“There are times I forget you’re (from) Houston and then you send me ‘Forever My Lady’ ALBUM chopped and screwed. Lol”
That’s the text I got from one of my close friends after I sent him the link for DJ Auditory’s recent masterpiece. Now for those of you who don’t know, I was born and raised in Houston and one of the things we’re known for in the music industry (outside of the goddess that is Beyoncé) is chopped and screwed music. Pioneered by the great DJ Screw, chopping and screwing is a technique of remixing music which developed in the early 1990s. This type of music is often enjoyed by those in the South and sometimes while under the influence of something. I’ve been known to blast one of Tory’s mixes while sipping a glass of whiskey and coke, but honestly they can be enjoyed at anytime.
I feel like a record takes on a brand new personality when it’s chopped and screwed. Whether it’s Bruno Mars’ “24k Magic” or Chance’s “All We Got”, it’s a new feeling. I’m often able to hear melodies that I couldn’t pick up on in the original track, and it really just changes the vibe in the air.
Now not anyone can just chop and screw a song; it takes someone with a musical ear to pick up on when to insert the chops. I’ve heard some terrible chops done by rookies, but recently I’ve been listening to DJ Auditory. Not only is he a Houston native, but he grew up with my sister and I know his musical ear and skills have only grown since our old band days. I wish I could share his entire catalog with y’all, but that’s a bit too much for this post. Instead I’ll share my recent favorite albums that he’s chopped and encourage y’all to not only check these out, but head over to his site and listen to his other mixes, follow him on Twitter and Instagram, but keep him in mind for your DJ needs.