Where Local Lean Comes First

Yesterday, Channel 2 News was running a story about the high rates of syrup use among teenage Houstonians. The article, which is pegged on the trial of six local pharmacists charged with distributing the drug, is built almost entirely around the results of UT researcher Ron Peters’ annual study of the number of high-school students sippin’ tha lean.

Peter’s study, which hilariously claims that about a third of Houston teenagers be-still with the purple, is flawed not just because they are asking kids at alternative schools (who are more likely to lie), but because they are asking kids at alternative schools (who are more likely to drip the hazy droplets). Perhaps there are caveats in his report that make the research sound less hysterical, but I am content to read what the news tells me (until he starts visiting actual high-schools for his results).

Peters is pleased to share in his statements to Channel Two (where local news comes first, which is obviously why we are seeing this story now and not five years ago) that Houston’s reputation for the lean is such that we are now known as “The City of Syrup.” It turns out, the story informs me, that there was also a DJ from Houston, called DJ Screw, who “reportedly promotes the drug” and developed a style of rap to accompany the drank. Aww. How Cute. The News Does Local Hip Hop.

So, In honor of the timeliness and accuracy of this reporting, I am pleased to present some local suggestions to get your own screwed down rap collection started.

DJ Screw – Three ‘N’ The Morning: Part Two
By far the best selling DJ Screw mix on amazon, which we know to be an authority on the subject. Many reviews cite this as one of his best, but the word at the alternative high-schools is that better mixes are available, but only on tape, from places like Screwed Up Records and Tapes.

Big Moe – City of Syrup
This record is worth it for the artwork alone, where an extremely serious Big Moe lets you in on the joke by pouring a styrophone cup of the purple stuff all over the album title. Full of locals and alleged to be as good for the trunk as it is for the couch. Dizam.

Anything with 25 Lighters
Having stalled out my top five list after two entries, I headed over to tha mecca of drank Valhalla, aka Val holla! During my impromptu survey not one person could name an actual album they thought was a must-have, but this track was universally acclaimed as one of the best.

Well, 3 out of five ain’t bad – hell it’s a better score than the 30% of kids at Episcopal High School sippin this very morning! Do you know about screw? Then on behalf of both our readers, I urge you to leave some suggestions of your own.