In 2005, perhaps no song was more ubiquitous and earthshaking than Mike Jones’ “Still Tippin’.” The track, which was the lead single from Jones’ album Who Is Mike Jones?, constituted not only most of America’s introduction to the boisterous Houston rapper but also to the signature “chopped and screwed” sound first popularized in H-Town rap. Produced by Salih Williams over a sample of Gioachino Rossini’s “William Tell Overture,” the hypnotic loop took over, launching Jones, guest rappers Slim Thug and Paul Wall, and Houston hip-hop to national recognition.
But our React Like You Know panel, which consists mostly of artists in their 20s like BIA, Blxst, BlueBucksClan, Blueface, and Houston native Erica Banks, might not remember all that. Certainly, it’s plenty of their first time watching the Dr. Teeth-directed video, as they marvel at the low-fi visual effects, country-fried concept, and the fact that, upon testing, the phone number that Jones rhymes in the song’s lyrics still works. A marketing revolution in its time, the phone number connected callers to a recorded voice message from Jones himself, which he’s astonishingly kept going for the 15 years since the song’s explosive popularity.
Watch the newest episode of React Like You Know above.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.