Twista’s Back!

For 18 years Twista has been bringing his kinetic flows to the ears of millions of listeners, putting Chicago on the map in the music industry. Always relevant, Twista remains in the game despite a constantly shifting music industry and a new wave of rap artists. Deeming himself the Jason Voorhees of rap, Twista is resilient in the industry as he continues to slay tracks. Chi-town has a major influence on Twista – everything from K-town to downtown, his friends and family, as well as his fellow Chicago artists all play a part in establishing his intense yet mellow vibe.

Twista is an artist who was respected from the start. His underground album Resurrection (1994) received three and a half mics in the Source magazine. He would then go on to release Adrenaline Rush (1997) on Atlantic Records. With the success of first singles “Get It Wet” and “Emotions”; the album would go on to be certified gold. Following that was the release Mobstabilty (1998). The next album for Twista would be the double platinum Kamikaze (2004), which topped the charts at number one. It featured the hit singles “Slow Jamz” with Kanye West and “Overnight Celebrity”. The Day After (2005) released a year later peaked at number two and hit platinum status, producing the hits “So Lonely” featuring Mariah Carey, and “Girl Tonite” featuring Trey Songz. Adrenaline Rush 2007 (2007) was the last album he released for Atlantic. Twista has collaborated with some high profile artists in the business such as: Jay Z on “Is That Your Bitch”, P. Diddy on “Is This the End”, Ludacris on “Cut Up”, Three 6 Mafia on “Smoked Out”, and a new track with Sting.

Under his new record label GMG (Get Money Gang), a subsidiary of EMI/Capitol Records, Twista is now completely in control of his music while introducing some fresh faces in the process. New artists that Twista wants to put in the spotlight through GMG include: B-Hype, Skoota Choose, Liffy Stokes, Anya, and Mello Tha’ Guddaman. With GMG, Twista works to make his acts brand name, so they can survive in the ever-changing music industry. “GMG is the bridge between the music industry and the mid-west.” Twista explains.

Currently, Twista is finishing up his new album Category F5. The album is a statement of his newfound creative liberation. Twista explains that the title of the album is a natural evolution of the titles of his previous works – “Category F5 is the highest level of a twister. Once I came up with the title, I felt it was appropriate because coming from the standpoint of Adrenaline Rush, I was trying to stay within that whole zone, and Category F5 sounded like some cold shit.” The power of an F5 “can throw cars through the air like bullets, while breaking houses and foundations”, and Twista wants to convey that destructive force lyrically. The fierceness on display in Adrenaline Rush reaches a profound intensity on Category F5. As far as the music is concerned, Twista hopes that his music provides an escape for listeners. “My music is like a good movie, it’s meant to take listeners away from their problems. It’s meant to make people say Wow, that’s a dope ass rap,” says Twista. Through his verbal prowess, Twista wants his fans to hear him dismember his haters.

Twista does to rap what Coltrane did to saxophone solos. In a rhythmic rapid-fire succession, lyrics flow from one verse onto the next in a dazzling fashion. He has carved out a legacy for himself as a premiere Chicago artist. Though he is an artist with many accomplishments under his belt, he feels that his recognition for being an innovative pioneer will come in due time – “some artists put out the big records, some put out the best records, but Twista’s legacy will be that of longevity; being a timeless artist.”

Twista’s new album Category F5 will be released on June 16, 2009

Twista – “Wetter” (Explicit)
http://www.zshare.net/audio/59133419dfd0e072/