Meet the speed demon of the mic, Twista, hailing from the Windy City of Chicago! Guinness World Records once crowned him the Usain Bolt of English-speaking rappers for his lightning-fast delivery. With his early ’90s vibes, Twista burst onto the scene with his debut album, “Runnin’ Off at da Mouth.”
Twista didn’t just hit the scene and vanish like a ninja in the night. He teamed up with heavyweights like Kanye West and Jamie Foxx for the Grammy-worthy “Slow Jamz” in 2004. And don’t forget about “Overnight Celebrity,” another banger that snagged some Grammy nods.
However, Twista doesn’t just rest on his fast-flow laurels. He’s been dropping musical bombs left and right, both solo and in cahoots with some interesting characters. And now Twista’s latest venture involves a 15-year-old rock sensation named Seraphina Sanan. The rap maestro and the teenage rockstar have joined forces to unleash a genre-blending track titled “Nothing.”
“Slow Jamz”: A Timeless Favorite By Twista
Twista spoke to The Messenger recently to promote the track and also weighed in on new developments in Tupac’s murder case and what he hopes his legacy will be. The “Make A Movie” rapper has always been interested in mixing unlikely sounds with hip-hop.
Twista’s “Overnight Celebrity” features soulful violins, so anyone familiar with the song knows the rapper isn’t afraid to “get into different vibes,” as he puts it. “Even on my very first album, I did something with a jazz feel called ‘Scat Like Dat,'” he said.
“I did a blues record that was nominated for a Grammy,” he added, referring to “Slow Jamz.” “I try to make timeless music.”
“Slow Jamz” is one of my favorites by Twista!
From Dumb Downs To Techno-Ups
For over 30 years, Twista has ridden the highs and lows of the music biz, witnessing massive shifts like streaming taking over and social media going bananas. But Twista’s not sweating it! He’s digging the vibe of the industry today, feeling as happy as a clam about where things are headed. Plus, he’s seen more musical twists and turns than a pretzel factory, “I’ve seen [the industry] evolve,” he told The Messenger.
“I’ve seen it get dumbed down. I’ve seen different levels — and there’s not just one way to see it. I’m happy about what technology was able to do for artists as far as giving them a platform to put their music out there, so I’m loving the vibe of music right now — I’m loving the cadences [and] the flows.”
Twista And Sanan’s Musical Odyssey
Spreading musical love vibes, Twista has teamed up with Sanan, a rising star in a completely different musical galaxy. “It was just a dope sound that I heard and I wanted to be a part of,” he said, recalling when his producer Frederick “Toxic” Taylor played him Sanan’s track “Nothing.”
While growing up, Sanan first heard Twista’s music in her older sister’s room. “It was incredible meeting someone who knows so much about the industry since I’m still fairly new,” Sanan told The Messenger on the same phone call with Twista. “Just in that short amount of time [working together], I felt like I grew so much — even just in that 32 hours that we were filming [the “Nothing” music video] together.”
Twista added, “It’s a blessing that a person of my caliber, being an O.G. in the game, is still able to work with people coming up and for it to be able to resonate.”
Seraphina’s Bold Venture Into Rap And Metal
Teaming up with Twista proved to be nothing short of mind-blowing for Seraphina. She raved about the rapper, emphasizing how they’re both committed to tackling big issues with their music. Seraphina was so excited to work with Twista that she was practically rapping at the speed of light!
The 15-year-old sees rap and metal as kindred spirits, fearlessly delving into themes that might make other genres flinch. Collaborating with Twista allowed her to flaunt her prowess in blending genres and push the boundaries of her musical horizons. As CeeLo Green once said: “Rock n’ roll is not just a fashion statement; it is the attitude, and it has a political posturing as well.”
The Day Twista Crossed Paths With Tupac
The Chicago-native rapper cherishes the memory of meeting Tupac as one of the standout moments in his career.
As a seasoned veteran in the rap scene, Twista’s journey has been so long that he bumped into Tupac back when the legendary rapper was rocking the scene after his stint in the 1992 film ‘Juice.’
Twista proudly reminisces about that brief encounter, labeling it a peak experience. “Meeting Tupac was one of those moments I hold dear,” he beams, reflecting on the day he spotted the rapper right after his chat with DJ Sway Calloway. Fun fact: Sway was still a college DJ at that time, spinning tracks like a musical genius in the making!
In addition, Twista expressed his concerns regarding the latest arrest in connection with Tupac’s murder. “I’m really happy to see some form of closure,” he said. “If you actually grew up in that era when [Tupac] was out and then you saw this much time go past before something happened with his case, it’s depressing and heartbreaking.”
Twista’s got some wild thoughts about the hip-hop scene. He’s out here saying it’s more wild and untamed than a pack of party animals from the ’90s. Back then, folks didn’t have the megaphone of social media to blast each other with drama. You could be fuming at home, but you couldn’t unleash it to the world like you can now. Twista’s pointing fingers at social media, saying it’s making situations worse. It’s like having a gun with no bullets: it may look intimidating, but it’s ultimately harmless. Social media has allowed people to fire off accusations with no repercussions, leading to an escalation in drama and tension.
Bridging Generations In The Music Realm
Twista aims to give his fans an experience, no matter which artist hops on board with him. As the music scene evolves, passing the mic from the O.G.’s to the fresh faces, his mission in the melody game stays unchanged. It’s like a relay race, where Twista passes the baton to the next generation of artists, keeping the energy going as the scene evolves. “What I try to do when I record a verse or I’m a part of [a music project in other ways] is create an overall sound and experience,” he said.
“Whether I’m [collaborating] with an old school artist or a new school artist, my goal is that when you turn [the song] on, I want your eyebrows to go up and be like, ‘What’s this?’ And that’s what I think about [Seraphina’s] music, especially the song ‘Nothing.'”
Listen to Twista and Seraphina’s new song “Nothing” below.
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Written by Nikiya Biggs | Twitter | LinkedIn | Facebook
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