In Houston, cannabis fuels the city’s chopped and screwed culture
If you want to understand the Houston cannabis scene, you need to start with the city’s Chopped & Screwed (C&S) culture.
The Texan city’s C&S sound has been intertwined with local weed for more than three decades, from “draped and dripped” to “cheering on a fat candy”. In Houston, cannabis smoke hangs in the air wherever C&S music is played.
The elements of chopped & screwed music are complex yet simple. To hack up a vinyl record, a DJ can either slice sections of a song into pieces (similar to a stuttering effect) or use a hand clap sound to scratch with another track. To screw (slow down) a record, a DJ changes the tempo / BPM of the entire record.
Imagine taking Megan Thee Stallion’s fast-paced single “Body” and changing its pace (or beats per minute) to Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You”. C&S can turn a 3-minute song into a 5-minute song with trippy vibes.
The author: DJ Screw
Chopped and Screwed music originated in Houston in the early 1990s with the late great DJ Screw. DJ Screw was born in Smithville, Texas and moved to Houston as a child. Raised in Houston’s Southside, a historically black neighborhood, Screw (Robert Earl Davis Jr.) increased his love of music. Screw got more serious about deejaying while living in the heart of Houston.
As a child, DJ Screw and his cousin “made mixtapes and sold them at school for money for lunch.”
DJ Screw and his first cousin, Big Bubb, weren’t new to the game but were loyal to the game. Big Bubb once recalled, “When we were young we made mixtapes and sold them for lunch at school for money.” Big Bubb remembers “Fresh Is The Word” by NYC rap group Matronix as the first one Album that saw Screw slow down. Screw developed his sound further and eventually produced a complete mixtape.
Screw’s style of deejaying was self-taught, unique, and completely new to the hip hop scene of the 90s. Rather than following the wave of older DJs by mixing and playing popular songs on ice rinks like DJ Darryl Scott, or mimicking hardcore groups like Houston’s Geto Boys, Screw started his own lane, bringing in other local artists in the process.
The sound & the tempo fits the city
Houston’s Bayou City is long and expansive, like C&S music. The city is known for its elongated dialect, traffic and landscape, so the C&S culture is a perfect fit for the city.
When Screw’s first slowed-down tapes were released in 1990, the young Houston folks were crazy about them. DJ Screw mixed not only popular songs, but also songs by local Houston rappers. Screw was included and yet exclusive.
Since then, the Houston SLAB (a converted classic car) have been driving and fucking. And cannabis has played an essential role in sound and culture.
Smooth flow clicks with a good indica
The gritty, calm chops and the eerily calming tempos of the C&S music put the listener into a euphoric trance that combines well with the effect of a strong strain. “The smooth flow of C&S and the collision of indica [strain of choice] are incredible, ”says Houston artist KennyClai. “Both are substances of mental and social stimulation and when combined create an out-of-body experience when in tune.”
“Both are substances of mental and social stimulation and when combined create an out-of-body experience.”
– Houston artist KennyClai
In 1998 DJ Screw released a now legendary mixtape called Pussy, Weed & Alcohol. Some of the artists who worked with Screw smoked Maryjane, so a lot of their freestyle content was about cannabis.
When Houstonians vibrate to C&S music, we can indulge in marijuana or promethazine (also known as drank or syrup). Classic tracks like “I Can’t Leave Drank Alone” are usually complemented with a bleezy (a blunt).
In the early 2000s, the term “SLAB” became an acronym (Slow, Loud, and Bangin ‘). Of course, the city’s love for cannabis coincides with the city’s love for SLAB culture.
Before his death in late 2000, a documentary film crew made Screw, who put down tracks for the album that would become Soldiers United for Cash. A film by that name was released in 2004 and is now available (albeit difficult to find) on the secondary market on VHS and DVD.
Cannabis in Texas is a revolutionary act
For African Americans and Latin Americans, participating in Houston’s cannabis culture is a revolutionary act. Texas is a republican state with strict drug laws, but the city of Houston vacillates between liberal and conservative views.
Driving, screwing, and directing around town is a vibe – until you see those flashing red and blue lights.
And then remember: cannabis is still heavily illegal in the Lone Star State. Here are a few lowlights from the Texas Penal Code:
Personal possession of less than 2 ounces of raw marijuana flower could result in a felony conviction, up to 180 days in prison, and a US $ 2,000 fine. Possession of 4 ounces results in a mandatory 180 day prison term.
If a person is caught selling 7 grams or less, they could potentially sit in jail for a year and pay a hefty fine of up to $ 4,000. A person charged with possession or sale can also serve a prison term, depending on the amount of cannabis they have in possession. The outdated cannabis laws in Texas are hitting color communities hard.
Related
Marijuana Laws in Texas
It’s a risk in Houston too
Houston is a big city that does its own thing. While Texas is a conservative state that has a history of electing Republicans (Governor Greg Abbott, Rick Perry, and George W. Bush), the city of Houston tends to vacillate between the two parties.
There tends to be a gray area and a thin line where cannabis is “safe” to smoke in Houston. I’ve seen Houstoners smoke at events right outside the HPD (Houston Police Department) and everything stays kosher. Of course, circumstances can vary depending on your skin tone and dress code.
With the criminalization of recreational marijuana, Houstonians face challenges for consumers such as limited strains to choose from and who to trust.
That is why local elections are important
In the city of Houston, District Attorney Kim Ogg helped cut cannabis fees hugely. According to ABC13.com, there were 14,000 marijuana cases in Harris County each year prior to Ogg’s election in 2008. Only 201 cases were filed in 2020.
ABC13’s Ted Oberg recently reported, “The decline in marijuana cases is partly due to Ogg’s campaign promises to reduce the number of people charged with marijuana possession and people caught with cannabis to class or sent as a distraction so the police and courts can focus on more serious crimes. “
Texas lawmakers among the few remaining prohibitionists
Low-THC medicinal cannabis oil is legal in Texas for patients with post-traumatic stress disorder and cancer. But the amount of THC allowed is so low that Texas is generally not considered a medically legal state. In the state’s final legislative term, House Bill 1535 slightly expanded the program, allowing medicinal cannabis oil for all cancers and increasing legal THC levels from 0.5% to 1%.
A UT / TT survey conducted earlier this year found that 60% of Texans believe that marijuana should be legal for all adults. Only 13% said it should be illegal for everyone, including medical patients. One day the Texas legislature could catch up with the rest of Texas – and our proud and prosperous Houston culture.
Top ten C&S playlist
To get a taste of the sound, here is my personal top ten C&S playlist.
- Pimp Tha Pen (DJ screw feat. Lil ‘Keke)
- Drunk from my cup (Swishahaus)
- Someday (UGK)
- Do you want to be a baller (Little Troy)
- Southside Roll On Chopaz (DJ Screw feat.Big Moe & Fat Pat)
- Knocking Pictures Off Da Wall (Young star)
- Can’t leave drinking alone (Z-Ro)
- rain (Trae Tha Truth & Z-Ro)
- Mo City Don (Z-Ro)
- June 27th freestyle (DJ Screw feat.Big Moe, Bird, Demo, Key-C, Yungstar, Big Pokey, Haircut Joe)
Quinn Foster
Quinn Foster is from Houston and identifies as an Afro-Creole part of the LGBTQ community. He’s also a longtime cannabis enthusiast. Quinn shows intersectionality with activism, creative arts, travel and musical culture in his writing.
Show article by Quinn Foster
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