The 37-year-old Shabazz
is the one of the founders and current president of "Chi-Roc Hip Hop Nation,"
formed in 1985 on the Southside of Chicago.
The same year, Chi-Rock group members OZ and the D.V.S. Crew
released what has been credited as the first Hip-Hop album in Chicago rap history.
Twista, who is signed to Atlantic, has been promoting his new
label Chi-Rock Entertainment, which Shabazz says is too similar to his company’s
name.
"I am the owner of the registered corporation ‘Chi-Rock’
or ‘Chi-Roc’, which is documented by the Illinois Secretary of State,"
claims Shabazz.
"This ‘Twista’ is tainting our legacy. My independent record
company is called Chi-Rock Records."
Philip Swint, also an original member of the group echoes Shabazz,
claiming that Twista "has had past affiliation with our hip-hop nation
to gain notoriety and cannot say that he didn’t know we existed."
As of yet, Twista
has not responded to Shabazz’s allegations, nor has any legal action been initiated.