Disco de Twista: “The Day After [PA]”

After the success of Kamikaze, many diehard Twista fans accused him of having sold out, because it wasn't until he hit the mainstream that he started seeing platinum sales. Love it or hate it, Twista tried to continue that essence with his follow-up, The Day After. Unfortunately, it just doesn't work as well.

Most of the other two-star reviews are pretty accurate (especially Constant and Norris' respective reviews). I think it can be assumed that the day after is Women's Day because Twista is spending most of the album rapping to the ladies (LL Cool J, anyone?). Not only that, but in some places it's a little too obvious that he's trying to recapture the magic of "Slow Jamz". The lead single "Girl Tonite" is the most obvious example of this, especially since Twist is once again naming balladeers and their respective songs. Also, am I the only one to find it a little odd that Twista says "When I touch her, she like" and then TREY says "Oh"? (Think about it a minute.) Another example is an obligatory Neptunes track called "Lavish", where Twista proves that he can't always rap over a slow beat.

Yet another song for the ladies that fails is "So Lonely" featuring Mariah Carey. I don't know what's up with Mimi's voice on the song, but she kind of sounds like a wannabe version of herself. Speaking of weird hooks, "Had to Call" features a chorus sung by somebody named Sleepy Eyed Jones, and he sounds like, well, it's kind of like the equivalent to how DJ Premier would sound if he tried to sing.

There are also some songs that badly use samples, especially the aptly titled "Do Wrong" (with Lil' Kim), which borrows a sample from Al Green's "Love & Happiness". And "I'm a Winner" terribly samples R. Kelly's "One Me", and if that's not bad enough, Twista is even repeating some of the lines he used in "Girl Tonite". But things aren't much better when he's NOT kickin' it to the females: the title track doesn't go anywhere, and Syleena Johnson's hook adds nothing to the song. "Heartbeat" is a little too violent (especially because the song opens with a long round of shots), and "Check That H*" has a wack chorus. And "Holding Down the Game" is a bling-blingin' song that is unnecessarily screwed and chopped in the middle of it -- and anyway, if you wanted to hear someone rapping slowly, you wouldn't pick up a Twista album, would you?

The only song really worth hearing on the whole album is "Get It How You Live". It's nice that Twista is still trying to do his thing, but I heard this album one day last week and then I had no desire to listen to it again the day after.

Anthony Rupert

I have been following Twista's career ever since his Runnin Off At The Mouth album when he was known as Tung Twista, and his debut video was on The Box! Even when he revised his name to Twista and put out Adrenaline Rush, most cats still didn't know too much about him. Songs like "Get It Wet" and "Emotions" garnered little recognition for the Midwesterner. He put out Mobstability with the Speedknot Mobstaz a year later with even less mainstream buzz than the previous album. After the independent release of Legit Ballin' in 1999, Twista faded into the background and waited for the right time to take on the industry again. Jump ahead five years later when Twista pairs up with a rising Chicago native named Kanye West who has the industry by the horns. Together they finally get Twista some well-deserved respect with Kamikaze. Now Twista releases The Day After to try to retain some of the newly received attention he lacked early on in his career.

Kanye West isn't hovering all over this album like he was with Kamikaze, and you can tell this is the case right away. Twista goes for a pretty diverse approach this time around as if he was a newcomer on the scene or something. He conjures up his harder edge on songs like the sinister "Heartbeat" and the hedonistic "Check That H**." "Get It How You Live" is a hustler's anthem for 2005, while the dreamy "Lavish" and the childlike "When I Get You Home" features the production and vocals of Pharrell as well as Jamie Foxx singing on the latter song. Twista tries his hand at the 'screwed' phenomenon as well on the second half of the song "Holding Down The Game." "Do Wrong" with Lil Kim is impressive to say the least, and the breakout single "Girl Tonite" with Trey Songz brings back classic memories of songs by the curl-sportin' R&B super group Ready For The World.

Snoop Dogg brings down yet another album with his wearisome guest vocals on "Had To Call." The inclusion of Mariah Carey on "So Lonely" isn't a bad thing, it just doesn't fit with the rest of the songs on The Day After. Other songs that have no business on this album include the extremely jubilant "Hit The Floor" featuring Cuban-American rapper Pitbull, and the ridiculous "Chocolate Fe's And Redbones" with singing done by Johnny P (who should've been left in the 90's!) Twista should have concentrated on making The Day After more focused on one direction like he did with Kamikaze. Instead, you are forced to listen to a hodgepodge of tracks that go in all different directions. Although The Day After isn't a total loss, it certainly isn't anywhere near the album we were all waiting for from Twista.

1.The Day After (Featuring Syleena Johnson)

Good Start Off Track, a little to long of an Intro but still a good track to start an album off with Though! And with Syleena Johnson ridin'the Hook and the Beat You cant go to wrong.(Overall 9)

2.Check That Hoe

Good Track, Lyrically insane on this one, mainly for the streets though! (Overall 8)

3.Chocalate Fe's & Redbones (Featuring Johnny P.)

Very Good song, good hook, very good beat to match the lyrics,not pimpin but at the same time Pimpin, discussing how He Loves Light-Skinned AND Dark-Skinned Women, Catchy & Lovable Track (Overall 9.50)

4.Get It How You Live

Good Track, somthing to knock in the car, or on the house stereo but at the same time this one is not to be played to much (Overall 8)

5.Lavish (Featuring Pharell Williams)

Very Very Good Track, You'll like the laid back sounds with the uptempo beat & lyrics, this is one to play at ya ladiez house. Pharell Spits crazy on this track and almost out does twista. Very Good Track (Overall 9.75)

6.Girl Tonight (Featuring Trey Songz)

First Single, good song, mainly for the ladies tho, Trey songs is definitely priorty on this song, he sings the Retro, Recycled Chorus perfect and ad-libs twista perfect. Good Song! (Overall 8.75)

7.Do Wrong (Featuring Lil' Kim)

Great Song, you'll like how Lil kim and twista kinda tell both there sides of the story and then it leads to them together on the third verse! (Overall 8.50)

8.Heartbeat

Crazy song, you'll have to listen to this one carefully, kinda maany at the beginning. but at the same time you'll like how creative the song is lyrically! (Overall 8)

9.Holding Down The Game

If you miss the old twista from the 90's then you will love this track because thats exactly wat the songs about, how he can hold the game down with his original song Method! LISTEN (Overall 9.50)

10.When I Get You Home (A.I.O.U.) (Featuring Jamie Foxx & Pharell)

another ladies track,nice and laid back, for the grown & Sexy too. You'll Like the chorus and The Traditional Neptunes beat! (Overall 9)

11.So Lonely (Featuring Mariah Carey)

Great Song, possibly the second Single, something that you definetly play at cha girls house or why yall ridin' in the whip, she'll like this one (Overall 9.50)

12.Had To Call (Featuring Snoop Dogg & Sleepy Eyed Jones)

Traditional Snoop track , mixed with a litle Twista and a new Artist dat kills da Chorus (In A Good Way), Good song (Overall 8.50)

13.Out Here (Featuring Speedknot Mobstaz & Juvenile)

Horrible Track, of course twista got a good verse and juve on the Chorus is O K but the song is mostly whack (Overall 5.75)

14.I'm A Winner

The Best Song on the Cd, and the R. Kelly sample must makes the song even better by the second, Addicting Lyrics, Addicting Hook, Chorus... Classic twista Track!! (Overall 10+)

15.Hit The Floor (Featuring Pitbull)

Horible Track, No point and Annoiying, puts a bad name on Reggaeton music. Pitbulls new style is Whack and he makes the song even worse, definetly puts a damp on this Great Album! (Overall 3)

Overall, even though this album ends bad it still is a Great album and its just short of a Classic.... thats probably why its sellin' Like Hot Cakes!!!

(Overall For The album: 9.3)

Stand out tracks are 2,3,6,7,10, and 11. I wore this cd out when it first dropped.

I think Twista wanted to run with the success of Slow Jamz from his Kamikaze album and make a new album with that formula. What he didn't realize that just because that song was good, the rest of his Kamikaze album was diverse and had a lot of substance. This time around, he just released a straight R&B album, save a few tracks. There is barely any Twista that we've grown to know. I can understand if he wanted to put one or two songs on there for the ladies, but practically the whole album?! Come on man, it's like Danny Devito starring in a romance movie. He needs to stick with what he's good at. Let's hope his next album will be more of the Twista that we've known in the past with hard beats and fast flows that didn't have 95% R Kellyish lyrics.