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Twista (a.k.a Tung Twista) (born Carl Terrell Mitchell on November 27, 1973 in Chicago, Illinois) is a rapper known for being the fastest in the world at rap delivery. His 2004 album Kamikaze went to number-one on the U.S. Billboard 200 album chart after the success of his number-one Billboard Hot 100 single, "Slow Jamz".
Rap Career
Twista grew up in the K-Town area on the west side of Chicago. He started rapping at the age of 12. Locally in K-town and all Chicago, he is a member of Vice Lords gang but many say he is on good terms with other Folk Nation gangs. Before starting his professional career, however, he had several other jobs, including working at a factory, selling shoes, telemarketing, working at McDonald's, working as a security guard, and cutting hair.
Twista was one of the first artists to sign with Loud Records. In 1991, he released Runnin' off at da Mouth under the name of Tung Twista. Due to his rapid-fire pace of delivery, he was listed in the Guinness Book of Records as the world's fastest rapper. His record was then broken a year later; he asked to defend his entry, and made a new record, though that one would also eventually be broken.
Despite this recognition, the album achieved little success. Twista dropped the "Tung" off of his name for his second album, Resurrection, which was never released outside of some parts of Chicago. On the album he disses Treach of Naughty By Nature, who had stated that Twista's style was all show and no content. Twista's local notoriety grew in the underground mixtape circuit, as he was featured on several Chicago rap mixtapes, notably Chibangin, alongside unsigned artists like Psychodrama, Triple Darkness and DA Smart.
In 1996, he teamed with fellow Chicago act Do or Die on the track "Po' Pimp;" the track became a hit single, leading to a contract with Atlantic Records. He released Adrenaline Rush in 1997 to critical acclaim, gaining some recognition in other parts of the midwest. Around this time, he and Do or Die began a bout of diss tracks against Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, who accused Chicago acts of stealing their fast-rapping style.
This was followed by Mobstability in 1998. Twista then formed his own Legit Ballin' label, which has released two compilation albums: Legit Ballin
Twista's reputation in rap circles led to work with some other midwestern acts, such as Royce da 5'9" and Da Brat, and southern acts like Timbaland and Ludacris as well as an appearance on P. Diddy's album No Way Out and ties to Roc-A-Fella Records. His 2004 album, Kamikaze, went platinum on the strength of two singles produced by the Roc's Kanye West.
The first single, "Slow Jamz" (featured on both Kamikaze and Kanye's debut College Dropout), featured Kanye West and Jamie Foxx. It topped the Billboard Hot 100 and world R&B charts in early 2004, and eventually reached number 3 on the UK singles charts. The second single, "Overnight Celebrity", became another top 10, Hot 100 hit and a UK top 40 entry.
After this success, Dame Dash made clear a desire to sign Twista to Roc-A-Fella. Though Atlantic would not release him from his contract, Dame tried to negotiate a joint venture and made Twista an honorary member of the Roc-A-Fella roster. Twista's next album, The Day After, was not as commercially or critically successful and showed a notable lack of Kanye West production. He recently reunited with Kanye for the Mission Impossible III sountrack, and plans to release his next album (titled Adrenaline Rush 2010) sometime in 2006.
Discography
Albums
- Runnin' Off at Da Mouth (1991, as Tung Twista) (US Certification: Gold)
- Resurrection (1994, as Twista) (Never officially released outside of Chicago's underground)
- Adrenaline Rush (1997, as Twista) #77 US
- Mobstability (with The Speedknot Mobstaz) (1998, as Twista) #34 US
- Kamikaze (2004) #1 US, #19 UK (US Certification: Platinum)
- The Day After (2005) #2 US (US Certification: Gold)
- Adrenaline Rush 2010 (2006)
Singles
| Year | Title | Chart Positions | Album | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US Hot 100 | US R&B/Hip-Hop | US Rap | UK Singles Chart | |||
| 2004 | "Slow Jamz" (featuring Jamie Foxx & Kanye West) | #1 (1 week) | #1 | #1 | #3 | Kamikaze |
| 2004 | "Overnight Celebrity" (featuring Miri Ben-Ari) | #6 (Gold) | #2 | #1 | #16 | Kamikaze |
| 2004 | "Sunshine" (featuring Anthony Hamilton) | - | - | - | #3 | Kamikaze |
| 2004 | "So Sexy" (featuring R. Kelly) | #25 | #10 | #7 | #28 | Kamikaze |
| 2004 | "So Sexy Chapter II (Like This)" (featuring R. Kelly) | #92 | #47 | - | - | Kamikaze |
| 2005 | "Hope" (featuring Faith Evans) | #31 | #24 | #17 | #25 | Coach Carter * |
| 2005 | "Girl Tonite" (featuring Trey Songz) | #14 | #3 | #2 | #47 | The Day After |
| 2005 | "Hit the Floor" (featuring Pitbull) | #94 | - | #20 | - | The Day After |
| 2006 | "So Lonely" (featuring Mariah Carey) | - | #65 | - | - | The Day After & The Emancipation of Mimi (Ultra Platinum Edition) |
| 2006 | "Spit Your Game (Remix) (The Notorious B.I.G. featuring Twista, Krayzie Bone, & 8 Ball & MJG) | #65 | #22 | #35 | #64 | Duets: The Final Chapters |
- Hope was originally on Twista's album Kamikaze, but was never released as a single until it appeared on the Coach Carter Soundtrack. The Kamikaze version featured Cee-Lo, while the Coach Carter version had Faith Evans.
- Twista's work was featured on The Prodigy's Always Outnumbered, Never Outgunned (2004).
- Twista has contributed to three Making The Video episodes to date: "Hope" feat. Faith Evans, "Hit The Floor" feat. Pitbull, and The Notorious B.I.G.'s "Spit Your Game (Remix)" video
External links
- Twista Official Site
- Twista
- Twista VH1 artist page
- Twista artist page
- Twista fan site
- Twista Lyrics
- StageStars.net - Twista
1973 births | American rappers | Chicagoans | People from Illinois | Rhythmic Top 40 acts | Living people | Vice Lords | Twista | Twista | Twista | Twista
"Twista"