Carl Terrell Mitchell (born November 27, 1973 in Chicago, Illinois), better… Read Full Bio ↴Carl Terrell Mitchell (born November 27, 1973 in Chicago, Illinois), better known by his stage name Twista and formerly Tung Twista, is an American rapper who once held the title of fastest emcee in the world, being able to pronounce 11.2 syllables per second. In 1992 he released his debut album, Runnin' Off At Da Mouth, and has since released a further seven albums including 1994's Resurrection, 1997's Adrenaline Rush, 2004's highly successful Kamikaze, 2005's The Day After and 2007's Adrenaline Rush 2007. His latest studio album, Category F5, was released in July of 2009.
Twista grew up in the K-Town area on the west side of Chicago. He started rapping at the age of 12. However, before starting his professional career, he worked at several other jobs including working at a factory, selling shoes, working at McDonald's, working as a security guard, and even 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. Despite this recognition, the album achieved little success. Tung Twista dropped the "Tung" off of his name in his second album Resurrection, which was never released outside of Chicago's underground.
In 1996, he teamed with fellow Chicago act "Do or Die" on the track "Po' Pimp" leading to a contract with Atlantic Records. He released Adrenaline Rush in 1997 followed by Mobstability in 1998. Twista then formed his own Legit Ballin' label which has released two compilation albums Legit Ballin' in 1999 and Legit Ballin' Vol. 2: Street Scriptures in 2001. The label later released Respect The Game,Vol. 3 in 2002 and Volume 4: Tha Truth in 2006.
Twista developed a good reputation in rap circles leading to work with Mariah Carey, P. Diddy (then Puff Daddy),Lil kim, Drag-on, Jay-Z, Timbaland, Ras Kass, Ludacris, Royce Da 5'9", Shaquille O'Neal, and Da Brat. However, it would take him until 2004 to achieve a platinum, number-one record under his own name.
On his website, Twista stated that he made Kamikaze to show that he was still true to the ideals that he had when he started out. "I represent for the MCs that have skills, not just make music for the hell of it. I take the time to concentrate. Otherwise, I could have 10 albums out there, easy. I could sit down all day and write something. But I write when I get in a zone more than writing because I’ve got to do this. I represent the artists that keep it true to what really is, to be able to make rappers want to write."
"I want to show the streets that I’m back and that I’m true to the game. Musically, I want to show that I’m still out here doing my thing. After all the people that were out when I was out years ago fell off, I’m still out here competing with the shorties. I also want to gain platinum success. It’s something that I haven’t done."
The first single, "Slow Jamz", 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. Kamikaze built on the success of "Slow Jamz" to reach the top of the Billboard 200 album chart upon its release in January 2004 and went platinum by March 2004. The second single, "Overnight Celebrity", became another top 10 Hot 100 hit and a UK top 40 entry, while the third, "So Sexy" (featuring R. Kelly), made the top 40 of the Hot 100. In the UK, the album track "Sunshine", which featured R&B singer Anthony Hamilton and lifted its chorus from Bill Withers' "Lovely Day", was extracted as a third single and became a big hit; this track received comparatively little exposure in the U.S., perhaps because rapper Lil' Flip had a huge hit there at the same time with a different song of the same title.
Albums
Runnin' off at da Mouth (1991, as Tung Twista) (US Certification: Gold)
Resurrection (1994, as Twista) (Never officialy released outside of Chicago's underground)
Adrenaline Rush (1997) #77 US (US Certification: Gold)
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 2007 (2007)
Twista grew up in the K-Town area on the west side of Chicago. He started rapping at the age of 12. However, before starting his professional career, he worked at several other jobs including working at a factory, selling shoes, working at McDonald's, working as a security guard, and even 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. Despite this recognition, the album achieved little success. Tung Twista dropped the "Tung" off of his name in his second album Resurrection, which was never released outside of Chicago's underground.
In 1996, he teamed with fellow Chicago act "Do or Die" on the track "Po' Pimp" leading to a contract with Atlantic Records. He released Adrenaline Rush in 1997 followed by Mobstability in 1998. Twista then formed his own Legit Ballin' label which has released two compilation albums Legit Ballin' in 1999 and Legit Ballin' Vol. 2: Street Scriptures in 2001. The label later released Respect The Game,Vol. 3 in 2002 and Volume 4: Tha Truth in 2006.
Twista developed a good reputation in rap circles leading to work with Mariah Carey, P. Diddy (then Puff Daddy),Lil kim, Drag-on, Jay-Z, Timbaland, Ras Kass, Ludacris, Royce Da 5'9", Shaquille O'Neal, and Da Brat. However, it would take him until 2004 to achieve a platinum, number-one record under his own name.
On his website, Twista stated that he made Kamikaze to show that he was still true to the ideals that he had when he started out. "I represent for the MCs that have skills, not just make music for the hell of it. I take the time to concentrate. Otherwise, I could have 10 albums out there, easy. I could sit down all day and write something. But I write when I get in a zone more than writing because I’ve got to do this. I represent the artists that keep it true to what really is, to be able to make rappers want to write."
"I want to show the streets that I’m back and that I’m true to the game. Musically, I want to show that I’m still out here doing my thing. After all the people that were out when I was out years ago fell off, I’m still out here competing with the shorties. I also want to gain platinum success. It’s something that I haven’t done."
The first single, "Slow Jamz", 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. Kamikaze built on the success of "Slow Jamz" to reach the top of the Billboard 200 album chart upon its release in January 2004 and went platinum by March 2004. The second single, "Overnight Celebrity", became another top 10 Hot 100 hit and a UK top 40 entry, while the third, "So Sexy" (featuring R. Kelly), made the top 40 of the Hot 100. In the UK, the album track "Sunshine", which featured R&B singer Anthony Hamilton and lifted its chorus from Bill Withers' "Lovely Day", was extracted as a third single and became a big hit; this track received comparatively little exposure in the U.S., perhaps because rapper Lil' Flip had a huge hit there at the same time with a different song of the same title.
Albums
Runnin' off at da Mouth (1991, as Tung Twista) (US Certification: Gold)
Resurrection (1994, as Twista) (Never officialy released outside of Chicago's underground)
Adrenaline Rush (1997) #77 US (US Certification: Gold)
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 2007 (2007)
Alright Featuring Kanye West
Twista Lyrics
Alright, alright
Alright alright, alright
Alright alright, alright
Alright, alright
Alright alright, alright
Alright alright, alright
Alright alright, alright
Alright, alright
[Verse 1: Kanye West]
On a scale of one to ten, what do you rate yourself?
Here's some champagne, hydrate yourself
I know I'm lookin' good, you lookin' great yourself
I mean you shittin' on these bitches, you should hate yourself
My style so cold I could skate myself
But I go so hard I could make it melt
I mean the flow so solar every bar
Could power an electric car
My, my, my, whips is side-by-side
He just talkin', mine's outside
Do you mind if I
Take you on a test
Do you have all-wheel drive?
And if that baby purr, I'm gonna baby her
Bitches gon' hate and maybe worse
Cause your ice so brrr I copped you a baby fur
Just to work
I know you was on pur-pur
But this is a whole new arena
See, niggas come by talkin' bout they make it rain
I'll make that bitch Katrina
Mr. Kanye Omari, with my Entourage, no Ari
And a motorcycle jacket, no Harley
She said dude, that's cool
Gnarly
[Chorus: 4X]
Alright alright, alright
Alright alright, alright
Alright alright, alright
Alright, alright
[Verse 2: Twista]
Twista where you at?
Abracadabra, did he vanish?
Hurry up and come out
But I ain't want to panic
I say that I'm in the zone
But they don't understand it
Physically I'm here but mentally I'm on another planet
And it only kinda made 'em look at me like I was stupider
Now they askin' which planet, is it Jupiter?
So I let the money show 'cause I know stacks could talk
I'm mackin' on bitches with my intergalactic thoughts
In my Mercedes Benz
Pull up on a chick and holla at her and her lady friends
Like as rich as an Arabian
I'm kickin' pure flows
Euros they pay me in
For what I put together in the dungeon
I'm lookin' for a UK chick with a nice onion
Never beat it up like Paul Bunyan
And I can't believe they let an American Werewolf in London
Especially when drinking Gs with a tonic
Steady be trippin' while smokin' on the hydroponic
When I spit it like this they be callin' me bionic
Kanye with the Twist, nigga, how ironic
And I'm astonished haters don't wanna see me on
They wanna know how Twista get the easy dome
Swag off the chain, 23s be chrome
Artful Dodgers with the Yeezys on
Gone
[Chorus]
[Verse 3: Twista]
I'm blowin' on flame but yours is all white
And I'ma pull up in the Bentley all white
Step up in the club with nothing but all dykes
Sippin' on some Louis and partyin' all night
Phony-ass people, I don't feel they demeanor
So I hop in the rocket and go and chill over Venus
One of rap's heroes, who came from zero
Makin' something out of nothing, call me Gilbert Arenas
Now I'm fuckin' with divas that rock the stadiums
Blow my brains back 'til my face be numb
I am the shit
It don't make me numb
Rockin' wit a swagger like I got an eight-feet gun
And my flow be colossal 'cause I spit the impossible
Whether with rhythm no limit to what I can do
See through a prism when I conquer an obstacle
And always get money no matter how illogical
I follow through because, uh
[Chorus 10X]
Alright alright, alright
Alright alright, alright
Alright, alright
Alright alright, alright
Alright alright, alright
Alright alright, alright
Alright, alright
On a scale of one to ten, what do you rate yourself?
Here's some champagne, hydrate yourself
I know I'm lookin' good, you lookin' great yourself
I mean you shittin' on these bitches, you should hate yourself
My style so cold I could skate myself
But I go so hard I could make it melt
I mean the flow so solar every bar
Could power an electric car
My, my, my, whips is side-by-side
He just talkin', mine's outside
Do you mind if I
Take you on a test
Do you have all-wheel drive?
And if that baby purr, I'm gonna baby her
Bitches gon' hate and maybe worse
Cause your ice so brrr I copped you a baby fur
Just to work
I know you was on pur-pur
But this is a whole new arena
See, niggas come by talkin' bout they make it rain
I'll make that bitch Katrina
Mr. Kanye Omari, with my Entourage, no Ari
And a motorcycle jacket, no Harley
She said dude, that's cool
Gnarly
[Chorus: 4X]
Alright alright, alright
Alright alright, alright
Alright alright, alright
Alright, alright
[Verse 2: Twista]
Twista where you at?
Abracadabra, did he vanish?
Hurry up and come out
But I ain't want to panic
I say that I'm in the zone
But they don't understand it
Physically I'm here but mentally I'm on another planet
And it only kinda made 'em look at me like I was stupider
Now they askin' which planet, is it Jupiter?
So I let the money show 'cause I know stacks could talk
I'm mackin' on bitches with my intergalactic thoughts
In my Mercedes Benz
Pull up on a chick and holla at her and her lady friends
Like as rich as an Arabian
I'm kickin' pure flows
Euros they pay me in
For what I put together in the dungeon
I'm lookin' for a UK chick with a nice onion
Never beat it up like Paul Bunyan
And I can't believe they let an American Werewolf in London
Especially when drinking Gs with a tonic
Steady be trippin' while smokin' on the hydroponic
When I spit it like this they be callin' me bionic
Kanye with the Twist, nigga, how ironic
And I'm astonished haters don't wanna see me on
They wanna know how Twista get the easy dome
Swag off the chain, 23s be chrome
Artful Dodgers with the Yeezys on
Gone
[Chorus]
[Verse 3: Twista]
I'm blowin' on flame but yours is all white
And I'ma pull up in the Bentley all white
Step up in the club with nothing but all dykes
Sippin' on some Louis and partyin' all night
Phony-ass people, I don't feel they demeanor
So I hop in the rocket and go and chill over Venus
One of rap's heroes, who came from zero
Makin' something out of nothing, call me Gilbert Arenas
Now I'm fuckin' with divas that rock the stadiums
Blow my brains back 'til my face be numb
I am the shit
It don't make me numb
Rockin' wit a swagger like I got an eight-feet gun
And my flow be colossal 'cause I spit the impossible
Whether with rhythm no limit to what I can do
See through a prism when I conquer an obstacle
And always get money no matter how illogical
I follow through because, uh
[Chorus 10X]
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Universal Music Publishing Group, O/B/O DistroKid, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: WRITERS UNKNOWN, KANYE WEST, ERNEST WILSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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@To411u
One of the greatest Songs that never got a Music Video.
@JD.OFFICAL
W
@Bops47
Mad nostalgic… life was much better when this song first came out
@DoveLady
one of ye's best verses.
@belliott88
Ever
@Sunshine96818
when my world was crumbling all around me in 2009 this song picked me up. an all time fave
@Jaymurf
No fr tho... I was doing to much in the streets didn't know how to get out.. thought I was going crazy... I listened to this every night 2 3 in the morning going home... it was comforting as a mf.. peace of mind music
@dannyvaz1218
Underrated song of all time. It's sad a lot of ppl don't know this jam is alive & well.
@warrior424
"The flow so so-lar every bar can power an elctric car" kanye killed it
@outkastkidd
This was my fav era of ye