Episode 062: Michael Watts

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Beginning with a hometown crew and a particular style of chopped and screwed remixes, Michael Watts successfully turned regional mix tape distribution into a record label empire - turning the national hip hop scene onto the Houston rap community. As we heard from our talk with Houston Rap author Lance Scott Walker, the Houston rap landscape is an incredibly rich one - widely defined by the rappers, producers, and DJs who have never and will never truly leave the city. No one knows that better than Watts.

We talked to the legendary DJ, founder and CEO of Swishahouse Records about the origins of chopped and screwed music, his “fuck action” mixtapes, the hype behind Mike Jones, the beginnings of Swishahouse, and much more.

Annotated excerpts on Genius.com:

1. Excerpt #1: “The Beginnings of Chopped and Screwed”
2. Excerpt #2: “Early Swishahouse”
3. Excerpt #3: “Fuck Action”
4. Excerpt #4: “Mike Jones”

Tracks featured in this episode:

1. Mantronix, “Fresh Is the Word”
2. Dj HoustonPaleFace, “Mantronix - Fresh Is The Word (Slowed)”
3. Michael Watts Presents Swishahouse, “Intro the Bootlegger”
4. Archie Lee f/Lester Roy & Slim Thug, “Swishahouse Freaks”
5. Archie Lee f/Lester Roy & Slim Thug, “Swishahouse Freaks”
6. OG Ron C f/Mista Madd, Sabwarfare, & Lil’ Mario, “Krunk”
7. E.S.G. f/Slim Thug, “Braids & Fades”
8. Archie Lee f/J-Dawg, “Hopes and Dreams”
9. Archie Lee f/Big Tiger, Al Bolden, Lil Ron, Big Plc, Blyndcyde, Lester Roy, Lil’ Mario, A.D., Sabwarfare, J-Dawg, Slim Thug, “Get Crunk or Get Ghost”
10. Mista Madd f/OG Ron C, Lil Mario, Lil Flip, & 50/50 Twin, “Ballin Is A Habit”
11. Swishahouse, “Freestyle” (from After tha Kappa 99)
12. Archie Lee, “Intro” (from All Freestyle 2 (Northside 9))
13. Swishahouse, “Be Careful” (from Fuck Action 10)
14. Swishahouse, “Down South” (from Final Chapter 99)
15. Mike Jones & Magno, “Cutting”
16. Paul Wall & Chamillionaire, “Thinkin’ Thoed”
17. Mike Jones f/Slim Thug & Paul Wall, “Still Tippin’”
18. Lil Keke f/Paul Wall & Bun B, “Chuck Up Da Deuce”
19. DJ Michael “5000” Watts, “TRILL STEP”
20. Paul Wall & D-Boss, “Super Duper High”
21. A$AP Rocky, “Purple Swag”
22. Drake, “Good Ones Go”
23. Slim Thug, “I’m A Hoe Freestyle”
24. Mike Jones f/Slim Thug & Paul Wall, “Still Tippin’”
25. DJ Screw f/Big Moe, Bird, Demo, Key-C, Yungstar, Haircut Joe, K-Luv, & Big Pokey, “June 27th Pt. 2”
26. Paul Wall, “Sittin Sideways”

Show notes:

1. Michael Watts in XXL