DJ Screw spent his life as an underground legend, and his afterlife has been defined by an indelible hop-hop influence that permeates many sounds today. Fortunately for fans unfamiliar with his iconic and boundary-pushing work, his original mixtape production catalog is coming to streaming services for the first time.
According to DJ Mag, Screw's mixtapes will go up on platforms like Spotify and Apple Music every week starting this week up through the end of June. Today (Friday, May 29), we got the DJ Screw Originals (Volume 1) tape on digital streaming platforms.
"This is for the fans who’ve always known and for those discovering him now," Robert Earl Davis Jr.'s estate reportedly stated. "From a local legend to a global icon, his catalogue will now be accessible everywhere, keeping his legacy alive one stream at a time."
Before this, fans of the Houston pioneer could only access most of his iconic work through YouTube rips and other unofficial uploads. Sure, we got some releases on streaming here and there, but this return of old material is very exciting. Also, not everyone has physical media from back in the day to spin again and again.
We're sure purists will have a lot to say about this move. But at least new generations can discover Screw's influence and his amazing work via contemporary methods. Then, they can do their homework, learn deeper, and expand their search for even more amazing material.
RIP DJ Screw
DJ Screw established his "chopped-and-screwed" style as a hip-hop foundation, innovating with his slowed-down and chopped remixes and production style in the 1990s. Of course, Big Hawk, Big Moe, Lil' Flip, and the rest of Houston's Screwed Up Click are a part of this legacy as well.
Even if you're not super familiar with Screw's work, you have most likely heard of landmark releases like "3 ‘N the Mornin’ (Part Two)," the "June 27th" freestyle, and the Screw Tapes mixtape series. He tragically passed away in 2000 at the age of 29 due to a codeine overdose.
This is just the latest way in which DJ Screw's legacy continues to live on. We can't wait to take it slow and enjoy these mixtapes as they come out.
