Houston. Family and friends gathered over the weekend for the funeral of Houston rapper Big Pokey, a founding member of pioneering group Screwed Up Click.
Pokey, born Milton Powell, died June 18 at the age of 48 after collapsing while performing in Beaumont, east of Houston. Attendees at his Saturday service at Houston’s Fountain of Praise Church included Mayor Sylvester Turner, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee and rappers Paul Wall, Trae Tha Truth and Slim Thug, the Houston Chronicle reported.
Pokey was known for Texas and Gulf Coast hits like “Ball N’ Parlay,” “Who Dat Talking Down,” and a nearly 36-minute freestyle verse by DJ Screw called “June 27th.” He also appeared in Megan Thee Stallion’s Southside Royalty Freestyle in 2022.
Pokey is best known across the country for his performance on Wall’s 2005 debut hit “Sittin’ Sidewayz.” The chorus was a sample of Pokey’s verse about “27. June”.
Pokey, who grew up in Houston, rose to local fame in the late 1990s as a founding member of Screwed Up Click, a group of friends that grew into a rap collective led by DJ Screw, who developed a slow, upbeat style of music . Bass dubbed “chopped and crappy,” which becomes synonymous with Houston.
Pokey released their debut album Hardest Pit in the Litter in 1999 and Da Game 2000 the following year.