Tech N9ne has taken the higher route in his hip-hop career and has progressively blew the fuck up. He founded the record label Strange Music in 1999, planting his seed into the damp soil of the emerging nu-metal and rap-rock surge to soon follow. His stage name owes to the fast action of a TEC-9 handgun, the technique of his rapid delivery and the number 9 that is believed to represent completion.
While consistently putting out albums over the years, the rapper also worked in a series of releases deemed the ‘Tech N9ne collabos’ that featured several guest appearances. His new album All 6’s and 7’s isn’t one of these collaborations, but the ratio of Tech tracks and guest tracks leaves and imbalance of regularity. Here he writes a battle cry to his fan-base in “Technicians” and continues to defend himself from the haters who don’t dig his red hair and face paint. Even in mainstream light, he hasn’t missed an opportunity to name drop the Kansas City-originated drink, Caribou lou, (a mixture of 151 Bacardi rum, pineapple juice and Malibu coconut rum) or bring up the fact that he’s currently in the mainstream. But what is mainstream? The amount of notable guests could be why— among the roster are Lil’ Wayne, Snoop Dogg, Yelawolf, Busta Rhymes and Deftones, which has brought a lot more attention to Tech’s latest release. He demonstrates this transition of notoriety with "Worldwide Choppers," a continuum from the two part song "Midwest Choppers." Some fans remain salty but it doesn’t sound like much of his ascetic has changed as a rapper, aside from world domination. He’s still all about the Technicians; he just offers everything in high-priced packages now.
Tech N9ne will be performing with Krizz Kaliko, Kutt Calhoun, Big Scoop, Jay Rock, Mayday, Stevie Stone and Bukshot at Expo 5 on Wednesday, August 3rd. Door @ 7 PM. Tickets are $25, available through the venue, ear-X-tacy, and Ticketweb.
Photo: Lastfm/ Tech N9ne photo album
