DJ Screw Dies: Today in Hip-Hop

On this day, Nov. 16, in hip-hop history...

2000: Eighteen years ago today, Houston rap legend Robert Earl Davis, Jr., A.K.A. DJ Screw, passed away. As one of the most celebrated and influential DJs in hip-hop history, Screw is best known for innovating the popular "Chopped & Screwed" production technique on a series of his popular mixtapes that circulated the southern region in the 1990s.

Tragically, Screw was found dead in his Houston recording studio on November 16, 2000 after passing away from overdose on codeine, in addition to other drugs in his system. Regardless, Screw's legacy lives on in the influence of "Chopped & Screwed" music that continues to be employed by a wide variety of artists to this day.

R.I.P. DJ Screw!

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