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)

Victory or Death
Twista Lyrics

Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴

2000
No mothafuckin mercy for tha new millennium
It's Victory or Death
I'm tha Twista in this bitch
Mothafuckaz talkin 'bout styles and shit
And who bit what and who made what
Nigga fuck all y'all styles
I'm finna set this shit off like this here

Chitowns murderous mob gothic
Hard knock it give me tha mothafuckin ammunition I'll cock it
Respected like i'm one of Gods prophets
Gotta put it down for legit ballaz and you don't think
That i'll rock it annihilate that nigga
'cause like a lamb I was sacrificed for this verbal murder religion
Imprisioned by my hunger to succeed
By the heart I be driven
No shakin, no shiverin, get your shit to bleed
Reciting street literature, shall i spit tha creed
Now who them mothafuckaz talkin 'bout bitin
Go get me the pump-out of my trunk-I'm finna buss
y'all better run punk
Fuck where you got your style from I be the one
Rippin the track and I'm murderin
I'm in the middle of killin 'em off when the guns dump
With a young pump two to the brain don't even harm me
You fuckin every party, you won't even startle
You' the harder crew of lyrical giants
Turnin mothafuckaz like you to microscopic particles
To hype, to stop it the modules on cruise control
Ride out on these niggas-bitches-ho's
Ain't takin no titles I instantly bruise your soul
Talkin that shit to me- trigger vicious flows
Get to rippin my clothes and start snappin like I'm
Sniffin shit up the nose, and catchin convulsions
Till i'm trembling no surrendering start shootin and
Knockin mothafuckaz out like Benalyn
Reminiscin' on that adrenaline
Oh, now you rememberin
Overdose 'em on poisonous poetry from the west to the wild y'all
Gangbagin like Gotti, rockin tha party
Straight up shockin your body doin it Kami Kaze style y'all

Hook 1:
Cause it's Victory or Death nigga, better stay out the way
When my adrenaline pumpin or you can get a..(click-clock-blast)
Die mothafucka die!
Ain't no makin me bleed cause i've got family to feed
It's (repeat)

Hook 2:
I would rather die before i can't prosper I'm a mobsta
Won't stop ballin, because it's meant to be,
It's Victory or Death I gotta hustle till i'm gone
(repeat)

To all the folks and the lords.
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 niggaz know in the door
Make a mothafucka bleed for what you need
'cause 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 fuck you so you better be on the grind
Don't be one of the blind gotta stay alert
And put in work 'cause time is almost up
Twistas, Hurricanes, and Volcanoes erupt
So we can't stop the struggle,
I'm killin my enemy, breakin 'em off and not givin a fuck.
And I pray to the Lord my soul to keep
When i go to the sky
Thank you from savin me form a torturous life of hell,
But hile I'm here I'm straight legit ballin until I die
Lets better these years, feel the blood sweat and the tears
Organize, I'll sit back and smoke a Philly witcha
Never scared of my peers, I only got federal fears
And I'm known to put it down for my city nigga
And when we get full of this indo
Hydroponics and Chronic lock up ya doors and tha window
Better go and call up your kinfolks
Cause the riders that's down with this mob
Will murder when the wind blow
Don't know what you info
We bring terror in this Apocalyptic era of Armageddon we headin in
And the only way we can survive is if we come hard
And strive to be gods instead of men!

hooks 1&2

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Twista's "Victory or Death" are a representation of his aggressive and uncompromising approach to rap music. In the first few lines, he establishes the context of the new millennium and how it brings in the need for a victory or death mindset. Twista considers himself the king of the style and shuts down his critics, indicating he is here to make a statement.

Twista uses violent and brutal language throughout, detailing his abilities to murder with hot lyrical flows. The second paragraph talks about him being respected like one of God's prophets and has been sacrificed like a lamb for the verbal murder religion. He speaks of being imprisoned by his hunger to succeed and his heart driving him to achieve his goals. Twista then moves to speak of firearms, stating he is not phased by the idea of shooting or death. He ends the song with reference to God in prayer and emphasizing the importance of striving to be gods instead of men.

Line by Line Meaning

2000
It's the new millennium and there will be no mercy for anyone.

No mothafuckin mercy for tha new millennium
There will be absolutely no mercy for anyone in the new millennium.

It's Victory or Death
The only options are to achieve victory or face death.

I'm tha Twista in this bitch
I am Twista and I dominate this industry.

Mothafuckaz talkin 'bout styles and shit
People are discussing and comparing different styles.

And who bit what and who made what
They are questioning who copied and who originated certain styles.

Nigga fuck all y'all styles
I don't care about any of your styles.

I'm finna set this shit off like this here
I'm about to start this and take over.

Chitowns murderous mob gothic
The Chicago mob is violent and gothic in nature.

Hard knock it give me tha mothafuckin ammunition I'll cock it
Give me the necessary means to succeed and I'll prepare myself.

Respected like i'm one of Gods prophets
I am highly respected, like a prophet chosen by God.

Gotta put it down for legit ballaz and you don't think
I will represent and defend the true gangsters, even if you doubt it.

That i'll rock it annihilate that nigga
I will completely destroy anyone who opposes me.

'cause like a lamb I was sacrificed for this verbal murder religion
I have dedicated my life to the art of lyrical murder and sacrifice everything for it.

Imprisioned by my hunger to succeed
My intense desire for success has trapped me and drives me.

By the heart I be driven
I am driven by passion and determination.

No shakin, no shiverin, get your shit to bleed
I am fearless and will make you suffer.

Reciting street literature, shall i spit tha creed
I express my experiences and knowledge of the streets in my music.

Now who them mothafuckaz talkin 'bout bitin
Who are those people saying that others are copying?

Go get me the pump-out of my trunk-I'm finna buss
Retrieve the gun from my car trunk because I am about to shoot.

y'all better run punk
You all better start running, you coward.

Fuck where you got your style from I be the one
I don't care where you got your style from because I am the original.

Rippin the track and I'm murderin
I am dominating the song and delivering killer verses.

I'm in the middle of killin 'em off when the guns dump
I am in the process of eliminating my enemies when the gunshots start.

With a young pump two to the brain don't even harm me
Even if shot twice in the head, I won't be affected.

You fuckin every party, you won't even startle
You ruin every gathering, but it doesn't faze me.

You' the harder crew of lyrical giants
You may think you are tough with your big words, but you're nothing compared to me.

Turnin mothafuckaz like you to microscopic particles
I annihilate people like you, reducing them to tiny particles.

To hype, to stop it the modules on cruise control
To generate excitement and prevent it from stopping, I am in total control.

Ride out on these niggas-bitches-ho's
I will confront and attack anyone.

Ain't takin no titles I instantly bruise your soul
I refuse to submit to anyone and I will damage their soul instantly.

Talkin that shit to me- trigger vicious flows
If you challenge me, I will release aggressive and intense lyrics.

Get to rippin my clothes and start snappin like I'm
You're trying to provoke me and make me lose control.

Sniffin shit up the nose, and catchin convulsions
You think I'm doing drugs and having seizures.

Till i'm trembling no surrendering start shootin and
Until I am shaking uncontrollably, I won't give up and will start shooting.

Knockin mothafuckaz out like Benalyn
I am knocking people out with the force of Benalyn (a brand of cough syrup).

Reminiscin' on that adrenaline
I am remembering the rush of adrenaline.

Oh, now you rememberin
Now you realize what you're up against.

Overdose 'em on poisonous poetry from the west to the wild y'all
I am overwhelming them with deadly rhymes and lyrics from the west to the wild areas.

Gangbagin like Gotti, rockin tha party
I am causing chaos like Gotti (referring to the mob boss) and dominating the party.

Straight up shockin your body doin it Kami Kaze style y'all
I am shocking and electrifying your body with my Kamikaze-style performance.

Cause it's Victory or Death nigga, better stay out the way
It's either victory or death, so you better not interfere.

When my adrenaline pumpin or you can get a..(click-clock-blast)
If my adrenaline is pumping, you might receive a gunshot.

Die mothafucka die!
I want you to die, motherfucker!

Ain't no makin me bleed cause i've got family to feed
You can't make me bleed because I have a family to take care of.

I would rather die before i can't prosper I'm a mobsta
I would rather die than not succeed, I am a mobster.

Won't stop ballin, because it's meant to be
I won't stop being successful, it's my destiny.

It's Victory or Death I gotta hustle till i'm gone
It's either victory or death, and I need to keep hustling until the end.

To all the folks and the lords.
I address all the people and the leaders.

The bloods and the crips and every ward lets roll
The Bloods, the Crips, and every neighborhood should unite and take action.

You gotta go- for what you know
You have to take action based on what you know.

If it's retaliation get low
If it's about seeking revenge, stay hidden and be cautious.

When you get to the calico let it flow
When you have a gun, use it effectively.

Make these niggaz know in the door
Make sure these people understand and respect your presence.

Make a mothafucka bleed for what you need
Make someone suffer to fulfill your desires.

'cause the familys gotta eat in the last days it's hatred and greed
Because the family needs to survive, there is hatred and greed in these final days.

Luv to the Gov's, B.M.'s, Field marshals, elites and the chief
I show love and respect to the gang leaders, the elites, and the chief.

Soldiers we better take heed and realize
Soldiers, pay attention and become aware.

Signs of the times, stand by yo 9
The signs of the times are evident, so be prepared to use your gun.

Watch out for tha haters and write yo' rhymes
Be cautious of the haters and focus on writing your lyrics.

But the industry is set up to fuck you so you better be on the grind
The music industry is designed to exploit you, so you need to work hard.

Don't be one of the blind gotta stay alert
Don't be ignorant, you need to stay vigilant.

And put in work 'cause time is almost up
You must work hard because time is running out.

Twistas, Hurricanes, and Volcanoes erupt
Twistas, Hurricanes, and Volcanoes explode with force.

So we can't stop the struggle
We must continue fighting and striving.

I'm killin my enemy, breakin 'em off and not givin a fuck
I am killing my enemies and destroying them without caring about consequences.

And I pray to the Lord my soul to keep
I pray to God to protect my soul.

When i go to the sky
When I die and go to heaven.

Thank you from savin me form a torturous life of hell
Thank you for saving me from a miserable life in hell.

But hile I'm here I'm straight legit ballin until I die
While I'm alive, I will continue to be successful and live extravagantly.

Lets better these years, feel the blood sweat and the tears
Let's make these years better by experiencing the effort and emotions we put in.

Organize, I'll sit back and smoke a Philly witcha
Let's get organized, and while we do that, I'll relax and smoke a Philly cigar with you.

Never scared of my peers, I only got federal fears
I am not afraid of my peers, but I have concerns about facing the federal government.

And I'm known to put it down for my city nigga
I am recognized for representing my city and giving my all.

And when we get full of this indo
When we consume this high-quality marijuana (indo),

Hydroponics and Chronic lock up ya doors and tha window
The potent strains of marijuana will make you shut your doors and windows.

Better go and call up your kinfolks
You should inform your family and close friends.

Cause the riders that's down with this mob
Because the loyal members of this gang are ready to take action.

Will murder when the wind blow
They will kill at any opportunity.

Don't know what you info
You don't know what information you possess.

We bring terror in this Apocalyptic era of Armageddon we headin in
We cause terror in this era of impending Armageddon.

And the only way we can survive is if we come hard
The only way we can survive is by being tough and aggressive.

And strive to be gods instead of men!
We need to aim to become godlike beings, not mere mortals.

I'll sit back and smoke a Philly witcha
I will relax and smoke a Philly cigar with you.