DJ Screw, born Robert Earl Davis, Jr. (July 20, 1971 – November 16, 2000), was a central figure in the Houston rap scene. His innovation included the trademark technique of slowing down the basic tracks of a cut when he remixed it. This process is called "screwing" a song. Slowing down the song was supposed to recreate the effect of recreationally using Promethazine with Codeine also known as "lean" or "purple drank" in Houston parlance. During the early '90s, 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, Screwed and Chopped 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. Born in Smithville, Texas he began DJing at age 13. [1] A few years later he moved to Houston for opportunities as a rap SFX musician. He released five above ground releases: "All Screwed Up, Vol. 1" (1995), "3 'N the Mornin Part 1" (1995), "3 'N the Mornin Part 2 Red" (1996) "3 'N the Mornin Part 2 Blue" (1996), and "All Work, No Play" (1999).Although Dj Screw only has a handfull of above ground releases, he has recorded hundreds of different mixes, released primarily on cassette tape. These are still available for purchase at the "Screwed Up Records and Tapes" located on Cullen Blvd in Dj Screw's hometown Houston, Tx which opened in 1998. His mixtapes include titles such as "June 27" and "The Final Chapter." In the mid-1990s Priority Records offered DJ Screw a lucrative record deal. Screw turned down the offer. Former Priority Records exec Dave Weiner said "It wasn't about the money for him, it was about doing what he wanted to do with his homeboys." [2] DJ Screw often created "chopped and screwed" versions of famous rap songs. Some notable examples of these tracks include R. Kelly's "I Wish" and Bone Thugs-N-Harmony's "Budsmokers Only". In 2004, Game Over was a major hit for one of DJ Screw's proteges Lil' Flip. Houston rap artists that have recently signed major record deals, including Chamillionaire, Paul Wall, Slim Thug, and Bun B, owe much of their success to DJ Screw and give proper credit in many of their songs. DJ Screw died of a heart attack in 2000.[1] His cause of death was rumoured in the media to be either a codeine overdose or merely the result of long-term buildup of codeine in his system. However, Screwed Up Click member Z-Ro stated in a 2006 interview that Screw's death came from someone putting methamphetamine into his codeine, and he believes that it was someone very close to the Click who sabotaged him.