Kamikaze (album)

Kamikaze is the fourth studio album by American rapper Twista which reached the top of the US Billboard 200 album charts in early 2004 based on the success of the lead single "Slow Jamz". It was released on January 27, 2004 & sold 312,000 units first week. The album has received generally positive reviews from critics.^[1] It is Twista's only Platinum album and most successful to date.

Background

On his website, Twista stated that he made Kamikaze to show that he was still true to the ideals that he had when he started out. "I represent for the MCs that have skills, not just make music for the hell of it. I take the time to concentrate. Otherwise, I could have 10 albums out there, easy. I could sit down all day and write something. But I write when I get in a zone more than writing because I’ve got to do this. I represent the artists that keep it true to what really is, to be able to make rappers want to write."

"I want to show the streets that I’m back and that I’m true to the game. Musically, I want to show that I’m still out here doing my thing. After all the people that were out when I was out years ago fell off, I’m still out here competing with the shorties. I also want to gain platinum success. It’s something that I haven’t done."

The song "Sunshine" contains the backing track from Lovely Day by Bill Withers.

The song "Overnight Celebrity" contains a sample of the Lenny Williams 1978 song "Cause I Love You".

Chart success

The first single "Slow Jamz" featured Kanye West and Jamie Foxx. It topped the Billboard Hot 100 and world R&B charts in early 2004, . Kamikaze built on the success of "Slow Jamz" to reach the top of the Billboard 200 album charts on release in January 2004 and to go platinum by March 2004. The second single "Overnight Celebrity" had also reached top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 and world R&B chart in March 2004. The single "So Sexy" with R. Kelly reached #25 on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming a success.

Reception

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	66/100 ^[1]
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	^[2]
Blender	^[1]
Robert Christgau	^[3]
HipHopDX	^[4]
Pitchfork Media	(6.4/10) ^[5]
PopMatters	^[1]^[6]
RapReviews	(8.5/10) ^[7]
Rolling Stone	^[8]
USA Today	^[9]
Vibe	^[1]

The album so far has a score of 66 out of 100 based on "generally positive reviews".^[1] The A.V. Club gave it a favorable review and stated that the album "feels eclectic without stooping to demographics-pandering, though its contradictory elements create a few jarring moments."^[10] E! Online gave it a B and said, "Twista still manages to steal the limelight on hot booty-busters like 'Slow Jamz' and 'Pimp On.'"^[1] Yahoo! Music UK gave it seven stars out of ten and called it "overlong, like almost every rap album today, and it's not the sort of place to come expecting erudition or insight. But for one singular rapper unwilling and unafraid to stick to his guns, it's a deeply satisfying record."^[11] Other reviews are pretty average or mixed: Q gave it three stars out of five and said, "Twista's overshadowed by [Kanye] West, but with jacked-up soul tunes such as 'Overnight Celebrity', the result, who cares?"^[1] The Village Voice, however, gave it a mixed review and said that the album "Suggests nothing so much as Adrenaline Rush part two."^[12]

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"Get Me"	C. Mitchell, F. Taylor, L. Huff, C. Gilbert	Toxic	3:10
2.	"Kill Us All"	C. Mitchell, F. Taylor	Toxic	4:13
3.	"Pimp On" (featuring 8Ball & Too Short)	C. Mitchell, T. Shaw, P. Smith, F. Taylor	Toxic	4:02
4.	"Slow Jamz" (featuring Kanye West & Jamie Foxx)	C. Mitchell, K. West, B. Bacharach, H. David	Kanye West	3:32
5.	"Overnight Celebrity" (featuring Kanye West)	C. Mitchell, K. West, M. Ben-Ari, M. Bennett, L. Williams	Kanye West	3:54
6.	"Still Feels So Good" (featuring Jazze Pha)	C. Mitchell, P. Alexander, F. Taylor	Toxic	4:09
7.	"Drinks"	C. Mitchell, F. Taylor	Toxic	4:14
8.	"Badunkadunk"	C. Mitchell, P. Alexander	Jazze Pha	4:14
9.	"One Last Time"	C. Mitchell, K. West	Kanye West	4:56
10.	"So Sexy" (featuring R. Kelly)	R. Kelly, C. Mitchell	R. Kelly	3:51
11.	"Higher" (featuring Ludacris)	C. Mitchell, C. Bridges, R. Leverston	Wildstyle	3:31
12.	"Snoopin’"	C. Mitchell, F. Taylor	Toxic	5:22
13.	"Like a 24" (featuring T.I. & Liffy Stokes)	C. Mitchell, S. Lindley, C. Harris	The Legendary Traxster	4:28
14.	"Hope" (featuring Cee-Lo)	C. Mitchell, F. Taylor, C. Morton	Toxic	4:33
15.	"Sunshine" (featuring Anthony Hamilton)	C. Mitchell, A. Hamilton, A. Thelusma, B. Withers, S. Scarborough	Red Spyda	3:44
16.	"Art & Life (Chi-Roc)" (featuring Memphis Bleek, Young Chris & Freeway)	C. Mitchell, D. Andrews, B. Bridgeman, M. Caren, D. Palmer, C. Reis, M. Cox, L. Pridgen	D-Roy and Mr. B, Mike Caren	4:09
17.	"Don't Get Me (Outro)"	C. Mitchell	LBC King	4:55
Total length:				70:39

Notes

"Pimp On" features additional vocals by Bishop Don Magic Juan and Highbeam.
"Slow Jamz" features additional vocals by Aisha Tyler.
"Overnight Celebrity" features violins by Miri Ben-Ari, keyboards by John Legend, and additional vocals by Kanye West.
"Still Feels So Good" features additional vocals by Ms. Kane.
"Drinks" features additional vocals by Highbeam.
"Badunkadunk" features additional vocals by Jazze Pha.
"So Sexy" features guitars by Greg Landfair, additional keys by Rodney East, and additional vocals by JS.
"Snoopin'" features additional vocals by Danny Boy.
"Hope" features additional vocal production by Mike Caren and a children's choir led by Yvonne Williams
"Sunshine" features additional vocal production by Mike Caren

Sample credits

"Get Me" contains elements from "Here I Am" written by Leon Huff and Cary Gilbert and performed by The Three Degrees.
"Slow Jamz" contains samples from the composition "House Is Not a Home" written by Burt Bacharach and Hal David and performed by Luther Vandross.
"Overnight Celebrity" contains excerpts from the composition "'Cause I Love You" written by Michael Bennett and Lenny Williams and performed by Williams.^[13]
"Sunshine" contains elements from "Lovely Day" written by Bill Withers and Skip Scarborough and performed by Withers

Bonus Tracks

These songs were included on the re-released version of Kamikaze.

17. "So Sexy: Chapter II (Like This)" (featuring R. Kelly)

18. "Freek-a-Leek (Remix)" (featuring Petey Pablo & Jermaine Dupri)

"Y'all Know Who", produced by Toxic, was an international bonus track, while "Get Dat Doe", produced by Don Vito, was a bonus track in the UK

Charts

Chart (2004)	Peak position
Australian Albums (ARIA)^[14]	76
UK Albums (OCC)^[15]	19
US Billboard 200^[16]	1
US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)^[17]	1

References

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Critic Reviews for Kamikaze". Metacritic. 2004-01-27. Retrieved 2011-06-15.
↑ Jeffries, David. "Kamikzae - Twista". Allmusic. All Media Guide. Retrieved 2011-06-15.
↑ "CG: twista". Robert Christgau. Retrieved 2011-06-15.
↑ Koslow, Jessica (2004-02-28). "Twista - Kamikaze | Read Hip Hop Reviews, Rap Reviews & Hip Hop Album Reviews". HipHopDX. Retrieved 2011-06-15.
↑ Fennessey, Sean (2004-02-09). "Twista: Kamikaze". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved 2011-06-15.
↑ Cibula, Matt (2004-02-13). "Twista: Kamikaze". PopMatters. Retrieved 2013-05-30.
↑ Juon, Steve "Flash" (2004-02-03). "Feature for February 3, 2004 - Twista's "Kamikaze"". RapReviews. Retrieved 2011-06-15.
↑ Hoard, Christian (2004-01-30). "Kamikaze : Twista : Review". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 2008-02-06. Retrieved 2013-05-30.
↑ Jones, Steve (2004-02-05). "Twista resonates, Connick impersonates (Twista, Kamikaze)". USA Today. Retrieved 2013-05-30.
↑ Rabin, Nathan (2004-02-03). "Twista: Kamikaze". The A.V. Club. Retrieved 2013-05-30.
↑ Batey, Angus (2004-04-05). "Twista - 'Kamikaze'". Yahoo! Music UK. Archived from the original on 2004-08-14. Retrieved 2013-05-30.
↑ Caramanica, Jon (2004-03-16). "Fast and Folliclous". The Village Voice. Retrieved 2013-05-30.
↑ Lenny Williams - Midnight Girl / 'Cause I Love You at Discogs
↑ "Australiancharts.com – Twista – Kamikaze". Hung Medien. Retrieved May 5, 2016.
↑ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 5, 2016.
↑ "Twista – Chart history" Billboard 200 for Twista. Retrieved May 5, 2016.
↑ "Twista – Chart history" Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums for Twista. Retrieved May 5, 2016.

External links

Preceded by Speakerboxxx/The Love Below by OutKast	Billboard 200 number-one album February 8, 2004 - February 14, 2004	Succeeded by When the Sun Goes Down by Kenny Chesney

Twista

Discography

Studio albums	Runnin' Off at da Mouth Resurrection Adrenaline Rush Kamikaze The Day After Adrenaline Rush 2007 Category F5 The Perfect Storm Dark Horse

EPs	2 for 10 Back to the Basics

Singles	"Mr. Tung Twista" "Emotions" "Get It Wet" "In Your World" "Slow Jamz" "Overnight Celebrity" "So Sexy" "Sunshine" "So Sexy: Chapter II (Like This)" "Hope" "Girl Tonite" "Hit the Floor" "So Lonely" "Give It Up" "Wetter" "On Top" "I Do" "Make a Movie" "Throwin' My Money"

Featured singles	"Po Pimp" "Is That Your Chick (The Lost Verses)" "Let's Go" "Gotta Make It" "DJ Play a Love Song" "Spit Your Game" "5000 Ones" "Hell No (Leave Home)" "Cuddy Buddy" "Smile" "Worldwide Choppers"

Related articles	Get Money Gang Entertainment Speedknot Mobstaz

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