BIOGRAPHY

    Born Carl Mitchell, Twista was raised in the K-Town section of Chicago's infamous, impoverished west side. Twista grew up amid scenes of junkies, drugs, violence and poverty. He used his inner strength to help pull him through, while his dreams centered around either music or art. Inspired by lyrical experts Eric B. and Rakim, Twista also credits Kurtis Blow, Kool G. Rap, and the Sugar Hill Gang as influences. Twista describes his style as "energetic and in your face," Mitchell earned accolades in 1992 as The Guinness Book of World Records crowned him with the honor of World's Fastest Rapper.

    Mitchell initially began performing under the stage name Tung Twista, releasing his first two albums under this pseudonym. These albums, Runnin' off at Da Mouth, and Resurrection were major disappointments. After his debut albums, which sold only 30,000 units, he asked to be released from his contract at Loud Records and released his sophomore album on Street Flavor Records. Dubbed Resurrection, his second release was also known as the Suicide EP. Following another depressing release, Mitchell took a few years off before catching on again with fellow Chicago based rap group Do or Die. As a guest on Do or Die's hit single "Po Pimp," Twista performed masterfully. After nearly abandoning the rap game completely, Twista signed a hefty distribution deal with Atlantic Records and released his smash hit Adrenaline Rush. In 1998, approximately a year later, he released Mobstability. While less successful the his previous album, Twista became disenchanted with his record label and ultimately switched completely to Atlantic.

    Noted production moguls Sean 'P. Diddy' Combs of Bad Boy Records and Damon Dash of Roc-a-Fella Records both have attempted signing Twista to contracts in the past few years, both unsuccessfully. In that time, Twista has been under a rather modest contract with Atlantic Records but still took time to perform on many notable artists albums. Ludacris, Three Six Mafia, Do or Die, 112, P. Diddy, and others have all requested Twista's fast paced flows on their albums.

    Twista started his own independent record label, Legit Ballin' Records. His first release under that label, Legit Ballin',  sold over 200,000 units without a major distributor. He has also released sequel albums such as New Testament 2K Street Scriptures, Volume 2 and Legit Ballers Vol 2. and 3. Despite little or no airplay on radio, Twista has achieved multiple gold albums.

LYRICS

    I have always been amazed with Twista's ability to rap so quickly, while simultaneously being able tell a story, not lose control, or take a breath. It is also notable that you can understand everything he says without confusion despite the intensity. I encourage any person to get hold of his albums and just open your ears to all the syllables he is able to say in a song. I liken it to when Louis Armstrong's was becoming popular, and his ability to produce more notes in a given amount of time than any trumpet player could before--Twista floats so many words and ideas together in such a short span its beyond description.

Blow your mind like a afrocomb and take a glimpse of the stairs It's the aroma of a pimp in the air, I betcha notice the smell It's like a lotus when I flow dis, cause my eyes be the lowest if you didn't notice then you bogus as hell I'm puttin women under my spell, like I'm up in their brain Pumpin their vein with game for the anatomy that's feminine They're fillin up with adrenaline, got em geekin We're speakin approachin up a pimp like a gentleman Submission is surrenderin, it ain't no endin if it's on With a blunt from the bomb side In the right place, with the right mind and the right line You can get a lifetime contract                                       "Emotions" -Adrenaline Rush

The bloods and the crips and every ward lets roll You gotta go- for what you know If it's retaliation get low When you get to the calico let it flow Make these dudes know in the door Make a mofo's bleed for what you need Cuz the familys gotta eat in the last days it's hatred and greed Luv to the Gov's, B.M.'s, Field marshals, elites and the chief Soldiers we better take heed and realize Signs of the times, stand by yo 9, Watch out for tha haters and write yo' rhymes But the industry is set up to screw u so u better be on the grind Don't be one of the blind gotta stay alert And put in work cuz time is almost up                             "Victory or Death" -Legit Ballin'

Now I was kicking, when I met you in the club Had me feeling on your booty, and the brother was a 50ball For you, I even popped some Crissy in the tub And my body was start wondering when if I'm a get the draws Let me know if I'm in the right lane Tell me when I say the right things I got tight flame Rollin thru stunting why are you running Cuz I'm coming with some pimp-type game Iced out charm, chromed out truck Coming thru balling like I don't really give a what? Blowing the fatty, an purple, with the windows up When I'm sipping on Hennessey and Hypnotic getting stuck And I need a thug To care for me while haters be attacking me, backing me To a corner while a brother trying to get theirs And I need a queen backing me while I'm running my faculty Telling me I be lethal when I spit words                                              "Do U?" ft. Do or Die--Pimpin' Aint Dead  Twista's official artist website if available here

rolling with the Three 6 mafia popping ya popular buck at dudes with the rock close encounters of the herb kind leave you sitting on the curb crying south side getting bucked up in a party with a burb mind we gonna tear this ish up cause we stuck up gone off that sticky when I zone off cant hit me have me going in illusions trying to get me infatuated with drugs smoked out snorted out drunken and blown getting crunk in that mode Twista gotta stay high smoke a skunk till I'm old now chucking like im sea sick on the front porch with the mob and we be thick roll when you see Twista and Three 6 who can bog the motherfreakin' mind like an eclipse on the weed tip                                   "Smoked Out" -ft. Teardaclubupthugs          CrazyNDalazDayz

DISCOGRAPHY

Runnin' off at Da Mouth: Debuted his fast paced style (1991)	Suicide EP: Hard to find album, Twista raps a little slower (1994)	Adrenaline Rush: Breakthrough album rekindled career (1997)
Mobstability: Solid follow-up to AR with more breakneck ballads (1998)	Legit Ballin': Twista's first of his three albums with the Legit Ballers (2000)	Kamikaze: Most recent album, shows diversity in speed, style (2003)

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