On this date five years ago, George Floyd, a 46-year-old Houston native, was killed by former Minneapolis Police officer Derek Chauvin during an arrest after being accused of using counterfeit money. The harrowing footage of Floyd’s final moments—pleading for his life as Chauvin knelt on his neck for over nine minutes—sparked a global reckoning on police brutality and racial injustice. Chauvin is currently serving a prison sentence for Floyd’s murder, while the three other officers involved—Tou Thao, J. Alexander Kueng, and Thomas Lane—were also convicted for their roles in the killing.
While Floyd’s name became a rallying cry for justice around the world, few know that before the tragic events of May 25, 2020, he was known as “Big Floyd” in his hometown of Houston—a respected figure in the city’s Hip Hop scene and a founding member of the Screwed Up Click. The collective, led by the late DJ Screw, pioneered the influential “chopped and screwed” sound that became a hallmark of Southern rap.
“Big Floyd was already a Southside legend in Houston when I met him,” said fellow SUC member Chris Ward in a Pitchfork interview. “DJ Screw was the radio for the city. Big Floyd was already on tapes, and already cool with the guys, and cool with DJ Screw.”
Big Floyd joined the Screwed Up Click in 1994 and earned a reputation for his raw freestyles and streetwise authenticity. Alongside fellow Houston icons like Trae Tha Truth, Lil Keke, Fat Pat, and UGK, Floyd helped lay the foundation for a sound that would influence generations.
As the world continues to reflect on the lasting impact of George Floyd’s death, it’s just as important to remember the life he lived—a father, a friend, an artist, and a voice from Houston’s streets whose influence extended far beyond music.