View source for Big Hawk

{{Short description|American rapper (1969–2006)}}
{{More citations needed|date=March 2018}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| name            = Big Hawk
| image           = Big Hawk.jpg
| caption         =
| birth_name      = John Edward Hawkins
| alias           = {{hlist|H.A.W.K.|Hawk|Five Star General of the Screwed Up Click}}
| birth_date      = {{birth date|1969|11|15|mf=y}}<ref name="birth">{{cite web|url=https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:V888-2RC|title=Texas Birth Index, 1903-1997|publisher=FamilySearch|website=familysearch.org|access-date=2017-01-14}}</ref><ref name="AMG">[{{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p85186/Overview|pure_url=yes}} allmusic ((( H.A.W.K. > Overview )))]</ref>
| birth_place     = [[Houston]], [[Texas]], U.S.
| death_date      = {{death date and age|2006|5|1|1969|11|15|mf=y}}<ref name =Billboard>{{cite news | agency = Associated Press | url = http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/58556/houston-rapper-big-hawk-shot-to-death| title = Houston Rapper Big Hawk Shot To Death | date = 2006-01-12 | access-date = 2008-08-01 }}</ref>
| death_place     = Houston, Texas, U.S.
| genre           = [[Hip hop music|Hip hop]]
| occupation      = Rapper
| years_active    = 1992–2006
| label           = {{hlist|Dead End||Ghetto Dreams}}
| past_member_of = {{hlist|[[Screwed Up Click]]|Dead End Alliance|[[DJ Screw]]|[[Fat Pat]]|[[E.S.G. (rapper)|E.S.G.]]|[[Lil' Keke]]|[[Lil' O]]|[[Big Moe]]|[[Big Pokey]]|[[Lil' Flip]]|[[Paul Wall]]|[[Trae tha Truth]]|[[UGK]]|[[Z-Ro]]}}
| website         =
}}
'''John Edward Hawkins''' (November 15, 1969 &ndash; May 1, 2006), better known by his stage names '''Big Hawk''' and '''H.A.W.K.''', was an American rapper from [[Houston, Texas]] and a founding member of the late [[DJ Screw]]'s rap group the [[Screwed Up Click]].
==Life and career==
Born John Edward Hawkins in [[Houston, Texas]] on November 15, 1969, he grew up with a younger brother, [[Fat Pat|Patrick "Fat Pat" Hawkins]] and two sisters. He started rapping in 1992 when Fat Pat took him to DJ Screw's house, an upcoming mixtape producer and DJ in the southern area of Houston.<ref name="screwed4life article" /> In April 2006 Hawk married his longtime girlfriend, Meshah Henderson. The couple had two sons.<ref name="screwed4life article">[http://www.screwed4life.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=115&Itemid=167] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100704044103/http://www.screwed4life.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=115&Itemid=167|date=July 4, 2010}}</ref>
In 1994 Hawk, [[Fat Pat]], [[DJ Screw]], [[Lil' Keke]] and Koldjack collaborated to form the group D.E.A. and Dead End Records (named for the dead end block of Martin Luther King Blvd where Hawk grew up in Houston). In late 1998 D.E.A. released an original independent album entitled, ''Screwed For Life'' featuring [[Lil' Keke]], [[Big Pokey]] and the rest of the [[Screwed Up Click|S.U.C.]] After the deaths of Hawk's brother (Fat Pat) and DJ Screw and the incarceration of many others SUC members, Hawk's ultimate mission and goal became keeping the "Ghetto Dream" alive. In 1999 Hawk participated in a Southside Playaz compilation album titled ''You Got Us Fuxxed Up'', with Mike D, Claydoe and other members of the S.U.C. Hawk released his solo album, ''[[Under Hawk's Wings]]'' on Dead End Records in 2000 and had recorded with [[Lil' Flip]], [[Lil' Keke]], [[Big Moe]], [[Z-Ro]] and was featured on the [[Lil' Troy]] hit "[[Wanna Be A Baller]]".
Big Hawk appeared on numerous mixtapes from artists in the Houston underground rap scene. After Screw's death in 2000, he was the main person responsible for keeping the S.U.C. together,{{citation needed|date=December 2009}} so much so that his nickname was the Five Star General of the Screwed Up Click. He collaborated with [[Lil' O]] on the smash hit, "Back Back" Next, he partnered with Game Face Records in 2002 and released his first album under his label Ghetto Dreams Entertainment, self-titled, "HAWK". With the hit song, "U Already Know", the album charted the Billboard's list of top R&B and Rap Albums at no. 45. It was at Game Face Records where Hawk met and clicked with a young up and coming group called the GritBoyz and an artist named Starchy Archy. Hawk and Ghetto Dreams Ent. teamed up with Presidential Records in 2003 to release "A Bad Azz Mix Tape Vol. II." A year later he and [[Lil' Keke]] teamed up to release "Wreckin 2K4" with Presidential Records as well. It was around this time when the original S.U.C. members, along with M.J. (of Southside Studios) started collaborating on a group/compilation album titled "The Takeover". Trae tha Truth made an album dedicated to BIG HAWK called ''Life Goes On.''
Hawk was featured on the popular single "Swang" by [[Trae tha Truth|Trae]] that included a tribute to Fat Pat in 2005. In 2006, Hawk, along with [[Clint Dempsey]] of the U.S. National Soccer team recorded a song for [[Nike Inc.|Nike]]'s "Joga Bonito" World Cup soccer promotion called "Don't Tread". He was part of [[Pepsi]]'s [[Yahoo!]] "Houston Mic Pass" with [[Lil' Flip]], [[Chamillionaire]], [[Trae tha Truth|Trae]], [[Chingo Bling]], [[Bun B]], Short Dawg, Magno and [[Screwed Up Click#Mike D|Mike D]]. Since his death, Hawk has been featured on several tracks including Lil O's "I Do" single, "Down In Texas" off of the 2008 [[Assholes by Nature|A.B.N.]] album ''It Is What It Is'', and Big Unk's "I'ma Beast" to name a few.
On November 11, 2011, two posthumous singles were released called "Somebody Who Loves You" and "Praise God."
==Death==
On May 1, 2006, eight years after his younger brother Fat Pat was murdered, Hawkins was shot dead in Houston.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.houstontx.gov/police/nr/2006/may/nr050206-1.htm|title=Houston Police Department|website=www.houstontx.gov}}</ref><ref name="death"/> He had arrived early at a house on Redfern Drive to play [[dominoes]] with a friend, and was alone at the time when an unknown assailant shot him multiple times. Hawkins was 36 years old.<ref name="death">{{cite news|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/2316-100_162-1496696-3.html |title=Rap Deaths: John Edward Hawkins |work=CBS News |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100614192249/http://www.cbsnews.com/2316-100_162-1496696-3.html |archive-date=June 14, 2010}}</ref> His murder remains unsolved.<ref name="2006 Houston Chronicle"/>
Fellow Houston rapper [[Bun B]], in an interview with the ''[[Houston Chronicle]]'', said about Hawkins: "There were no chinks in this man's moral armor. Because he was a rapper, there will be people who will take his death the wrong way, but he was a peaceful guy and a family man who had no beefs with anybody".<ref name="2006 Houston Chronicle">{{cite web|last=Clark|first=Michael D.|url=http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/3834071.html|title=Police: Few clues in Houston rapper's slaying|publisher=Houston Chronicle |date=2006-05-03|access-date=2011-06-04}}</ref>
==Discography==
=== Studio albums ===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|+List of studio albums, with selected chart positions and information
! rowspan="2" style="width:33px;" |Year
! rowspan="2" style="width:300px;" |Title
! colspan="4" |Peak chart positions
|-
! style="width:5em;font-size:75%;" |[[Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums]]<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/hawk/chart-history/r-b-hip-hop-albums|title=H.A.W.K. Chart History|work=[[Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums]]|access-date=March 21, 2018|archive-date=May 22, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180522020210/https://www.billboard.com/music/hawk/chart-history/r-b-hip-hop-albums|url-status=dead}}</ref>
! style="width:5em;font-size:75%;" |[[Top Rap Albums]]<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/hawk/chart-history/rap-albums|title=H.A.W.K. Chart History|work=[[Top Rap Albums]]|access-date=March 21, 2018|archive-date=May 22, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180522012941/https://www.billboard.com/music/hawk/chart-history/rap-albums|url-status=dead}}</ref>
! style="width:5em;font-size:75%;" |[[Independent Albums]]<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/hawk/chart-history/independent-albums|title=H.A.W.K. Chart History|work=[[Independent Albums]]|access-date=March 21, 2018|archive-date=May 22, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180522013036/https://www.billboard.com/music/hawk/chart-history/independent-albums|url-status=dead}}</ref>
! style="width:5em;font-size:75%;" |[[Heatseekers Albums]]<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/hawk/chart-history/heatseekers-albums|title=H.A.W.K. Chart History|work=[[Heatseekers Albums]]|access-date=March 21, 2018|archive-date=May 15, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180515102137/https://www.billboard.com/music/hawk/chart-history/heatseekers-albums|url-status=dead}}</ref>
|-
| style="text-align:center;" |1998
|'''''Dead End Alliance''''' <small>(with [[DJ Screw]], [[Fat Pat (rapper)|Fat Pat]] & [[Screwed Up Click#Kay-K|Kay-K]])</small>
* Label: Dead End Records
| style="text-align:center;" |—
| style="text-align:center;" |—
| style="text-align:center;" |—
| style="text-align:center;" |—
|-
| style="text-align:center;" |2000
|'''''[[Under Hawk's Wings|Under H.A.W.K.'s Wings]]'''''
* Label: Dead End Records
| style="text-align:center;" |68
| style="text-align:center;" |—
| style="text-align:center;" |30
| style="text-align:center;" |33
|-
| style="text-align:center;" |2001
|'''''[[Hawk (Big Hawk album)|HAWK]]'''''
* Label: Ghetto Dreams Entertainment
| style="text-align:center;" |45
| style="text-align:center;" |—
| style="text-align:center;" |43
| style="text-align:center;" |—
|-
| style="text-align:center;" |2004
|'''''[[Wreckin' 2004]]''''' <small>(with [[Lil' Keke]])</small>
* Label: Presidential Records
| style="text-align:center;" |93
| style="text-align:center;" |—
| style="text-align:center;" |—
| style="text-align:center;" |—
|-
| style="text-align:center;" |2007
|'''''[[Endangered Species (H.A.W.K. album)|Endangered Species]]'''''
* Label: Ghetto Dreams Entertainment
| style="text-align:center;" |54
| style="text-align:center;" |24
| style="text-align:center;" |—
| style="text-align:center;" |—
|-
| style="text-align:center;" |2008
|'''''Still Wreckin'''''' <small>(with [[Lil' Keke]])</small>
* Label: Presidential Records
| style="text-align:center;" |—
| style="text-align:center;" |—
| style="text-align:center;" |—
| style="text-align:center;" |—
|-
|}
===Mixtapes===
*2004: ''A Bad Azz Mix Tape Vol. II.''
*2005: ''The Incredible Hawk Undaground Volume 1''
*2005: ''The Incredible Hawk Undaground Volume 2''
*2006: ''Since the Gray Tapes, Vol. 4''
*2007: ''Terrible Texas Dub K Six''
===Guest appearances===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year
! Song
! Performer(s)
! Album
|-
| rowspan="2" | 1999
|"Boys N Da South"
| [[E.S.G. (rapper)|E.S.G.]]
| ''[[Shinin' n' Grindin'|Shinin' N' Grindin'<nowiki/>]]''
|-
|"Day 4 Day G's"
| Day 4 Day G's, [[Big Moe]]
| ''What"s Da Deal!''
|-
| rowspan="4" |2000
|"Country Rap Tune"
| Towdown, [[Big Pokey]]
| ''By Prescription Only''
|-
|"Nigga Who Dat"
| Woss Ness, [[South Park Mexican]]
| ''Bangin Screw''
|-
| "Took A Lil Time"
| Mafio, Shunny Pooh, Ronnie Spencer
| ''Shunny Pooh Presents: 3rd Coast's Finest Volume 1''
|-
|"Save Me"
| Candyman, Den-Den, Black-N-Mild, Lil J
| ''Makin' Deals Of A Lifetime''
|-
| rowspan="5" |2001
| "Already"
| G.I.N. of the Presidential Playas. [[Big Pokey]]
| ''Straight Out Da Bottle''
|-
| "Real Recognize Real"
| Godfather
|''Before It's Too Late''
|-
| "PAT"
| D-Drew, Big Baby
|''Down South Still Holdin''
|-
| "You Made It Happen"
| H.A.W.K.
| ''ScrewHeads: Forever And A Day''
|-
|"Down South We Mob"
| R.W.O., [[Lil' Keke]]
| ''Book Of Game: Chapter 1''
|-
| rowspan="3" | 2002
| "Chicken Fried Steak"
| Tow Down, [[Slim Thug]], [[Bun B]]
|''Chicken Fried Steak''
|-
| "Watch Out"
| [[E.S.G. (rapper)|E.S.G.]], [[Slim Thug]]
| ''[[Boss Hogg Outlaws]]''
|-
| "Keep It 100"
| Kottonmouth
| ''Urban Legend''
|-
|2003
|"Sho Yo Thong"
| Lyrical 187
| ''Ready 4 What Eva''
|-
|2004
|"G-Strang"
| Kottonmouth, Big G
| ''Authentic''
|-
|2018
|"[[Sicko Mode]]"
| [[Travis Scott]], [[Drake (musician)|Drake]], [[Swae Lee]]
| ''[[Astroworld (album)|Astroworld]]''
|}
==Awards and nominations==
===Grammy Awards===
The [[Grammy Awards]] are annual awards presented by [[The Recording Academy]] to recognize outstanding achievement in the mainly English-language [[music industry]].
{{awards table}}
!{{Abbr|Ref.|Reference}}
|-
|  style="text-align:center;" rowspan="2"|[[61st Annual Grammy Awards|2019]]
| rowspan="2"|"[[Sicko Mode]]"
| [[Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance|Best Rap Performance]]
| {{nominated}}
| style="text-align:center;" rowspan="2"| <ref>{{cite web|title=61st Annual Grammy Awards Winners & Nominees|url=https://www.grammy.com/grammys/awards/61st-annual-grammy-awards|publisher=Grammy}}</ref>
|-
| [[Grammy Award for Best Rap Song|Best Rap Song]]
| {{nominated}}
{{end}}
==See also==
*[[Houston hip hop]]
*[[List of murdered hip hop musicians]]
*[[List of unsolved murders (21st century)|List of unsolved murders]]
==References==
{{reflist}}
==External links==
* [https://www.discogs.com/artist/195945-HAWK?sort=year%2Casc&limit=500&page=1 H.A.W.K.] at [[Discogs]]
* {{Find a Grave|17976559}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Screwed Up Click}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hawk, Big}}
[[Category:1969 births]]
[[Category:2006 deaths]]
[[Category:2006 murders in the United States]]
[[Category:African-American male rappers]]
[[Category:American male rappers]]
[[Category:Deaths by firearm in Texas]]
[[Category:Gangsta rappers]]
[[Category:Murdered African-American people]]
[[Category:People murdered in Texas]]
[[Category:Rappers from Houston]]
[[Category:Screwed Up Click members]]
[[Category:Underground rappers]]
[[Category:Unsolved murders in the United States]]
[[Category:20th-century American male musicians]]
[[Category:20th-century African-American musicians]]
[[Category:21st-century African-American musicians]]