Fort Worth rapper
Twisted Black was sentenced to life in prison, after being convicted of conspiracy
to distribute crack cocaine. In
July 2006, Twisted Black, born Tommy Burns, was arrested and charged by officers
with the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) in Midland, Texas, shortly after signing
a deal with New York based independent record label TVT Records.According
to the Midland Reporter-Telegram, government witness Courtney Iglehart
testified that he and another aspiring rapper, Zeteral "Zet" Perkins
met Twisted Black, who was driving a silver Corvette. In
Feb. 2005, Iglehart testified that he followed Twisted Black and Zet to Twisted
Black’s studio, where the rapper sold Iglehart a quarter kilogram of cocaine in
February 2005. Iglehart,
23, is already serving a 10-year sentence for dealing crack. Zet
was also convicted in September of 2005 by a federal jury for conspiracy, possession
and intent to distribute more than 50 grams of crack. He was sentenced to 22-years
in February. Another
witness testified that Twisted Black and Zet were dealing up to a kilo of cocaine
every three weeks over the course of 2005. According
to testimony, Twisted Black, Zet and members of their entourage had no problems
flashing their ill-gotten proceeds. In
one incident, Twisted Black and Zet performed at a local club where they threw
$100 bills in the audience. Another
member of Twisted Black’s entourage that testfied against the rapper said he lit
his cigarettes with $100 bills, because he was "doing all right at the time."
Twisted
Black started his rap career in 1991 as a member of the Forth Worth group, One
Gud Cide. In 1995 the group released Look What The Streets Made, which
led to a deal with Tony Draper’s Suave House Records. As
the group was preparing their debut Contradictions, Twisted Black was sentenced
to three years in prison. In 1998 he suffered another setback, when he was shot
in the face. He
kept recording, releasing Late Bloomer, which led to a deal with TVT Records
in July 2006, shortly before he was arrested on the cocaine charges.Twisted
Black’s untitled TVT debut is slated to hit stores in 2007.