The story behind Mike Jones’ ‘Still Tippin’ anthem
At the beginning of the 2000s, the sound of car stereos and block parties surrounded Houston. Lowriders rolled down the streets, syrup was being poured into the cups, and a whole city was waiting on the right hip-hop anthem.
It was the time when Mike Jones joined Slim Thug and later, Paul Wall in launching ‘Still Tippin’s release. The single was officially released in late 2004, by which point it had been bubbling in Houston for years prior. It was released in various versions prior to its release, such as the one with Chamillionaire, but what made it into the world was a slow and heavy track that made H-Town seem to be moving as a unit.
The producer, Salih Williams, starts the story. He made the creepy foundation of ‘Still Tippin’ by cutting part of ‘William Tell Overture’ by Rossini into something hypnotic. The distorted strings and syrupy beat provided the record with an ambience that was threatening and mellow at the same time. Even Mike himself attributed the whole atmosphere to Salih, saying it was his brainchild that determined the direction. The rhythm was disturbing and yet expansive, the type of melody that gave you the impression that the entire town was riding along to it.
The song originally featured an ensemble of Chamillionaire, Mike and Slim Thug. They would soon crumble in their alliance, and Mike took out the verse of Cham quietly. He then called Paul Wall to come in and complete the track. That move would be the turning point in the career of Paul, making ‘Still Tippin’ his first hit. His southside swag and diamond grills provided the song with a unique lustre, and the new lineup was that each end of Houston had one song on it. The credits have changed to Mike Jones featuring Slim Thug and Paul Wall, and the city rose in support of it.
Mike Jones did everything in his power to ensure that people listened to it. He funded a video himself, taking shots in Houston streets with candy-coloured lowriders. “Sandy red and blue cars were pacing each other, symbolising the south and north of the city”.
To Mike, the message was simple that this was a song that everyone could ride to, a song that brought neighbourhoods together instead of dissecting them. The visuals became something that should not be disconnected from the record, something that immediately symbolised the culture and style of Houston.
Every one of the verses on ‘Still Tippin’ was a change of something. Slim Thug started with his bass boom and a six-foot-six figure, identifying himself as the “Big Boss of the North”. His voice was cool and commanding, as though he was aware of the fact that he owned the block. Mike Jones was a pure charismatic follower. He did so by repeating his own name, speaking in the third person, and showing off his entrepreneurial hustle.
The phrase that was memorable was the line, “Car stop, rims keep spinnin’”, which was a phrase that epitomised the flashiness of the city and his self-confidence. Paul Wall finished it with relaxed confidence, smiling with grills and taking the southside to the stage. The three of them combined made the sounds, like the different voices of Houston, different, and yet in perfect harmony with one another.
The impact was immediate. What began as a neighbourhood song spread nationwide and carried Houston along. Mike Jones always explained that even if it had just blown up in Texas, that would have been enough, but the track did a lot more. It catapulted Swishahouse into national prominence and provided every artist with an outlet outside their city. Paul Wall, Mike Jones, and especially Slim Thug all experienced an increase in their profiles, and it was time that the rest of the rap world acknowledged Houston as a centre of creativity and style.
‘Still Tippin’ is one of the most characteristic rap songs of the 2000s. It is recalled as the one that catapulted H-Town pride into the mainstream and made the world take notice. Almost two decades later, its orchestral strings and thick bass still seem like a time capsule, the soundtrack of the whole city riding in unison, evidence that Houston was capable of transforming the rap world on its own terms.