He was born in Bastrop, Texas to Robert Earl Davis, Sr. DJ Screw had lived in Smithville, Houston, and Los Angeles; at one point his father took him to Houston in order to keep him from trouble. There DJ Screw lived in a working class, mostly African American neighborhood near Hobby Airport described by Michael Hall of Texas Monthly as "hard-edged."DJ Screw dropped out of Sterling High School during his 10th grade year and focused on music.
He began deejaying at age 13, and started his trademark slowed down mixes in 1984. During the early 1990s, he invited some of Houston's most renowned rappers from the south side of the city to flow on his Screw tapes. This eventually led to the formation of the Screwed Up Click. What originally was only a fad of Houston, Chopped and Screwed music started getting more widespread attention with the introduction of p2p programs such as Napster in the late 90s. This ultimately led to DJ Screw getting recognition across the country and being known as one of biggest faces in modern hip-hop.
www.screwedupclick.com.
After spending most of the 1990s as an infamous local phenomenon in Houston, TX, DJ Screw suddenly found himself gaining sudden notoriety before his unfortunate death in late 2000. The Houston DJ made a name for himself primarily because of his uncanny mixing style, which found him pitching down his records to a lumbering and quite eerie pace. Over the course of the '90s, what began as novelty actually became a rather lucrative venture for Screw, who produced hundreds of mix tapes, with some estimates projecting his total number of tapes topping over a thousand; furthermore, he sold the tapes at his Houston-based record store, Screwed Up Records and Tapes. Oddly enough, he preferred to release his mixes almost exclusively on cassette, though fans often recorded the mixes and traded them via the Internet; in addition, countless "screwed" remixes of popular rap anthems were widely available on Napster thanks to his cultish following.
Yet it's hard to imagine Screw's legacy being what it is if not for his role as an adamant advocate of "syrup sippin'," a Southern rap phenomenon involving codeine-infused cough syrup -- the resulting intoxication induces a hallucinatory state where everything slows down and becomes the senses swirl. As marijuana was to early-'90s gangsta rap, LSD was to late-'60s psychedelic rock, ecstasy was to late-'80s rave -- and so on -- the syrup sippin' advocated by Screw's trippy hip-hop mixes led to a small drug movement within the late-'90s Dirty South genre, reaching its zenith with Three 6 Mafia's hit "Sippin' on Some Syrup" in 2000. It's hard to deny that this phenomenon wasn't as important to Screw's popularity as his music was (especially considering some of his tape titles: Syrup & Soda, Syrup Sippers, Sippin' Codeine, etc.) Still, Screw did serve as a leader for Houston's burgeoning rap scene; his home studio, The Screw Shop, functioned as the home base for what was loosely referred to as the Screwed Up Click, including semi-successful rappers such as Big Pokey and Lil' Keke, along with about 30 others were known locally.
Ironically, when Screw was found dead in his studio of a fatal heart attack at the tender age of 29 on the morning of November 16, 2000, the Houston Chronicle published a story stating that police suspected Screw of overdosing on the same syrup that he so adamantly advocated. Weeks later the theory proved valid, making the artist the victim of his own self-promoted phenomenon. More unfortunate, though, was the loss of Screw to Houston's fledging scene, which seemed on the verge of being nationally recognized as a Southern rap mecca. His legacy lived on, though, since his trademark mixing style was by no means exclusive, as countless imitators had arisen in the South by the time of his death, the most noteworthy being the Swisha House and Beltway 8 record labels.
- Jason Birchmeier, All Music Guide
Pimp tha Pen
DJ Screw Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
[Lil Keke]
I'm draped up and dripped out
Know what I'm talkin' 'bout
Three in the mornin, gettin' the gat out the stash spot
Fire up a fat sweet
Turnin' on the bulb light
Ass on the tight white
I'm showin' naked ass in the great state of Texas
Home of the playas, so there'll never be no flexin'
So long we've been waitin'
Never ever hatin'
In Houston they Elbows, In Cali they Daytons
So 1996 you hoes better duck
Because the world gone drip candy and be all Screwed Up
Just pop in your breaker set
Turn up your fuckin' deck
Lend me your ear because the SOUTHSIDE finna wreck
Down here we smoke tree
Then let the world see true hidden talent like Screw and Lil Keke
Ain't no love for hatas and you busted big suckas
On the south side we stay paid MuthaFucka!
(Pocket Full of Stones -by UGK is in the background mix)
"I got a pocket fulla stones"
[DJ Screw]
Lil Keke gone and tell 'em what time it is...
[lil Keke]
It time to lay 'em down like a fresh set of dominoes
For all the playas, all the pimps, all the bitches, and all the hoes
Who's the man, who's mouse
Who's the nigga that's payin' the cost
I really don't give a damn cause I ain't the one that's gonna take the
Loss
Grippin a grand up in the slant workin' the wood
It's understood, doin' these shows, wear these clothes, pullin' these
Hoes,
And slammin' these doors
Who in the the hell was able to tell the southside they had to chill
From hittin' these boulevards with belts and buckles and workin the
Grill
I'm smokin that skunk and poppin' the trunk and pulling off candy red
I ain't no punk, not givin' a fuck and able to turn a head
Somethin' serious when I let go cause I got a way with words
By takin' a noun a change it around to take the place of verbs
My lyrics go together like a pair of socks and shoes
My flow is slow because it's bolted down by DJ Screw
Take it from me, the nigga Lil Key, the H- The A- the R- D
Menace to society
Born and raised to be a G
Two or three songs I won't pospone
Cause these lyrics comin' the very top of my dome
So many ways it pays
For you to flip the script
That if you take a toke I promise that you'll be spung
Jackers and hustlers, players and macks
Slamin' doors to Cadillacs
Serve codine that makes you lean and killer sweets rolled by the stacks
Never gonna bow down because I'm so able to win
All around town just because Lil Keke pimps that pen
The lyrics of DJ Screw's "Pimp Tha Pen" featuring Lil Keke is a portrayal of the southern hip-hop culture, particularly Houston, Texas. The song exudes a distinct southern flair that defines the music genre and the place that it hails from. The lyrics tell a story of a Southside musician, Lil Keke, completely immersed in the hip-hop culture of Houston, engaging in activities typical of a rapper from his region. Lil Keke describes how they enjoy the night by smoking weed, cruising in their cars, and listening to their music while bumping their heads to their beats. He also emphasizes his connection to his community, calling out the place they come from and their hidden talent.
The lyrics also give a nod to one of UGK's songs "Pocket Full of Stones" played in the background mix, which was a tribute to their drug dealing days. Lil Keke reflects on the Southside's sound tradition, which they call "slant," a unique sound characterized by the use of chopped and screwed music. He accentuates his lyrical prowess by explaining how his rhymes "go together like a pair of socks and shoes." He also adds that his flow is helped by DJ Screw, whose music is the mainstay of chopped and screwed music.
The song's central theme is about southern pride and the need to assert their culture globally. Lil Keke insists that they will never back down from the jacks and hustlers, players, and macks and that they will continue hustling, creating music, and slanging their candy paints. The lyrics call for unity and loyalty within the southern hip-hop community by emphasizing their shared history and culture from Houston to Cali.
Line by Line Meaning
I'm draped up and dripped out
I'm wearing fancy clothes and jewelry
Know what I'm talkin' 'bout
You understand what I mean
Three in the mornin, gettin' the gat out the stash spot
At 3 am, I'm retrieving my gun from a secret hiding place
Fire up a fat sweet
I'm smoking a large blunt
Turnin' on the bulb light
I'm turning on a dim light so I can see
Hand on the wood grain
I'm holding onto the wood trim of my car
Ass on the tight white
I'm sitting on white leather seats that fit me perfectly
I'm showin' naked ass in the great state of Texas
I'm openly displaying my butt in Texas
Home of the playas, so there'll never be no flexin'
Texas has a lot of cool people, so there's no need to show off
So long we've been waitin'
We've been looking forward to something for a long time
Never ever hatin'
We don't hate on anyone
In Houston they Elbows, In Cali they Daytons
In Houston we have a certain type of rims, while in California they have a different type
So 1996 you hoes better duck
In 1996, people need to watch out for what's coming
Because the world gone drip candy and be all Screwed Up
The world is now into candy-colored cars and slow, chopped and screwed music
Just pop in your breaker set
Put in your favorite cassette tape
Turn up your fuckin' deck
Turn up the volume on your stereo
Lend me your ear because the SOUTHSIDE finna wreck
Pay attention to the South Side because it's about to go hard
Down here we smoke tree
We smoke marijuana here
Then let the world see true hidden talent like Screw and Lil Keke
Then we can showcase our true talent like Screw and Lil Keke
Ain't no love for hatas and you busted big suckas
We don't show love to haters or someone who looks bad and is disrespectful
On the south side we stay paid MuthaFucka!
On the South Side, we make good money
"I got a pocket fulla stones"
Reference to another song about having a lot of drugs
It time to lay 'em down like a fresh set of dominoes
It's time to take control and dominate
For all the playas, all the pimps, all the bitches, and all the hoes
This is for everyone who gets women
Who's the man, who's mouse
Who is the strong and confident person, and who is the weak one
Who's the nigga that's payin' the cost
Who is spending the most money
I really don't give a damn cause I ain't the one that's gonna take the Loss
I don't really care because I won't be the one to lose out
Grippin a grand up in the slant workin' the wood
I'm holding onto a thousand dollars and driving my car with wood trim
It's understood, doin' these shows, wear these clothes, pullin' these Hoes, And slammin' these doors
It's expected of me to do shows, wear nice clothes, attract women and slam car doors
Who in the the hell was able to tell the southside they had to chill
Who has the right to tell the South Side to calm down?
From hittin' these boulevards with belts and buckles and workin the Grill
From cruising down the streets with shiny belts, belt buckles, and a grilling fork
I'm smokin that skunk and poppin' the trunk and pulling off candy red
I'm smoking strong weed and opening my car trunk to show off my candy colored paint job
I ain't no punk, not givin' a fuck and able to turn a head
I'm not scared and I'm carefree, and I make people notice me
Somethin' serious when I let go cause I got a way with words
My lyrics are impressive because I have a talent with words
By takin' a noun a change it around to take the place of verbs
I can turn a noun into a verb and use it creatively
My lyrics go together like a pair of socks and shoes
My song lyrics are perfectly crafted
My flow is slow because it's bolted down by DJ Screw
My songs are slowed down and mixed by DJ Screw
Take it from me, the nigga Lil Key, the H- The A- the R- D Menace to society
Believe me, I'm Lil Key, also known as the Hard Menace to Society
Born and raised to be a G
I was born and raised to be a gangster
Two or three songs I won't pospone
I can write two or three songs quickly
Cause these lyrics comin' the very top of my dome
I'm coming up with these lyrics right now from the top of my head
So many ways it pays
There are so many ways to profit
For you to flip the script
To change things up in a positive way
That if you take a toke I promise that you'll be spung
If you smoke weed, I promise you'll feel the effects
Jackers and hustlers, players and macks
People who rob, people who make money, people who get women, and people who have game
Slamin' doors to Cadillacs
Closing car doors with force, specifically on Cadillacs
Serve codine that makes you lean and killer sweets rolled by the stacks
We sell codeine that makes you feel relaxed, and we roll a lot of cigars
Never gonna bow down because I'm so able to win
I'm not going to give up because I'm good at what I do
All around town just because Lil Keke pimps that pen
I'm known all over town because of my songwriting skills
Contributed by Logan F. Suggest a correction in the comments below.