Street
chopped and screwed
What does chopped and screwed mean?
The Houston remix technique invented by DJ Screw: pitch the record down to a syrupy 60–70 BPM, then chop it — skipping beats, scratching phrases, doubling vocals. Soundtracked the lean era of Southern rap and shaped everyone from UGK to Drake's '4PM in Calabasas' aesthetic.
"Put on the chopped and screwed version, it hits different at night."
Origin
Pioneered by DJ Screw (Robert Earl Davis Jr.) in Houston in the early 1990s. Screw slowed records down to roughly 60–70 BPM and added skipped beats, stop-time effects and record scratches — a whole new way to hear rap.
Frequently asked questions
What does chopped and screwed mean?
Chopped and screwed is a Houston DJ technique of slowing a track down and chopping it up.
Where does chopped and screwed come from?
The style originated in Houston, Texas and is credited to DJ Screw, whose name gave the 'screwed' part.
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