Twista: The Fastest Tung in Hip Hop

Twista comes by way of Chicago, where he still is a major celebrity and even a local newspaper columnist if you can believe that. But he is also of course a major national player who has survived since the 1990s, from the days when he was known as Tung Twista the fastest rapper around until he scored major Billboard points in the 2000s.

It would be in the early 1990s, though, when Twista really got his initial taste of fame. It was in 1992 that the Guinness Book of World Records had him down as the fastest rapper in the world. And it was also around this time that the first Twista record came out, called "Runnin Off at Da Mouth." Back then his name was Tung Twista, so you get the play off of Tung in the name of the album?

Despite being able to rap at the speed of 11.2 syllables per second-try it, I dare you-the first Twista album didn't score big commercial success. Neither did the second Twista record, called "Resurrection." He went from being called Tung Twista, and it still didn't help him sell records.

Too Fast To Slow Down

Still, despite not making it big on his first two tries, Twista did not quit. He stayed in the local scene making mix tapes and keeping it real for his neighbors. And usually the old adage works, that adage being "If you don't at first succeed …" You know the rest right? Anyways, the moral of the story is keep working hard and good things come your way.

They did for Twista the Twista song "Po Pimp," which he did with Do or Die, got the attention of Atlantic records. That was 1996, and by 1997, the next Twista record, "Adrenaline Rush," was a big hit on the down low despite no large promotions or media hype. By 1998, the next Twista album came out, "Mobstability."

Twista now had a national reputation, and while putting out compilation albums on his own label, Twista also started to work with folks like Da Brat, Ludacris, Timbaland, and even P. Didy.

A Twista Tearing Through the Industry

Then Twista went really big. The 2004 Twista record called "Kamikaze" went straight to platinum. Some would say it helped to have Kanye West backing the project, producing two of the Twista songs and guest rapping on the "Slow Jamz" single. But let's give Twista some credit. He'd been working hard for a decade, building his audience and his reputation to match the skills he had since Guinness named him the fastest drawing man in the West.

Still, when Kanye didn't work as much on the next Twista album, "The Day After," there wasn't as much success. Should we worry? Who us worry? No way. Twista got back with Kanye in a big way on the soundtrack for "Mission Impossible III" and on the last Twista album, called "Adrenaline Rush 2007."

From Twista to Hip Hop Music