Review Summary: Three in the mornin'... it's still goin' down... what's up, H-Town?
Everyone, even if they don't listen to hip-hop, knows who Tupac Shakur and Christopher "Biggie Smalls" Wallace are. They have been completely and totally immortalized by not only their music, but by what tragedies befell them. For all intents and purposes, they are like martyrs of their respective scenes, Shakur resonating strong within west-coast gangsta rap and Wallace making his due through the gritty sounds of the east coast. Still, many often forget about the third martyr, and the scene he had to do with. While high-energy, menacing southern hip-hop blared through his speakers, Robert Earl Davis Jr., known better to the world as DJ Screw, decided upon a simple, yet effective technique that would spark an entire subculture: the chopped and screwed DJ technique.
The technique consists of slowing down an original song and adding scratches, samples, stop-time, and skipping to "chop up" the song. This ingenious innovation appropriated the fast-paced, intimidating southern hip-hop style for a chiller atmosphere, winding down sessions, and, as it would famously be called, leaning. It gave the original music another avenue to reach the listeners ears. DJ Screw first started making what he called "screw tapes" in the mid-90's, and his popularity blossomed in the city of Houston.
Eventually, everyone in the Houston area, and many hip-hop fans in the south, knew who DJ Screw was and what he was all about. His life, unfortunately, ended in tragedy when he was found in his studio in November of 2000, dead from an overdose on codeine cough syrup (lean) and Valium. Years have passed since then, and though many posthumous releases have come into the fray, Screw's legacy was already cemented as one of the most innovative and important figures in hip-hop. This, his sequel to
Three N' The Mornin' (Part 1), is one of his greatest achievements, his shining moment that truly made him known as an impeccable person within the genre.
The first actual song on the record, "Sailin Da South", is a fantastic example of just how good Screw was as a producer. It's a version of the intro to the E.S.G. album of the same name, and features samples from one of his most famous songs, "Swangin' and Bangin'" in the background. Thus, what originally was about a minute-and-a-half long intro is turned into a three minute-and-a-half gangster anthem. That's a huge part of what made Screw so fascinating: he took songs that other people made, completely reworked them, and made them his own.
This is extremely apparent on the next song, a reworking of the famous Botany Boyz song "Smokin' And Leanin'". The original song is quite intimidating, but in Screw's hands, it turns downright ghastly. The deep, commanding shouts of "Smoke!", "Lean!" are much more jarring than they are on the original, and with the eerie sounding synths whirling in the background, it's almost as if the demons themselves are demanding that the listener follow their lead. Threatening, indeed, but this is far from the only feeling the album gives off.
Enter "Servin' A Deuce", a song originally by 20-2-Life, which instead of giving off the celebratory feeling the original emotes, portrays a different side of things. The feeling here is one of regret and remorse, but it still retains the strong will the ex-prisoner has to make amends with his wrongdoings. Once again, we see how skillfully Screw changes songs, which may have meant one thing at first, to fit his own interpretations and meanings.
Even on the more bare-bones tracks on the album, Screw makes a noticeable impression. For instance, on "Why You Hatin' Me?", we see a more subdued Screw, who chooses to let the rapping of Al-D take center stage. This is also implemented when Screw makes a formal introduction for Lil Keke on "Pimp Tha Pen", who spits some of the best verses on the record over a stripped down beat. It shows that Screw knew what he wanted his listeners to take from his music, whether it was the lyrics of a song he remixed or the feeling of it.
It stands to mention that, while Screw was certainly a superb producer, the merits of the original songs by their respective artists cannot be ignored. Therein lies yet another facet of Screw's excellence: he knew what songs would sound the best when he applied his techniques. Take "Cloverland" for instance. The bassline of the song is wonderfully smooth and fun to hear, forming the perfect backbone for the track. This aspect of the song was enhanced through Screw's techniques, undoubtedly on purpose, and because of this, the song is one of the best on the record.
The closer of the record, "South Side", is an honest and heartfelt tribute to his hometown, and his fellow rappers and producers within the scene. Within the smooth, soulful guitar in the background, Screw triumphantly says that he will "screw the whole world". Of course, this a play on words, but it's incredible to see how much weight they have today. His influence on southern hip-hop and the creation of chopped and screwed hip-hop make him as important to the world of hip-hop as anyone. His techniques have reached far beyond Houston since then, and so has his legacy.
DJ Screw was one of a kind, who created some of Houston's most beloved hip-hop records, not least of which is this album. I suppose it is fitting, then, that the album begins with fellow Houston rapper, and good friend of Screw's, E.S.G., telling all who own this screw tape to keep their eyes on it, as people want one of these more than they do some good weed, free cigarettes, or a cold 40 oz. It's understandable: this high lasts a lifetime.
