for those of you familiar with dj screw you may have noticed his fondness for two of rap’s greatest legends: tupac and biggie. screw repeatedly “chopped and screwed” their tracks and even dedicated a whole mixtape to these giants called “biggie vs pac.” the track i'm about to share with you is off that tape and i know many of you've heard it. it’s called “big poppa,” the hit song by biggie smalls. (although well known to any rap fan, it re-entered the public spotlight because of the movie hardball)
despite the songs popularity a lesser-known remix was used on this tape instead of the original and it is that which i will share with you. this remix, the so so def remix, sounds WAY better “chopped and screwed” than the original, so it is no surprise that screw chose it over the more well known version.
in terms of similarities and differences the verse and chorus are essentially the same in both versions, but the instrumentals are dramatically different. the remix instrumental is more akin to an r&b instrumental, and the ‘90s sound is very apparent. biggies vocals are accompanied by smooth, lush chords and string hits, while the chorus – my favorite part – is a stereotypical “gangsta’ whine” lead. combined, these elements make a very good song for screw to mess with. enjoy.
p.s. this was ripped right off the tape, so its even got the beautiful tape hiss! (shit's dope)
and for those of you unfamiliar with the original remix, check it out here:
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I really enjoy your blog, Misha. I was aware of DJ screw before reading your blog but mainly because of his death, and what I appreciate about your blog is that you don't focus on the tragedy. Instead you discuss his talent and technique, while applying your opinion and analysis. You really express your passion and knowledge of rap as a form of art in your terminology and writting style. I looke foward to reading your future post in order to get a new perspective of DJ Screw as an artist.
ReplyDeleteI also enjoyed reading your blog. It is interesting how we're both doing music blogs, except I'm trying to focus on as much Latino artists as possible and you're focusing on one specific DJ. I also like how you are using your knowledge of rap to discuss the different remixes and you go beyond the "this is cool so check out" aspect of music reviewing. You know a lot about music which makes it more interesting to read your blog. I am also looking forward to reading your future posts!
ReplyDeleteI like how you went into great detail when comparing the original remix of "Big Poppa" to Dj Screw's version. I never knew there was another version of this song. I only remember listening to the original.
ReplyDeleteGood stuff, I enjoyed reading your take on this particular track. I don't have the attention span or the ear to be able to take note of all the little details like you seem to be able to. I never heard of dj screw until visiting your blog. I didn't check out the intro post until after I read this one. So at first I thought you were DJ screw, so I thought the third person shtick was interesting. Then I was like, wait he's dead...is this one of those strange blogs Marie mentioned? Anyways, lesson learned...get some context by reading the first post before moving forward. I like the titles btw.
ReplyDeleteThis is also my first encounter with "chopped and screwed" and you've certainly wetted my appetite. Your explanations really helped me listen to the music -- although I still have a problem understanding the lyrics, especially in the most recent remix. Personally, I liked the original remix better but you really helped me fine tune my listening and I'll be interested to hear more.
ReplyDeleteDJ screw doesn't sound very good to me. Still I love the energy you use when dealing with the subject. Having listened to that Biggie song about billion times, it was refreshing hearing another version. Made me watch Biggie videos on youtube for half an hour.
ReplyDeleteKeep it up!
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ReplyDeleteI'm going to be honest with you in saying that even though I can recognize Biggie and Tupac songs I can't always identify them with those names. That being said, I'm a California kid through and through and enjoy the music. I appreciate you dropping some knowledge on us and providing us with your interpretations of their work. Are you going to keep posting about similar artists from the time? I'm interested in reading/hearing more.
ReplyDeleteI have never heard that So So Def remix of "Big Poppa." I love 90s R&B and that remix is so damn smooth. Your blog posts are very informative and demonstrate your ample knowledge of the subject matter. I will definitely be staying tuned for future posts. I only wish you were posting more often.
ReplyDeleteI must be ancient because this is the first time I've heard Biggie's remix of "big poppa". I didn't even know there was a remix. Thanks for putting this up. Oh yeah, I hear the similarities between the two as far as how the instrumental goes.
ReplyDeleteFirst off, its awesome that you are talking about music, I am a huge music fan so I liked your blog. Some furthering comments though, looking at your video that you put in your blog it seems to be messing with your margins on the side-so that's just a technical issue.
ReplyDeleteAlso I would love to maybe suggest adding some polls or some pictures to livin' up the blog a bit more. To add some more eye candy to the page if you will.
Thanks for letting me read your blog!
I really appreciate your blog post Misha! I had never heard of DJ Screw. Did you know that you forgot to capitalize the words in your blog? JUST KIDDING! I can really tell you have put a lot of work into creating this blog. I really like the fact that you don't use death and tragedy to define the artists that you mention. In fact, you talk mainly about their talent and expertise, which is very refreshing to hear. How did you decide which artist to feature in your blog?
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