Jamie and Paul pave their own lane and create one of their most applauded records in the process. Twiztid take it back to the early 2000s in the second segment of the Knotfest original series.
The second segment of the in-depth dissection of the complete catalog of Twiztid begins in 2003 with the release of The Green Book.
Especially significant in the history of the duo, the album marked a pivotal era as Twiztid would leave Psychopathic Records and really begin to pave their own lane. Referring to themselves as the “Juggalos that made good” both Paul and Jamie discussed how their identity was especially rooted with the fans as guys that went from one side of the barricade to up onstage.
That kind of kinship with the fans made Twiztid especially endearing and a particular standout among their peers. Though the duo would eventually come back to Psychopathic Records, they forged their own imprint and from that moment began to focus on their brand. Though remaining the same team players that had been throughout their initial climb, Jamie and Paul were unapologetically about the come up and understood they unique value they brought to not only the label, but the subculture as a whole.
As for the record itself, The Green Book is regarded as one of the very best from Twiztid. Featuring highly-touted guest verses from the likes of E-40, Tech N9Ne, Layzie Bone of Bone Thus N Harmony, Bushwick Bill of Geto Boys plus the familiar cohorts in ICP and Blaze Ya Dead Homie, The Green Book remains such a dynamic record and another turning point both professionally and creatively for Twiztid.
By the time Twiztid arrive at their fourth record in Man’s Myth, there is a sense of anger that translates on the record. Having spent so much of their career up to that point championing the counter-culture and offering an alternative to the mainstream, Jamie and Paul admit things became convoluted in terms of their creativity.
While the guys stop short of being critical of the record in a negative sense, the environment that ultimately influenced the record might have stifled the duo from achieving their full potential. As artists putting out their fourth studio effort, there was a need to evolve, think outside the box, and try something new. That sense of experimentation could have arguably been what got in the way of the kind locked in focus the band had in previous efforts. The result was a record that was angry, cathartic, and maybe harnessed a bit of frustration but remained important in the continued progression of the band nonetheless.
The companion record to Man’s Myth is the rock-driven Mutant Vol. 2. Released a short time after Man’s Myth, the tandem had the foresight to not oversaturate the market and nurture a sense of demand among their fanbase. Showcasing the versatility that goes into crafting a double record with completely opposite dynamics, the creative fog that might have caused Twiztid to stall a bit was certainly short lived.
Described candidly as a growing period for the band, both Jamie and Paul assert a real sense of pride in all of their work and with that comes a particularly honest assessment. The era of the double record was formative for Twiztid in that the band was working though their artistic growing pains and yet still finding ways to level up as the world and the business of music around them continued to change.
Watch the second segment of The Disc Dive with Ryan J. Downey and Twiztid below.
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