Biography
Who is Twista?
Early life and real name
Carl Terrell Mitchell was born on November 27, 1973, in Chicago, Illinois. He grew up in the West Side neighborhood of the city and began rapping at the age of 12. Before finding success in the music industry, he worked at several different jobs to support himself. These jobs included working at a factory, selling shoes, working at McDonald's, working as a security guard, and cutting hair in his local community.
How Twista became famous
Twista released his debut album Runnin' Off at da Mouth in 1992 under the name Tung Twista. During that same period, he gained international attention for holding a record as the fastest English-speaking rapper, pronouncing 598 syllables in 55 seconds according to Guinness World Records. He later shortened his stage name and dropped the word Tung.
His breakthrough came after he appeared on the hit single Po Pimp by Do or Die. This success led to a recording contract with Atlantic Records and the release of his album Adrenaline Rush in 1997. The album became his first to chart on the Billboard 200 and established his presence in the national hip-hop scene.
Career highlights and albums
In 1998, Twista formed the group Speedknot Mobstaz and released the album Mobstability. He achieved even greater commercial success with his 2004 album Kamikaze, which debuted at the top of the US Billboard 200 chart. The album featured the number-one single Slow Jamz, created in collaboration with Kanye West and Jamie Foxx.
Following that success, Twista released several more studio albums, including The Day After in 2005, Category F5 in 2009, and The Perfect Storm in 2010. He also launched his own record label called Get Money Gang Entertainment. His later releases included Dark Horse in 2014 and Crook County in 2017, while he also appeared as a judge on the Netflix rap competition series Rhythm + Flow in 2019.
Personal life and community work
Twista was married from 1991 to 1999 and has a daughter with his ex-wife. Outside of his music career, he has been active in community outreach. During the holiday season in 2010, he worked with the Chicago Food Bank to help feed hungry people in the local area.
He is also a certified firearms instructor and gun enthusiast. He holds an Illinois Concealed Carry License and works with the US Concealed Carry Association and the National Rifle Association of America, aiming to use education to help combat gun violence.
Birthday and age
Twista was born on November 27, 1973, which makes Twista 52 years old today. That birthday falls under the Sagittarius sign. Twista shares the date with 64 other famous people.
Explore more
