Big Pokey Explained

Big Pokey
Birth Name:Milton Jerome Powell Jr.
Birth Date:29 November 1974
Birth Place:Houston, Texas, U.S.
Death Place:Beaumont, Texas, U.S.
Genre:Hip hop
Occupation:Rapper
Years Active:1995–2023
Label:Presidential Records
Past Member Of:Screwed Up Click

Milton Jerome Powell Jr.[1] (November 29, 1974 – June 18, 2023), better known by his stage name Big Pokey, was an American rapper from Houston, Texas. Big Pokey was associated with chopped and screwed music, and was one of the original members of the Screwed Up Click.[2] [3]

Biography

Milton Powell was born on November 29, 1974, in Houston, Texas. He attended Yates High School, where he played football and became close friends with George Floyd.[4]

Known via a variety of nicknames, including Big Poyo and Podina, Big Pokey bursted into the Houston rap scene in the early 1990s as a member of his friend DJ Screw's friend group-turned rap collective Screwed Up Click.[5] Big Pokey was featured on DJ Screw's mixtape "June 27th Freestyle" which became a landmark album in chopped and screwed hip hop.[6] [7]

In early 1999, he made his solo debut with his first full-length album, Hardest Pit in the Litter.[8] The following year, Pokey returned with D-Game 2000, another album of mid-tempo 808-driven beats featuring several of his Houston peers as guests. In 2001, he collaborated with the Wreckshop Wolfpack for Tha Collabo and then returned in 2002 with another solo album, Da Sky's Da Limit. In 2004, a clip of Pokey's song "Who Dat Talkin Down" was featured in the pilot episode of HBO's Entourage.[9] Pokey was featured on Paul Wall's 2005 hit single "Sittin' Sidewayz" which peaked at #93 on US Billboard Hot 100.[10]

Death

On June 17, 2023, Powell collapsed from a heart attack while performing at a bar in Beaumont, Texas.[11] [12] He was taken to a hospital in the city and died overnight on June 18, at the age of 48.[11] [13] An autopsy found that he had atherosclerosis and hypertensive heart disease.[11]

Discography

Studio albums

Year! rowspan="2" style="width:300px;"
TitlePeak chart positions
Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums[14] Independent Albums[15] Heatseekers Albums[16]
1999Hardest Pit in the Litter
  • Label: Chevis Entertainment
72—47
2000D-Game 2000
  • Label: Chevis Entertainment
713138
2001Tha Collabo (with The Wreckshop Wolfpack) 742131
2002Da Sky's da Limit
  • Label: Wreckshop Records
474646
2008Evacuation Notice 75——
2021Sensei
  • Label: Mob Style Music Group, Win Or Regret, SoSouth
———

Mixtapes

See also

Notes and References

  1. https://www.signaturememorialchapel.com/obituaries/Milton-Powell-6/#!/TributeWall Signature Memorial Chapel - Obituary - Mr. Milton Jerome "Big Pokey" Powell Jr.
  2. Web site: Big Pokey Biography & History AllMusic. Birchmeier. Jason. AllMusic. March 21, 2018. March 22, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180322021405/https://www.allmusic.com/artist/big-pokey-mn0000060452/biography. live.
  3. News: A $23 million mansion heads to foreclosure as an entrepreneur's fortune vanishes. Lac. J. Freedom du. September 15, 2012. The Washington Post. March 21, 2018. Shin. Annys. en-US. 0190-8286. October 13, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171013120627/https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/a-23-million-mansion-heads-to-foreclosure-as-an-entrepreneurs-fortune-vanishes/2012/09/15/9f397744-fe93-11e1-98c6-ec0a0a93f8eb_story.html. live.
  4. Web site: Carras . Christi . 2023-06-19 . Houston rapper Big Pokey dies at 48 after collapsing onstage in Texas . 2023-06-27 . Los Angeles Times . en-US.
  5. Web site: 2023-06-19 . Big Pokey, of Houston's legendary Screwed Up Click, dies after collapsing at Juneteenth show . 2023-06-27 . AP News . en.
  6. News: Why June 27 should be a Houston holiday for hip hop fans. Young. Matt. June 27, 2016. Houston Chronicle. March 21, 2018. March 22, 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180322015730/https://www.chron.com/entertainment/article/Why-June-27-Houston-holiday-for-hip-hop-rap-Screw-8327694.php. live.
  7. News: Meet Big DeMo, the Screwed Up Click's Mysterious "Mr. June 27". Smith. Nathan. June 27, 2014. Houston Press. October 13, 2017. October 9, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171009230540/http://www.houstonpress.com/music/meet-big-demo-the-screwed-up-clicks-mysterious-mr-june-27-6506423. live.
  8. News: Y'all Musta Forgot: Big Pokey's Hardest Pit In The Litter. Serrano. Shea. April 8, 2010. Houston Press. October 13, 2017. October 13, 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20171013172129/http://www.houstonpress.com/music/yall-musta-forgot-big-pokeys-hardest-pit-in-the-litter-6507054. live.
  9. Web site: Music from Entourage S1E01. Tunefind. en-US. October 13, 2017. June 5, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230605055650/https://www.tunefind.com/show/entourage/season-1/8280. live.
  10. News: Paul Wall Chart History. Billboard Hot 100. March 21, 2018. November 17, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211117220147/https://www.billboard.com/artist/paul-wall/chart-history/hsi/. live.
  11. News: Autopsy shows rapper Milton 'Big Pokey' Powell died of massive heart attack. Lawrence. Scott. July 31, 2023. October 27, 2023. KDFM.
  12. News: Houston rapper Big Pokey dies after collapsing during performance. BBC News. June 19, 2023. June 19, 2023. Evans. Gareth. June 19, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230619100426/https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-65948497. live.
  13. News: Houston rapper Big Pokey dies at 48 after collapsing during performance in Beaumont. Houston Chronicle. June 18, 2023. June 19, 2023. Fonstein. Clare. June 19, 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230619052133/https://www.houstonchronicle.com/news/houston-texas/article/big-pokey-milton-powell-dead-beaumont-18158528.php. live.
  14. News: Big Pokey Chart History. Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. March 21, 2018. November 17, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211117232132/https://www.billboard.com/artist/big-pokey/chart-history/blp/. live.
  15. News: Big Pokey Chart History. Independent Albums. March 21, 2018. November 17, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211117212733/https://www.billboard.com/artist/big-pokey/chart-history/ind/. live.
  16. News: Big Pokey Chart History. Heatseekers Albums. March 21, 2018. November 17, 2021. https://web.archive.org/web/20211117165553/https://www.billboard.com/artist/big-pokey/chart-history/tln/. live.

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