Lil' Flip

One of the more well-known artists to emerge from Houston in the 2000s, Lil’ Flip started out as a freestyle and battle rapper before signing with independent Houston label Suckafree Records in 1999. Eventually he landed a major deal with Columbia Records in 2002. Lil’ Flip, born Wesley Eric Weston, Jr., was first discovered by the late DJ Screw who added Weston to his rap crew, the Screwed Up Click, which has featured members like Fat Pat, Z-Ro and Trae The Truth. Definitely considered a part of the chopped-and-screwed southern hip-hop movement, Weston’s flow and vocal delivery remains calm and collected as he punctuates his songs with stories of growing up in Cloverland Park, a neighborhood on the south side of Houston. Stepping back from the forefront of mainstream hip-hop, Lil Flip is still ridiculously active, telling The Source last year that he still writes 20-30 verses a week for features on other rappers’ songs. He might even appear in the Guinness Book of World Records pretty soon since he’s appeared on a whopping 5000 albums.