The saying “drop it lower than chopped and screwed”  is associated with a genre of hip-hop known as chopped and screwed. 

For millions of listeners, BTS was the first time they heard anything resembling chopped & screwed — and they didn’t even know it. Reintroduced a regional Black Southern hip‑hop technique to a worldwide audience

Used it in high‑budget, cinematic production

Made it feel modern instead of nostalgic

Connected Houston’s legacy to K‑pop’s global reach. That’s a huge cultural loop.

This technique involves slowing down the tempo of a song to create a hypnotic, drawn-out rhythmic foundation, often emphasizing lyrics and storytelling. It was pioneered by DJ Screw in Houston, who passed in 2000, but the style stayed and became a staple in the hip-hop scene. 

The style is characterized by its slow, deep basslines and the manipulation of audio playback, creating a unique sound that resonates with Southern hip-hop culture.

BTS is not doing it in the traditional DJ Screw way — no full 60 BPM slowdown or heavy chopping — but they’re clearly borrowing the aesthetic:

• Slowed vocals
• Lowered pitch
• Echoing repeats
• Dragged‑out transitions

For a lot of younger listeners, BTS was the first time they heard anything resembling chopped and screwed.

In Houston: a whole culture

Chopped & screwed everywhere —

• mixtapes
• car culture
• local radio
• DJ Screw’s legacy
• the Screwed Up Click

If you were in Houston, it wasn’t a trend; it was daily life.

Thank you DJ Screw

EARTH DAY IS EVERY DAY, AND ANYWHERE YOU ARE

ON APRIL 22, EARTH DAY GOES DIGITAL

1500 – Portuguese navigator Pedro Alvares Cabral discovered Brazil.

1509 – Henry VIII ascended to the throne of England upon the death of his father Henry VII.

1529 – Spain and Portugal divided the eastern hemisphere in the Treaty of Saragosa.

1745 – The Peace of Fussen was signed, restoring the status quo of Germany.

1792 – U.S. President George Washington proclaimed American neutrality in the war in Europe.

1861 – Robert E. Lee was named commander of Virginia forces.

1864 – The U.S. Congress passed legislation that allowed the inscription “In God We Trust” to be included on one-cent and two-cent coins.

1876 – The first official National League (NL) baseball game took place. Boston beat Philadelphia 6-5.

1889 – At noon, the Oklahoma land rush officially started as thousands of Americans raced for new, unclaimed land.

1898 – The first shot of the Spanish-American war occurred when the USS Nashville captured a Spanish merchant ship.

1914 – Babe Ruth made his pitching debut with the Baltimore Orioles.

1915 – At the Second Battle Ypres the Germans became the first country to use poison gas.

1915 – The New York Yankees wore pinstripes and the hat-in-the-ring logo for the first time.

1918 – British naval forces attempted to sink block-ships in the German U-boat bases at the Battle of Zeeburgge.

1930 – The U.S., Britain and Japan signed the London Naval Treaty, which regulated submarine warfare and limited shipbuilding.

1931 – Egypt signed the treaty of friendship with Iraq.

1931 – James G. Ray landed an autogyro on the lawn of the White House.

1944 – During World War II, the Allies launched a major attack against the Japanese in Hollandia, New Guinea.

1952 – An atomic test conducted in Nevada was the first nuclear explosion shown on live network television.

1954 – The U.S. Senate Army-McCarthy televised hearings began.

1967 – Randy Matson set a new world record with a shot put toss of 71 feet, and 5 1/2 inches in College Station, TX.

1970 – The first “Earth Day” was observed by millions of Americans.

1976 – Barbara Walters became first female nightly network news anchor.

1987 – The American Physical Society said that the “Star Wars” missile system was “highly questionable” and would take ten years to research.

1993 – The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum was dedicated in Washington, DC.

1997 – In Lima, Peru government commandos storm and capture the residence of the Japanese ambassador ending a 126-day hostage crisis. In the rescue 71 hostages were saved. Those killed: one hostage (of a heart attack), two soldiers, and all 14 rebels.

1999 – The Watson Family received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

2000 – ABC-TV aired a small portion of the Clinton-DiCaprio interview.

2002 – Filippino President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo ordered a state of emergency in the city of General Santos in response to a series of bombing attacks the day before. The attacks were blamed on Muslim extremists.

2010 – The Boeing X-37 began its first orbital mission. It successfully returned to Earth on December 3, 2010.

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