Tribute To DJ Screw

Nine years ago today (November 16), hip-hop lost one of its great architects, DJ Screw, who passed away at the age of 29 from a lethal combination of codeine cough syrup and alcohol. Born Robert Earl Davis, Jr., the Texas jock is most known for his unique way of mixing, which entailed pitching down records to a slower than normal pace. Eventually dubbed chopped & screwed, his style would later evolve from a local mixtape phenomenon to a nationally recognized hip-hop subculture.

Read the rest of the tribute and check out the videos over at XXL.