Updated: Jan 17
I don't usually like to call this sound slowed and reverb because I feel like it takes away from where the sound really originates in music. I consider myself a music connoisseur, understanding the tastes and sounds of music. I've noticed that it's the new generation of music listeners who define what sounds good and what they want to hear. I love Gen-Z, y'all are a part of the reason why I make music. But let me school you for a bit on where this "slowed and reverb" came from.
Chopped and Screwed
Slowed and reverb got its meaning from the chopped and screwed technique. It's considered an underground hip-hop art that got popular around the 90s in the Houston hip-hop scene. DJ Screw from H-Tine developed this technique, which started with slowing down the music. Chopped and Screwed happens when you slow the tempo of the song down and apply a number of techniques to make the song sound "chopped-up," such as record scratching and skipping beats.
I'm from Houston and was heavily influenced by the underground hip-hop that developed with Screwed Up Click and many others. I listened heavily and you can tell when you listen to my music that I have that southern flow in my production. DJ Red from the Screw Shop, called Screwed up Headquarters actually turned both of my albums into chopped and screwed versions, which he has rebranded as Slowed and Chopped. Listen to the difference in my song called Life That Won't Stop.
Slowed and reverb continues to be a popular sound on Youtube among Gen-Zers. People mostly like it for its emotional feel, it's like your whole world slows down and you often get feelings of sadness when listening to it. I also want to give credit to T-Pain because he's a producer carnivore when it comes to fusing new sounds together. He actually has a song called, Chopped & Screwed, where he mixed autotune with a slowed tempo, it was revolutionary in the 2010s.
I hope this helped you understand the rich history of chopped and screwed and where slowed and reverb got their meaning. Let's keep being revolutionary! Shout out to DJ Red Screwed Up Headquarters for chopping up my albums. You can listen to both of them on my Soundcloud.
I would like to connect more with you if you're into alternative hip-hop and neo-soul music. Join the Codex Community!
References: KnowYourMeme