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.