{{Short description|American rapper (1969–2006)}} {{More citations needed|date=March 2018}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Big Hawk | image = Big Hawk.jpg | caption = Hawkins in 2005 | 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="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 | occupation = Rapper | years_active = 1992–2006 | label = {{hlist|Dead End||Ghetto Dreams}} | past_member_of = Screwed Up Click | website = }}
'''John Edward Hawkins''' (November 15, 1969 – 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, 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 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 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'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, Chingo Bling, Bun B, Short Dawg, Magno and 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 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 & 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 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''''' * 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''''' * 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. | ''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., 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, Swae Lee | ''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"|2019 | rowspan="2"|"Sicko Mode" | 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/awards/61st-annual-grammy-awards-2018|publisher=Grammy}}</ref>
|- | Best Rap Song | {{nominated}}
{{end}}
==See also== *Houston hip hop *List of murdered hip hop musicians *List of unsolved murders (2000–present)
==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:Big Hawk}} Category:1969 births Category:2006 deaths Category:2006 murders in the United States Category:21st-century American male rappers Category:21st-century American rappers Category:Deaths by firearm in Texas Category:Gangsta rappers Category:Murdered African-American people Category:Rappers from Houston Category:Screwed Up Click members Category:Underground rappers Category:20th-century American male musicians Category:20th-century African-American musicians Category:21st-century African-American rappers Category:Unsolved murders in Texas Category:21st-century African-American male rappers