HHWired asked Cavalier to share his thoughts on being omitted from MTV’s Hottest MCs List. As usual, T takes the high road, and states that he values career longevity over short-term notoriety. And I have to agree with him – Twista’s been doing this since 1991, so he knows a thing or two. Now, I will say that Category F5, was bar none, one of the dopest Hip-Hop albums of the year (I’m sure some of you beg to differ), so he’s on my list. Would he be on yours?
“I wouldn’t put myself as a number, but I would rank myself as one of the top because a lot of the times you have two types of MCs. Some of them can come up with metaphors to death, but can’t make a style or ride a beat to save their life. Some artists can ride the fuck out of a beat and give you different styles and melodies, but the subject matter is garbage.
I feel like I am able to do both. Certain artists like Jay-Z, Eminem, Busta Rhymes, Ludacris can do both. Some artists will just ride their rhythm or just give you those metaphors and can’t really mesh both worlds. What makes a top lyricist or MC to me is one that can come with rhythm and patterns as well as metaphors as well as being an entertainer with the lyrics and having some type of battle skills. Those are the things that make a top lyricist.”
“My mark is putting it down for the Mid-West and the mark of longevity. When people ask, I want my legacy to be longevity and I want to be the one who when you look up and say that a rapper can’t last in the game as long as an R&B artist or any other genre of music, I want to be the first example. I want people to look up and say look at Twista.
Not just from music though because for longevity in music you have to have the talent to do music to the fullest and you have to be a well-rounded person to the best of your ability. No man can make it in any business if he makes bad decisions in life. I feel like just having a cool head on my shoulders and coming with the music the way that I do is the reason that I can drop a record in ’91 and still have Akon and Kanye on my record in ’09.”