Twista: Time To Reflect

If Twista ran track, he'd be Michael Johnson. If he played ball, he'd be Allen Iverson, meaing that we all know Twista for being the fastest spitter in the game, but just like those mentioned, he hasn't slowed down in all the years he's been in the league -- flashback to over a decade ago and "Po Pimp" and close to a year back when he dropped the silky, smooth "Girl Tonight." Admittedly, Twista knows he's been reaching out to the ladies and it's gotten him his fair share of hate. Well, like Kanye said: "Hi haters, I'm back off hiatus," and Twista who's kept a low profile as of late is back. And considering all he's seen and been through, expect the grimy, dark street tales of the Chicago's West Side to invade our speakers in 2007.

Ballerstatus.com: What you been up to man? We haven't heard from you in a while?

Twista: Man, just chilling. I've been given the time to focus on the little things and that's what I've been doing. The music hasn't stopped being made, it's just that I've been spending more time with the family and taking care of home.

Ballerstatus.com: Now, I know you had an accident in January 2006. You also had one in 2004 in which your bodyguard/close friend was killed. What was the severity of this recent accident?

Twista: This one wasn't that bad. It was just a minor highway incident. What killed me was that this one got publicized way more than the other one did which involved a death.

Ballerstatus.com: I guess you can call this an easy transition, but I heard you're a car person. What are your favorite cars to drive?

Twista: Lamborghinis man! That's my favorite car to drive by far.

Ballerstatus.com: Any old school cars that you like steering?

Twista: Oh yea, old Chevy's, Cadillac's.

Ballerstatus.com: What were you driving before the deal?

Twista: Before I started rapping, a black Malibu was the car of choice.

Ballerstatus.com: Did you blow all your money on whips once that first deal came in?

Twista: First deal wasn't enough to blow on no whip [laughing]. I just tried to make sure I was straight financially and was able to live comfortably before getting into copping cars.

Ballerstatus.com: I know you put on a benefit concert for Hurricane Katrina victims when the disaster hit. What motivated you to go ahead with that charitable effort?

Twista: Pretty much, the thing that motivated everybody and that was seeing what was happening to citizens of our country... how some people lost their houses, lives, families, and their city. I'm no different than anybody else. I was sitting in front of the TV shocked and teary eyed. The benefit concert was me just doing my part to contribute in the best way I felt I could.

Ballerstatus.com: What do you feel about the current state of New Orleans and how it's being handled?

Twista: Well, I'm not really sure what's going on, but from the outside it seems like its being turned into something it's not. I'm one of those people who have ideas and thoughts sometimes too. I don't want to believe it was a "wash them away, start all over" type deal. But, that's what it seems like. I'm really feeling it. You need to make it better for the people that were down there and help those in need. If you're going to rebuild, it's to put back what was there, but not rebuild for a whole bunch of new people who have no history in New Orleans.

Ballerstatus.com: Tell me about growing up in Chicago? Were you raised in a single parent household?

Twista: I was raised in a single parent home, so my mother was holding it down. Every once and a while, my stepfather would hold us down, but the majority of the time it was single parent.

Ballerstatus.com: How did it affect you being without a father?

Twista: Not much of an effect because me and my brother were two years apart, so we had each other. I don't feel the mistakes I made in my life wouldn't have occurred if I had a father around.

Ballerstatus.com: What side of Chicago are you from?

Twista: I'm from two parts; the ghetto and the hood. I grew up in an area called K-Town (series of streets starting with letter K). A lot of the crazy stuff that goes down in the Chi goes down in that area. Poverty at its highest peak. That's the west side for you. A lot of people that came out from the Chi are from slightly better off areas than mines.

Ballerstatus.com: I know Chicago has a big gang culture. Were you part of it growing up?

Twista: A little bit here and there man, but the good part about me was that I wasn't a late rapper, I was an early rapper. If it weren't for movies like "Krush Groove" and "Aerosol," I could honestly say I probably would've been a full fledged gangbanger. Once I saw those films, I gained an appreciation for the culture and immediately wanted that to be my life.

Ballerstatus.com: When you first got inspired to rap, were there local MCs who you looked up to or mostly out of towners?

Twista: Starting off, it was mostly out of town rappers like it was for most people in the country outside of NY. But there were some Chi-town MCs who put it down and didn't get their just due. One MC I'll never forget is this dude named Corey D. Dude used to put it down! I remember me and my peoples would drop 15-20 rhymes a piece and the man dropped close to 60. And it wasn't like he was just spitting whatever, he was spitting stuff that'd still be cold today. Big ups to him. One of the first pioneers of Chicago hip-hop.

Ballerstatus.com: I've always heard that the Chi is a city of hate and younger MCs don't show respect to their forefathers. Do you feel that's true?

Twista: There was always a code of respect, whether in the street or in a household that you respect those older or those who came before you in a certain arena, sort of like me giving Corey D props. But, the way things are now, what's in style is to tear the next man down. Me... I give props to my man Corey D and another pioneer in the Chi like Tyrone Malone. My label Chi-Rock Entertainment is giving praise to an old school movement that went down in Chicago back in the day. Nowadays, it's F Twista or he ain't holding the city down or I'm the king, etc. It makes me feel like a Jordan or Barkley out there looking at these shorties like, "Damn, you can't show love to those who paved the way." It's a smack in the face, but I hope all those shorties learn that paying tribute to those before you is the right thing to do.

Ballerstatus.com: Would a lot more MCs come out the Chi if they followed the code?

Twista: Definitely. If we could just come together like most other places and put it down collectively without all the hate, we'd be a force to be reckoned with. Think about it. Nas came out onstage with Krs-One despite the fact that he dropped "The Bridge Is Over" and ended MC Shan's career. But Nas showed that love for his forefathers because of the art and it had nothing to do with any disses on Queens or whatever. He respects KRS as an artist. It's bigger than all the petty stuff.

Ballerstatus.com: Onto your albums... How did the recording process differ from Kamikaze to The Day After?

Twista: On Kamikaze, I wrote everything down. The latter I didn't write a lot down because with Kamikaze I was still trying to go hard. I still wanted to see if they were feeling the kid and I could go platinum. When it happened, I knew people loved me and it built my self esteem up and the swagger got a little different. The lyrics came much easier on the latter LP. Before The Day After, I was a perfectionist and people loved me for that because I'd sit down and craft every verse perfectly. When The Day After came, I learned to love perfection without racking my brain and instead just letting it flow.

Ballerstatus.com: Considering that Kamikaze went platinum, do you feel you tapped into a whole new fanbase and who do you think those people were?

Twista: Of course! I feel most of the fans that were riding with Kanye jumped onto me after our collaborations on "Slow Jams" and "Overnight Celebrity." This propelled the Kamikaze album and then I had love from different races and different coasts that I never really knew felt me.

Ballerstatus.com: The Day After didn't match Kamikaze sales-wise. Did that concern you and does it concern you even more now considering the lagging CD market?

Twista: I'm concerned a bit, but I saw it coming because I was one of the first artists that showed how the industry was changing. It's a domino effect. Twista came out with Kamikaze and went big first week and then the first week of The Day After went half of that. The industry changed at the end of 2005. Reasons for the slack in my sales also had to do with changes at Atlantic and people who never dealt with me before, handling my project.

Ballerstatus.com: I heard you're coming out with a new mixtape. Tell me about it? How is it different from the LPs?

Twista: Man, I got like four or five mixtapes out right now. I got that "X-Files" joint out. The difference is that you get to let it out on the mixtape. You can't really do that on the albums. The mixtape game has provided many artists a platform to get into the game. Just look at Papoose and the way he hustled to a deal. It's almost like a proving ground.

Ballerstatus.com: How heavy is the mixtape game in the Chi?

Twista: It's getting pretty heavy. One of the Shadyville DJs from here, DJ Sean Mac, is doing it real big and I actually did two or three mixtapes with him that are crazy. He's always putting together mixtapes with the new, hot artists from the Chi. So, if you need to find out who's hot on the underground circuit, peep DJ Sean Mac.

Ballerstatus.com: What's the status with the Speedknot Mobstaz?

Twista: We in the process of shopping a deal and the album is completely finished and we about to shoot videos.

Ballerstatus.com: What can we expect in the future from you?

Twista: Well, in 2007 you will definitely see my return. Last album, you seen a lot of girl records and I was making it hot for them, but now that I been away from the scene and back to Earth and seeing the hood, I got to get grimy and dirty for everyone again.

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