Chicago rap icon Twista has pleaded guilty to federal tax charges after admitting he willfully failed to pay income taxes for several years, leaving him with more than $440,000 in unpaid tax obligations.
The 52-year-old rapper, whose legal name is Carl Mitchell, entered a guilty plea in U.S. District Court to five counts of willfully failing to pay income taxes. According to federal prosecutors, Mitchell failed to pay taxes on income earned between 2019 and 2023 despite receiving money from live performances, streaming royalties, album sales, and music licensing deals.
Authorities say Mitchell was repeatedly notified by both the Internal Revenue Service and his accountants about his growing tax debt and his legal responsibility to pay. However, prosecutors allege he ignored those warnings.
Instead of paying his outstanding tax bill, prosecutors claim Mitchell entered into agreements with a third-party company that advanced him money against future royalty payments. Officials allege the arrangement was structured in a way that prevented the IRS from accessing those funds.
Federal investigators also say the rapper continued making lavish purchases during the years he failed to pay his taxes, including buying at least four luxury vehicles instead of addressing his tax obligations.
Court records indicate Mitchell’s unpaid tax liabilities date back to 2011 and now total more than $440,000.
Each of the five misdemeanor counts carries a maximum sentence of up to one year in prison, meaning Mitchell faces a potential maximum sentence of five years. His actual punishment will be determined by a federal judge during sentencing.
Mitchell is scheduled to be sentenced on October 22.
Best known for his 2004 platinum-selling album Kamikaze, Twista became one of hip-hop’s fastest rappers and scored one of his biggest hits with Slow Jamz alongside Ye and Jamie Foxx. Throughout his career, he has remained a respected figure in hip-hop, known for his rapid-fire delivery and decades of influence on the genre.
