HOUSTON – Houston hip-hop pioneer DJ Michael “5000” Watts, best known for helping popularize the city’s signature “chopped and screwed” sound, has died.
Watts passing was confirmed in a statement from Swishahouse Records, of which Watts founded.
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The statement says Watts died Friday at Memorial Hermann Hospital in The Woodlands.
“Michael ”5000″ Watts was more than a founder, he was a movement. As the creator of Swishahouse Records, he helped define the sound, spirit, and global influence of Houston hip-hop," the statement read. “Watts expanded on Houston’s chopped and screwed legacy, transforming mixtape culture into a worldwide phenomenon and giving a platform to voices that would go on to shape an era.”
A Houston-based DJ, producer, and founder of Swishahouse Records, Watts began his career in the late 1980s in the city’s Homestead neighborhood. He first gained attention by creating mixtapes that quickly spread throughout Houston. In the 1990s, he shifted to a slower mixing style that helped shape what would become the iconic “chopped and screwed” sound, a style that helped put Houston’s underground hip-hop scene on the global music map.
Through Swishahouse Records, Watts played an important role in building the careers of several well-known Houston artists, including Slim Thug, Paul Wall, Mike Jones, and others. His mixtapes helped introduce local talent to wider audiences at a time when Southern artists often struggled to gain mainstream recognition.
In addition to his work with Swishahouse, Watts was a longtime voice on Houston radio. As a familiar presence on 97.9 The Box, he helped guide the sound and culture of Houston hip-hop both on the air and behind the scenes, further cementing his influence on the city’s music scene.
Beyond his work as a DJ and producer, Watts was a respected and steady presence in Houston’s music community, known for his long-standing commitment to supporting local artists and preserving the city’s sound. His influence can still be heard in today’s hip-hop, especially in the continued use of slowed and chopped vocal styles.