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John Edward Hawkins (November 15, 1969 – May 1, 2006), better known as H.A.W.K. or Big Hawk was an American rapper from Houston, Texas and a founding member of the late DJ Screw's rap group the Screwed Up Click.

Biography[link]

Born John Edward Hawkins in Houston, Texas on November 15, 1969. He grew up on the dead end block of MLK with his younger brother, Patrick "Fat Pat" Hawkins and two sisters. He started rapping in 1992 when Pat took him to DJ Screw’s house, an upcoming mixtape producer and DJ in the southern area of Houston.^[4] In April 2006 Hawk married his longtime girlfriend and mother of his two children, Meshah Henderson.^[4]

Career[link]

In 1994 Hawk, Fat Pat, DJ Screw and some of their friends, Lil' KeKe and Koldjack, collaborated to form the group D.E.A. and Dead End Records (named for the dead end block of Martin Luther King Blvd where Hawk grew up in Houston). In late 1995 D.E.A. released an original independent album entitled, “Screwed For Life” featuring Lil' Keke, Big Pokey and the rest of the S.U.C. After the deaths of Hawk’s brother (Fat Pat) and DJ Screw and the incarceration of many others SUC members, Hawk’s ultimate mission and goal became keeping the “Ghetto Dream” alive. In 1999 Hawk participated in a Southside Playaz compilation album titled “You Got Us Fuxxed Up,” with Mike D, Claydoe and other members of the S.U.C. Hawk released his solo album, "Under Hawk's Wings" on Dead End Records in 2000 and had recorded with Lil' Flip, Lil' Keke, Big Moe, Z-Ro and was featured on the Lil' Troy hit "Wanna Be A Baller."

Big Hawk appeared on numerous mixtapes from artists in the Houston underground rap scene. After Screw's death in 2000, he was the main person responsible for keeping the S.U.C. together,^{[citation needed]} so much so that his nickname was the Five Star General of the Screwed Up Click. He collaborated with Lil' O on the smash hit, “Back Back” Next, he partnered with Game Face Records in 2002 and released his first album under his label Ghetto Dreams Ent., self titled, “HAWK.” With the hit song, “U Already Know,” the album charted the Billboard’s list of top R&B and Rap Albums at no. 45. It was at Game Face Records where Hawk met and clicked with a young up and coming group called the GritBoyz and an artist named Starchy Archy. Hawk and Ghetto Dreams Ent. teamed up with Presidential Records in 2003 to release “A Bad Azz Mix Tape Vol. II.” A year later he and Lil' Keke teamed up to release “Wreckin 2K4” with Presidential Records as well. It was around this time when the original S.U.C. members, along with M.J. (of Southside Studios) started collaborating on a group/compilation album titled “The Takeover.” Trae tha Truth made an album dedicated to BIG HAWK called Life Goes On.

Hawk was featured on the popular single "Swang" by Trae that included a tribute to Fat Pat in 2005. In 2006, Hawk, along with Clint Dempsey of the U.S. National Soccer team recorded a song for Nike's "Joga Bonito" World Cup soccer promotion called "Don't Tread". He was part of Pepsi's Yahoo! "Houston Mic Pass" with Lil' Flip, Chamillionaire, Trae, Chingo Bling, Bun B, Short Dawg, Magno and Mike D. Since his death, Hawk has been featured on several tracks including Lil O's "I Do" single, "Down In Texas" off of the 2008 A.B.N. album It Is What It Is, and Big Unk's "I'ma Beast" to name a few.

On November 11, 2011 two posthumous singles were released called "Somebody Who Loves You" and "Praise God."

Death[link]

Hawkins, 36, was shot to death Monday, May 1, 2006, outside of a home in south Houston.^[5] He was pronounced dead at the scene. Police say the rapper had gone to visit a friend's house at night and was walking from his car when he was shot several times. There is no known suspect.^[5]

Shortly after his death Bun B, a fellow Houston rap artist, spoke about Hawkins in an interview with the Houston Chronicle saying, "There were no chinks in this man's moral armor, because he was a rapper there will be people who will take his death the wrong way, but he was a peaceful guy and a family man who had no beefs with anybody."^[6]

Discography[link]

Albums[link]

Mixtapes[link]

• 2004: A Bad Azz Mix Tape Vol. II.^[7]
• 2006: Since the Gray Tapes, Vol. 4^[7]
• 2007: Terrible Texas Dub K Six^[7]

See also[link]

• Houston hip hop

References[link]

External links[link]

• Hawk's MySpace

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Marcus Lakee Edwards (born March 29, 1976),^[1] better known by his stage name Lil' Keke, is a rapper from Houston, Texas and an original member of the Screwed Up Click.^[2]

Biography[link]

Music career[link]

Lil Keke gained national underground love with his track "Southside" from his 1998 release "Don't Mess Wit Texas". In 2005, Lil' Keke signed to Swishahouse Records. In an interview with HitQuarters at the time, label president and A&R T. Farris said, "He is a legend here in Houston. He plays a big role in the whole style of rap that we make down here."^[3] Lil' Keke started out working alongside DJ Screw doing mixtapes.

Discography[link]

• 1997: Don't Mess wit Texas
• 1998: The Commission
• 2001: Platinum In Da Ghetto
• 2008: Loved by Few, Hated by Many
• 2011: Only In America

Mixtapes[link]

• 2006: Minor Setback for a Major Comeback (Hosted by DJ Drama)
• 2006: The Album B4 the Album
• 2007: Greatest Verses (Hosted by DJ LL)
• 2007: Drank Epidemic 10 & 10.2 (Hosted by DJ Storm)
• 2007: The Cost Of Living (with Yung Redd)
• 2008: Only The Strong Survive (Hosted by DJ Bigga Rankin)
• 2008: Seven-1-3 Hustlaz, Vol. 1: The Movement
• 2008: South Side Still Holding (Hosted by DJ Mac Boo)
• 2009: Seven-1-3 Vol.2 Small Thangs 2 A Giant
• 2009: Universal Ghetto Pass (The Mixtape)
• 2010: Addicted 2 Fame
• 2010: Seven-1-3 Vol.4
• 2010: The Trilogy
• 2011: Peepin In My Window 2K11
• 2011: C.O.D. (Cash On Delivery) Seven-1-3 Vol. 5
• 2011: Fish Grease
• 2012: Album Before The Album 2

References[link]

External links[link]

• Lil' Keke on Myspace

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Milton Powell (born December 4, 1974), better known by his stage name Big Pokey, is a rap artist from Houston, Texas and is one of the original members of the Screwed Up Click.^[1]

Big Pokey joined up with DJ Screw in the early 1990s and started releasing songs on DJ Screw's many mixtapes. His first full-length album appeared in late 1999, "Hardest Pit in the Litter". The following year, Pokey returned with "D-Game" 2000, another album of mid-tempo 808-driven beats featuring several of his Houston peers as guests. In 2001, he collaborated with the Wreckshop Wolfpack for Collabo and then returned in 2002 with another solo album, "Da Sky's Da Limit". In 2004, as the popularity of Houston rap expanded nationwide, HBO's hit series Entourage featured a clip of Pokey's song "Who Dat Talkin Down" in its pilot episode. In 2005 he was featured in a song which was #93 on US Top 100 [1][2] with Paul Wall called Sittin' Sidewayz.

Discography[link]

Studio albums[link]

• 1999: Hardest Pit in the Litter
• 2000: D-Game 2000
• 2001: D-Game 2000 : Chopped and Screwed
• 2002: Da Sky's Da Limit
• 2006: The Best of Big Pokey II: 8ighted & Chopped
• 2007: On Another Note
• 2007: The Best Of: Pt. 1 & Pt. 2
• 2008: Evacuation Notice

Collaborative albums[link]

• 2001: Tha Collabo (with The Weckshop Wolfpack)
• 2005: Mob 4 Life (with Chris Ward)
• 2008: Screwed Up Gorillaz (with E.S.G.)
• 2011: Keep On Stackin (with Keep On Stackin Ent)

Mixtapes[link]

• 2004: A Bad Azz Mix Tape Vol. 3
• 2004: A Bad Azz Mix Tape Vol. 3 (Slowed & Chopped)
• 2005: Since The Grey Tapes Vol. 3 (with Lil' Keke)
• 2010: Warning Shot

Solo[link]

• 2008: Boss Hogg On Candy (featuring Slim Thug)
• 2008: U Can Hate (featuring Chris Ward & Slim Thug)

References[link]

See also[link]

• Houston hip hop

This biographical article related to hip hop music in the United States is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v t e

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

Kenneth Moore (August 20, 1974 – October 14, 2007), better known by his stage name Big Moe, was an American rapper from Houston, Texas. He was known for a softer and slower style than other Houston rappers, including a mixture of rapping and singing that he called "rapsinging"^[2] as well as for his music that celebrated codeine-laced syrup as a recreational drug.^[3]

Early life[link]

Kenneth Moore was born in Houston on August 20, 1974, and he grew up in southeast Houston.^[4] He was a graduate of Yates High School and a former high school football star.^[5]

Career[link]

As one of the founding members of the "Original Screwed Up Click," Big Moe started out in music by freestyling on DJ Screw mixtapes before being signed to Wreckshop Records.^[2][3] Wreckshop Records released Big Moe's debut album, City of Syrup in (2000); the title a nod to Houston's reputation for drinking codeine-laced syrup, which Moe pours from a Styrofoam cup on the album's cover. "City of Syrup" album featured the single, "Mann!", which Moe intended to be The South Side's answer to Black Rob's East Coast hit "Whoa!". A year and half later, Moe returned with his second album, Purple World in (2002). This release showcased a Who's Who of Houston vocalists and two versions of Moe's breakthrough single, "Purple Stuff." The Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory-themed video for "Purple Stuff" was played on MTV and the album ranked as high as No. 3 on Billboard's Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.^[3] Big Moe's third and last album, Moe Life, was issued in 2003, including the commercially successful single "Just a Dog."^[3] A posthumous album entitled Unfinished Business was released on March 18, 2008 via Wreckshop Records and Koch Records. In 2009 his album City Of Syrup was named number 25 on houstonpress.com's list of the 25 Best Houston Hip Hop Albums.^[6]

Death[link]

Moe died on October 14, 2007 at 33-years-old, after suffering a heart attack one week earlier that left him in a coma.^[7] There was speculation that recreational codeine use in the form of Purple Drank may have contributed to his death.^[3]

Discography[link]

Mixtapes[link]

• 2009: Still Sippin' wit Moe

References[link]