For over a decade, beloved rapper, Twista, has been captivating millions with his natural talent, kinetic flow, crisp rhymes, and magnetic charisma. Always relevant, the Chicago-native remains at the top of the game, despite an ever-evolving industry and a new wave of artists emerging daily. With the recent success of his seventh studio album, Category F5, the hip-hop veteran offers more classic Twista swagger with his forthcoming release The Perfect Storm (GMG-EMI).
Embracing the signature style that brought the spit-fire lyrical legend to the forefront of the music industry, The Perfect Storm flawlessly boasts sounds that exemplify the versatility of hip-hop music. With gritty, polished, and lustrous tracks, in addition to blazing collaborations with R&B and hip-hop heavyweights The Legendary Traxster, Raekwon, Yo Gotti, Ray J, Lloyd, and Chris Brown, the rap connoisseur and music maverick wreaks tongue-twisting havoc on hip-hop aficionados.
“If I wanna say anything it’s that I have been consistently making albums and I can still make bangers because this is what I love, making music,” expressed Twista. “I want people to look at my career as a whole. To see that the longevity is something that goes beyond hip-hop. I want to be looked at as the blueprint for an artist that can put it down for twenty, thirty years.”
The Perfect Storm gives the world a glimpse of Chicago’s West Side through infectious beats and sexy slow jams. The album’s first single, “Make a Movie,” produced by The Legendary Traxster and featuring R&B sensation Chris Brown, is raw and seductive preview of the celebrated rapper’s newest groundbreaking album. R&B crooner, Lloyd, adds sultry vocals to “Bad Girl,” a shout-out to the type of girl you don’t want to bring home to momma. From the street vibe and pulsating beats of “Cocaine,” produced by Street Runners with a feature from Yo Gotti, to “The Heat,” produced by The Legendary Traxster and No ID, The Perfect Storm speaks to Twista’s unrivaled melodic syncopations which add depth and complexity to his already unique style.
Twista’s meteoric rise to fame began in 1991 when a local radio DJ, with a reputation for discovering Chicago artists, saw Twista perform at a talent show held at the Gold Dome on Chicago’s West Side. Amazed, the DJ jumped at the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to become Twista’s manager. A Chicago promoter from Loud Records was awestruck at the effortlessly sly, yet vigorous, unmatched lyrical expertise displayed throughout a demo he received and instinctively took the tape to artist reps in Los Angeles. Stunned by Twista’s remarkably fresh, precise and dynamic style, the executives immediately flew Twista to L.A asking him to demonstrate his unique lyrical prowess, and were unanimously won over by his distinctive and undeniable talent. Twista subsequently made his mark on the landscape of hip-hop music, entering with formidable ferocity when he not only became the first artist signed to Loud Records, but also the first rapper out of the Windy City to ink a major record deal. One year later, in 1992, Twista was dubbed the world’s fastest rapper in the Guinness Book of World Records, peerless in his inherent ability to pronounce 11.2 syllables per second.
His breakthrough underground album Resurrection (1994) received three and a half mics out of four, in The Source Magazine. In 1997, he released the famed Adrenaline Rush on Atlantic Records, which was certified gold by the RIAA as its singles “Get It Wet” and “Emotions” climbed to the 12th and 11th spots on the rap charts, respectively. Twista’s energetic second studio album Mobstability (1998) was followed with incredible vigor on 2004’s Kamikaze, its paramount success landing Twista nominations for Best Hip Hop Act at the MOBO Awards, Rap Artist of the Year and Male New Artist of the Year at the Billboard Music Awards. The album raked in milestones, soaring to double-platinum status upon its release, with the album’s two hottest tracks, “Overnight Celebrity” and “Slow Jamz” skyrocketing to #1 on Billboard’s Rap Charts, well surpassing the competition. A groundbreaking collaboration with music prodigies Kanye West and Jamie Foxx, “Slow Jamz” was named the 19th Greatest Hip Hop Song of All Time by Q Magazine. The renowned single received international success when it peaked at #1 on the UK singles charts, and was celebrated by music industry elites with nominations for Best Collaboration at a hybrid of prestigious award shows, including the Grammys, BET, MOBO, Vibe, and The Source Awards, while Twista himself was nominated for Artist of the Year at the Radio Music Awards. From The Day After (2005), which was inevitably certified platinum by the RIAA, with its enticing track “Girl Tonight” featuring R&B phenom Trey Songz rising to #2 on Billboard’s R&B/Hip Hop charts, to his last album for Atlantic, Adrenaline Rush 2007, Twista undoubtedly solidified an everlasting imprint on the music industry.
In 2009, under his newly-founded empire, Get Money Gang Entertainment (GMG), Twista released the label’s debut album, Category F5. A destructive force of creative liberation, Category F5 hit number two on music charts. Certified by the RIAA, Twista reached gold digital sales, in addition to gold ringtone sales, with one of his latest singles “Wetter.” The alluring chart-topper soared to the #1 rap song on Billboard charts, and was further recognized by ASCAP as “The Most Played Single on Radio.” Twista is one of the most celebrated emcees in the world, sought after by some of the music industry’s most iconic artists, which led to a striking assemblage of collaborations, including: “Is That Your Bitch” with Jay-Z, Missy Elliot and Memphis Bleek; “Is This the End” with P. Diddy; “Stolen Car” with Sting; “Cut Up” with Ludacris and Three 6 Mafia’s “Smoked Out,” indubitably earning him the coveted moniker as every rapper’s favorite rapper.
With Chicago in his heart at all times, the rapper continues to commit to a series of civil engagement in support of his hometown. The rapper makes annual holiday turkey donations to the city’s homeless. In March of 2010, Twista joined forces with Chicago’s The Happiness Club, a youth organization that espouses positive values and social change through hip-hop and pop music, as well as dance. And most recently, in September of the same year, Twista issued a call to action to “take back” the city’s disenfranchised communities, Twista affirmed his resolve to heal neighborhoods that have been infected with the perils of horrific crime.
“I want to utilize my voice as a platform to magnify the ills that have affected our great city. I am committed to serving the underserved so that I can create awareness of the current state of affairs and bring change to Chicago,” professed the rapper.
Staying true to his principles along with his art, Twista is carefully weaving the fabric of his career, while taking complete and utter control of his music, Twista launched his esteemed and pioneering label Get Money Gang Entertainment (GMG), a subsidiary of EMI/Capitol Records. “GMG is the bridge between the music industry and the Midwest,” explains Twista. Artists on the roster for GMG include B-Hype, Skooda Choose and Mello Tha’ Guddaman. With GMG, Twista works to make his acts brand names, allowing them to thrive in the ever-changing scope of the music industry. The Perfect Storm, Twista’s highly anticipated second album to be released under GMG, is slated to drop nationwide on November 9th.
For more information, please visit: www.twista.com
