch Brothers
Website	www.beastieboys.com

Michael Diamond, better known as Mike D (born November 20, 1965^[1]), is a founding member of New York City hip hop group the Beastie Boys. Mike D raps, sings, and plays drums alongside fellow members MCA, Ad-Rock and Mix Master Mike.^[2]

Early life[link]

Mike D was born in New York City. Mike was raised in an upper-middle-class Jewish household.^[2] He attended Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, New York for six months.^[3]

Career[link]

In 1979, Diamond co-founded the band The Young Aborigines. In 1981, Adam Yauch, aka MCA, a friend and follower of the band became their bass player, and from the suggestion of their then-guitar player, John Berry, the band changed their name to the Beastie Boys.^[4] By 1983, Adam Horovitz (Ad-Rock) joined to form the lasting Beastie Boys trio, and their sound began to shift away from punk to hip-hop.^[5] In 1992, Mike D founded the Beastie Boys' now-defunct record label Grand Royal Records.

Personal life[link]

In 1993, Mike married film, television and music video director Tamra Davis. They have two boys, Skyler and Davis.^[6] He has two brothers, Stephen and David.

References[link]

Lil' O (born Ore Magnus Lawson on November 22, 1977) is a southern rapper, born in Lagos, Nigeria and raised in Southwest Houston, Texas.^[1] He is an original member of DJ Screw's Screwed Up Click. He was also known as O or Da Fat Rat Wit Da Cheeze. His name references his height, at 5 feet tall.^[2]

Early life[link]

His father was a doctor and Lil’ O and his four brothers and one sister had a middle class upbringing. His mother died from ovarian cancer when Lil’ O was 13 and suddenly his father’s strict Nigerian upbringing began to chase him to rebellion.^[1]

Soon after his mother’s death, Lil’ O began hanging in the streets with friends who were in the drug game, and he became addicted to the fast money that drug dealing brought in. “I got street fame, women, and a lot of money quickly and easily,” he says. Of course, he eventually got collared. After his arrest, his father kicked him out of the house and Lil’ O fell deeper into the lure of the drug game. While out on bond, he continued to sell drugs and was caught again. This time he attempted to swallow the evidence before the police could arrest him. He swallowed an ounce-and-a-half of crack cocaine and his lungs collapsed. He was put on life support and his father was told to prepare for his death. “It’s really a miracle that I woke up at all,” says Lil’ O. “I was breathing through tubes on my deathbed and I looked down and saw that my ankles were cuffed to the bed. I realized, if I recovered I was going to jail, and if I didn’t I was going to die.”^[1]

He went to Xavier University in New Orleans, where he studied business. Away from the drugs and the street life of Southwest Houston, Lil’ O also began to dabble in one of his first loves – hip hop. “Man, when I was growing up, LL Cool J came out with ‘Radio’ and that was it, I was hooked. I never thought about rapping as a career because I was making so much selling drugs, plus the money came faster than it does in the rap game,” says O. While at Xavier, in 1997, he recorded “Can’t Stop” – featuring vocal contributions from the ladies that would go on to earn renown as Destiny’s Child. The track soon became Lil’ O’s debut single and went on to score an instant local hit. Regardless, Lil’ O eventually found himself out of school and back in Texas, again exposed to the same lifestyle he’d tried to leave behind. In 1999, he then signed with the Houston-based indie label Game Face Entertainment, but also began selling drugs again.^[1] His debut album, Blood Money, sold 20,000 copies but he was unable to promote it due to spending time in jail.^[3]

After being released from prison, Lil’ O left the drug game behind for good and focused on his music completely. He also enrolled at the University of Houston–Downtown ("UHD") and majored in business. “Some days I wouldn’t feel like going to class, and then I would look across the street at the county jail and remember how I felt when I was in there. That would be all the motivation I would need to get myself to class,” says Lil’ O with a hearty laugh.^[1]

In 2001, his album "Da Fat Rat With The Cheeze"^[4] sold over 75,000.^[1] He collaborated with Big Hawk on the hit single "Back Back". "Back Back" led him back to a nationwide deal with Atlantic Records, which he later left in 2003.^[5]

Discography[link]

Albums[link]

• 1999: Blood Money
• 2001: Da Fat Rat wit da Cheeze
• 2003: Food On Tha Table
• 2007: Greatest Hits
• 2011: Grind Hard,Pray Harder

Mixtapes[link]

• 2004: Neva Lay Down Vol. 1
• 2005: Jealous Got Me Strapped (Neva Lay Down Vol. 2)
• 2006: My Struggle My Hustle
• 2006: South Side Tippin
• 2008: Tha Flood (Neva Lay Down Vol. 3)
• 2010: Tha Flood 1.5

Singles[link]

See also[link]

• Houston hip hop
• Screwed Up Click

External links[link]

• Lil' O MySpace
• Houston Rap Music Dot Com.

References[link]