Swishahouse Founder DJ Michael ‘5000’ Watts Passes Away At 52
Photo: Getty Images
DJ Michael “5000” Watts, the founder of Swishahouse Records and a pioneer of the “chopped & screwed” genre, has died.
Watts’ family confirmed that the veteran DJ passed away in a hospital on Friday night, January 30, while surrounded by his loved ones. In a statement posted to Swishahouse’s Instagram account, his family explained that Watts had “developed a fatal heart rhythm called torsades de Pointes causing a sudden cardiac death.” He was only 52.
We truly appreciate the love shown to Michael throughout his career, and we ask for continued prayers as we navigate through this very hard journey,” the family’s statement says.
“Michael ‘5000’ Watts was more than a founder, he was a movement,” said Swishahouse co-founder OG Ron-C. “Beyond the music, Michael Watts was a mentor, a cultural curator, and a builder of opportunity. He believed in ownership, creativity, and the power of storytelling through sound.”
Born in Houston, Michael ‘5000’ Watts started his music career when he was 14. In 1997, he co-founded Swishahouse as a mixtape record label that capitalized on the “chopped & screwed” movement that DJ Screw began. The label distributed multiple mixtape series and eventually became the home of homegrown acts like Mike Jones and Paul Wall.
Watts was hospitalized earlier this week due to “serious health issues.” Since then, artists like Paul Wall and Slim Thug asked their fans to pray for the Houston legend. Since his death, fellow Texas artists like Bun B, Trae Tha Truth, Dorrough Music and others have paid tribute to the iconic artist.
Rest in peace, DJ Michael “5000” Watts. See more tributes to the late Houston artist below.
News
TOO PAINFUL TO RELIVE AGAIN… — FATHER OF Anna Kepner REVEALS THE MOMENT HE FOUND HIS DAUGHTER THAT LEFT HIM FROZEN A deeply painful account has left many in silence, as the father of Anna Kepner opened up for the first time about the moment he found his daughter — a memory he says is too painful to relive again. Without going into specific detail, what he shared was enough to convey the shock and trauma he experienced in that instant. The story has quickly resonated with many, as a father’s grief and l0ss are reflected in every word… 👉 What exactly happened in that moment — and why has it stayed with him so deeply? WATCH FULL…
The grief-stricken father of cheerleader Anna Kepner revealed the horrifying moment he found his slain daughter shoved under a bed…
They Told Five Soldiers to Break Her — Seven Seconds Later, Everything Changed
Part 1 The first thing I noticed about Fort Bannon was the smell. Not the clean-cut pine trees around the…
I Rescued a Baby From the Ruins of War — Years Later, a Four-Star General Froze at His Pendant
Part 1 When I was deployed overseas as a Marine Corps officer, I heard a baby crying in the ruins…
“THE ‘RUSTY GARAGE’ WAS A LIE” — She Followed Grandpa’s Final Test… And Uncovered A Secret Empire That Left Her Sister BEGGING Overnight
Part 1 The lawyer’s office smelled like old paper, lemon polish, and the kind of money that had been sitting…
“GET OFF THIS PLANE NOW” — A Flight Attendant’s Secret Warning Saved Him From a Deadly Setup at 30,000 Feet
Part 1 I had spent three years trying to forget the last thing my sister ever said to me. You…
THEY CALLED HER ‘JUST A MEDIC’ — Until a Colonel Saw Her Notebook and Unleashed ‘SHADOW SEVEN
Part 1 The file wasn’t supposed to exist. I didn’t know that yet. At 0510, all I knew was that…
End of content
No more pages to load
