I’m an Englishman, I have been to the states and also have family in both New York and Florida but I have never been to Texas and yet I have a strong fondness of Houston Rap.
So much so that this Saturday (Mar 30) my weekly 60 min Corelink radio mix show will consist entirely of Houston/Third coast rap. This is to celebrate the release of Tre9s forth and reportedly final album “Missionary Minded” (released tomorrow) and also to mark the first anniversary of the death to the pioneer and King of Christian Chopped and Screwed music DJ Primo.
As I have written before, I got into Hip Hop at an extremely young and impressionable age and therefore decided that my preferred sport of choice, due to its relationship with the Rap scene, would be Basketball. I got quite good at it and was playing at a fairly respectable (local) level. At one point I played on a team that had 3 Americans in it, two of which were from Texas, one guy was a Christian missionary from San Antonio (who now disciples me) and the other was from Houston.
The guy from Houston was into Hip Hop like me, prior to meeting him I was probably only aware of The Geto Boys and Scarface coming out of the H so I asked him to loan me some music that he listened to as I hadn’t heard of any of the artists he told me about. The next practice he gave me a clear DJ Screw tape, this was the first time I was introduced to “Chopped & Screwed music” and I was instantly hooked.
From that day I listened to DJ Screw tapes so much that when I heard the regular speed versions of the songs they sounded like the Chipmunks. The rappers from Houston and in particular the Screwed Up Click, like Fat Pat, Lil Keke and ESG were so much more talented than any of the other guys I had heard before, their freestyles where (unlike most) actual freestyles off the top of the head and at times for whole 100 minute tapes.
Houston artists all seem to be able to harmonize too and DJ Screw was the most original and talented DJ I had ever heard on the tables. I also found out about Dope House Records, Swisha House and The South Park Coalition, the whole Houston scene was (and I guess still is) thick with talent.
Fast forward a decade (to 2009) I had been through some things and was desperate to see change in my life, I thought I was already a Christian because I believed in God but knew I didn’t know Him so I found my other from San Antonio, who I hadn’t seen in years. As an evangelist he always tried to give us the Gospel back in our playing days, sadly I wasn’t ready to hear it but now I was, we started meeting up regularly but one of the things holding me back from becoming a “Full-Time Christian” was my love and obsession for rap music which was still very much the soundtrack to my life.
During one of our many discussions, he told me that Christian Rap existed but my initial thought was that it would be extremely corny and wack, again, I wasn’t trying to hear it, however my curiosity got the best of me and probably with the intention to laugh at it I googled “Christian Rap” which led me to DaSouth.com. I was surprised that the artists on the site dressed and looked like actual rappers (not sure what I was expecting) and I was amazed at the size of the scene and although some of the names sounded a little corny to me (sorry Richie Righteous) I was intrigued to delve a little deeper.
I downloaded a Podcast called “Jam The Hype” hosted by Chris Chicago and even though a lot of the lyrics were a little too scripture based for me at the time, It was a refreshing change of content and I was impressed with the quality of the music. My favorite two songs he played on his show were both by a guy named Tre9, who I remembered seeing briefly on the site as he had a new album out.
So I headed back to dasouth.com in search of Tre9s album which was called “The Farmer” I was excited to discover that not only was he from Houston but that the album also featured two secular rappers from the Screwed Up Click (Lil Keke & Big Pokey) who I was very familiar with. So I ordered the CD which I really enjoyed and still do to this day.
I soon gave my life to Jesus and got more and more into the scene, mostly from listening to Podcasts like “The Wade-O Radio Show”, “The What in the Ham Sandwich Show”and “Holla-fest radio”
I was still DJ’ing secular music but as I got more into my Christianity the less I could feel it because I just couldn’t relate to it anymore. Preach Dat Fire who was the host of Holla-fest” radio challenged me to get rid of my secular music which I did and in return he sent me all the music he had, from that day on a Christian DJ was born.
I still had a craving however for the “Chopped & Screwed sound” this void was soon filled by DJ Primo who I learnt not only put out “Screwed” CHH mixes but also put together “Chopped and Screwed videos” I no longer needed the secular music which I had let have such a negative effect on my life, I could say goodbye to that scene and chapter in my life forever.
When Primo took his life last year it hit me so hard, not just because I was a fan of his and also honored that he put my own mix-tapes on his site but more so because I too in the past have had my struggles with depression and I wouldn’t wish it on even my worst of enemies, it takes a hold of you and ruins every single area of your life, I plan on writing about this in much more depth in the future but for now I pray that those reading this who have similar struggles seek help.
After his death I put out a tribute “Chopped & Screwed” mix, this was the first time I had ever “Chopped & Screwed” Christian music and although I will never be as good at it as Primo was the mix was heard and felt by people close to him. In honor of his life I plan on putting out a Chopped and Screwed mix every year on the anniversary of his death.
I am still a huge fan of Houston Hip Hop but I’ve replaced guys like Z-Ro, SPM, K-Rino and Big Hawk, with Christian artists like Von Won, Bizzle and Dre Murray. I have also built some good friendships with a few guys from Houston like Sketch the Journalist and also DJ DMD who used to be in the Screwed Up Click but now heads the Christian rap movement “Operation Clean Up Hip Hop” which I am very much a supporter of because I know first hand just how powerful music is. If God can use this scene to help me with my own salvation then I know he can do the same with others.
When the morning comes the first thing I will do is hit up iTUNES and download Tre 9s “Missionary Minded” album which again features artists those into the secular scene will be familiar with (Bun B & Pyrexx) I pray that it will help put others on a similar journey that “The Farmer” did with me.
Thanks for reading.
