T9-artist profile by M.Majanen
Artist Profile:
TECH N9NE
By M.S.Majanen
Courtesy of MSC
Tech N9ne isn't your typical rap artist. His unique style, appearance, intensity, and talent are paralleled by hardly anyone in the game. The "Charlie Parker" of rap, as Quincy Jones called him, likes to dress in all red, paint crucifixes or words like "vile" on his forehead, and wear his red hair like Sideshow -Bob from the Simpsons. He delivers tight, rhythmically accurate raps with heaps of energy, articulating and pronouncing every word clearly at rapid-fire speeds. You wouldn't think this phenomenon would be hard to miss, but not many people know him outside his hometown Kansas City, Missouri.
Tech N9ne is not a new name in the rap game. He has four solo albums and has appeared on songs and albums with other well-respected rappers like Tupac, Eminem, Chino XL, KRS-one, and Yukmouth. However his career of over ten years has been eclipsed by the negative influence of blemished record deals and empty promises of record labels.
"There's a lot of darkness in my world. That's why I try to do shit to make me happy, artificial love and shit like that, because a lot of it ain't here with me. You know, motherfuckers don't understand and say: "He's fucked up in the head" but no, I'm fucking fucked up [because of] where I'm at! Being able to do this beautiful music and the fucking rest of the world not knowing [about it] is hella depressing, dude."
Tech's unique appearance hasn't gone over too well with the close-minded consumer either. The industry won't give him a chance because he doesn't look like your regular "gansta" on MTV. It didn't help either that some people wrongly accused him of being a Satan-worshipper due to the use of Hell, Heaven, and other religious ideas as metaphorical analogies to real life on his third CD, Anghellic. Apparently, a large part of consumers hold the belief that it's ok to sing about murdering people and adultery as long as you wear a crucifix around your neck.
Tech N9ne's latest release, Absolute Power, came out last September, a little over a year since his third CD, Anghellic, hit the stores in 2001. During the time between those two releases Tech and Travis O'Guinn (Manager and Co-owner of Strange Music) managed to dismantle their deal with JCOR, the label that released Anghellic. JCOR hadn't lived up to their promises so Tech and Travis broke free easily with the rights to the Anghellic-album. They signed a new healthier distribution deal with MSC, and recorded more than 20 hard hitting, "up to standards and beyond" - tracks for Absolute Power. Tech also parted ways with a long time producer and friend Don Juan.
Absolute Power consists of 17 tightly performed and produced songs with all the elements that Tech N9ne fans have grown to love and expect: cleverly composed lyrical and aural surprises, extremely fast to extremely slow raps with little twists and turns that keep the listener alert, and even backwards rapping and sampling.
"It means so much to me when you have fans come back and tell you exactly what you meant [in your lyrics.] I make it a point to be clever for them because I want them to think and see if they can figure it out. Or I'll write some shit backwards just to fuck with them and they'll go run it backwards on their computers and hear what my message is."
Absolute Power is packed with a bonus DVD called More Power which could have easily been sold as a separate product after the release of the main disc. It includes over 70 minutes of off and on-stage footage, an interview, as well as 7 brand new studio tracks. Some might see this as a bad business move, others as a great way to promote a new album. Tech explains himself:
"The most positive thing that I can see around me besides my kids and my wife are the fans, cat. That's why I do this. That's why [I don't care] when my production company tells me: "Well, twelve songs is an album and everything after that you don't get paid for." I'm doing this for the fans so if you're saying I'm losing money because of the fans, fuck it, my fans love my shit and it's gonna pay off in the long run, so fuck what they're talking about."
Absolute Power showcases not only the talents of Tech but a slew of beat makers/producers whose styles all blend in nicely with Tech's versatile flows.
One of these talented producers is "RonnZfromBerlin," a German beat maker that had gotten his hands on some of Tech's pre-Anghellic material, had become a big fan, and decided to express his appreciation for Tech N9ne's music by sending a letter to Tech with 17 of his own beats.
"We were like, "Ok, it's probably whack," but it was the most beautiful shit I've ever heard in my life, dude. So, we called him on out there in Germany and were like, "Dude, this shit is hardcore!" We used like 3 tracks on Anghellic and on Absolute Power we used 6 or 7. We've been connected ever since and we will be 'cause I love talent."
The Strange Music crew will keep busy in the next few months. There will be a tour Anghellic, will be re-released in mid-January 2003 with new tracks and some of his older, hard-to-find, material might even see the light of day:
"Travis just told me yesterday that all the shit like Calm Before the Storm,The Worst, and Celcius, belongs to us now. We can do an album called "Vintage Tech" and put all that shit on there, so it's in the works, man."
Tech and Strange Music also launched a campaign last month under the code name "FTI:"
"It stands for "Fuck The Industry," the motherfuckers that's making it hard for us to get on the radio because you have to pay a certain amount of payola to be in the game. You know, to fit into their "boys club.""
"We do have people who take chances with new artists and new things, but the majority of the motherfuckers are afraid to take chances with new things. There's a lot of people out there that wanna hear new shit and don't wanna hear that everyday "run of the mill" bullshit they have on TV. So, we dedicate this campaign to those people. "
The FTI campaign has been launched off with the airing of a series of TV commercials nationwide as well as an internet based campaign that aims to push Tech N9ne's music to more people. Music fans with access to the internet all over the world can download every track off of Absolute Power on Tech's official internet site for no charge at all. Tech and Strange Music only ask people that find themselves liking the music to support them and spread the word. They certainly have enough faith in their music.
"We can put our whole fuckin' CD on the net and say: "Listen to this and if you like it go support this shit!" We're real artists here giving you exactly what you need and extra but the people in power are like, "we don't like file sharing, it's fuckin' up shit for our artists." Well yeah, 'cause your artist's are bunk!"
So, why not give it a try? Go over to www.therealtechn9ne.com and download some tracks.
(c)M. S. Majanen
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The Following is a transcription of the interview from which the quotes for the above article are from.
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Tech N9ne interview 11/13/2002
M131X: Ok, let's start with the FTI, what's this all about?
Tech N9ne: Big shit, big shit, and of course you know it stands for 'fuck the industry.' Really not fuck everybody in the industry because we do have people who take chances like Def Jam, like Loud, like J Records. We got people who take chances with new artists and new things but the majority of the motherfuckers are all punks, afraid to take chances with new artists and new things. And, you almost gotta feel for them because a lot of the record companies wanna go with what's hot right now so they can get their quick buck, but at the same time don't be a punk man.
There's a lot of people out there that wanna hear the new shit and don't wanna hear that everyday run of the mill bullshit that they have on TV. So, we dedicate that song ("industry is punks") and this campaign to those people, the motherfuckers that hate file sharing because their artists are fucking wack. They don't want the consumer to listen it before they buy it, cause their shit is bunk. If people listen to it ahead of time and don't buy it, they won't make their money. But motherfuckers like us, we know our music is hardcore and we know our music is beautiful. We don't give a fuck about file sharing and we give them fans extra with a 70-minute DVD with seven extra songs on it.
We can put our whole fuckin' CD on the net and say "listen to this and if you like it, go support this shit." Because we're real artists out here giving you exactly what you need and extra but the motherfuckers in power are like "We don't like file sharing, it's fucking up shit for our artists" Well, yeah cause your artists are bunk! They don't have nothing behind it. FTI is like, fuck the machine that runs the industry. Fuck the motherfucker's that's making it hard for us to get on radio because you have to pay a certain amount of motherfuckin' payola to be in the game. You know, to fit into their "boys club." That's what it's all about bro.
M131X: I heard you were in LA shooting a commercial or something for this.
Tech N9ne: Yeah, oh my God. We did three commercials with my boy Chris Horvath He's the guy who did the DVD for me, he did it beautifully. We gave him complete autonomy on the DVD and on this one too, cause he's a talented cat. We shot a couple of commercials with me saying: "What's up, this is Tech N9ne and right about now you could be watching one of my videos or you could be listening to one of my songs on the radio, except people pretending to be your friends in the music industry won't play you what you wanna hear." It's beautiful man, we did three commercials with "industry is punks" as the theme.
M131X: Is that gonna be on the TV nation wide?
Tech N9ne: Yes it is. NBC nation wide, Cable Access, everywhere. Man, I didn't know how much it costs to fucking get a 30-second commercial on NBC, man, it's like 18 G's and we got like five spots. Beautiful!
M131X: What are your plans for the near future? Tours?
Tech N9ne: Oh yeah, we just got off the Sprite Liquid Mix-tour with Jay-Z, Hoobastank, 311, Nappy Roots, Blackalicious and so forth. We did fifteen cities and a lot of people loved us.
We got a college tour coming up. I'm not exactly sure when that starts, but Travis can give you all the information on that. I got back from LA on Thursday and my birthday was Friday November 8th...
M131X: Oh yeah, happy birthday man!
Tech N9ne: Thanks a lot bro, thanks a lot. I lived another year, thank you Jesus, know what I mean. All my birthday I had to work. I had a fucking party at a haunted house called "the Edge of Hell" and that's so me, that's so "Anghellic." So we had to make that pop. KPRS Live was there interviewing me and everything. The day after we just did Maryville, Missouri, or some shit like that. It's a big college town and it was beautiful so, it doesn't stop. We got a college tour coming up that's gonna last a long time so, hey I'm ready dude!
M131X: Is there a chance we're gonna see any of your older material being released on strange music?
Tech N9ne: Beautiful! Travis (Tech's manager/co-owner of Strange Music) just told me yesterday that all the shit like "Calm Before the Storm," "The Worst," and "Celcius," and all that, belongs to us now. He asked me if I want to put out an album and I was like: "Shit, we can do whatever you wanna do travis. We can do an album called "Vintage Tech" and put all that shit on there, so it's in the works man.
M131X: What's the story behind Ronnz from Germany?
Tech N9ne: Oh my goodness, this is how it went: When I was on Midwest Side fucking with Don Juan (Tech's former producer.) WHEN I was fucking with Don Juan, not anymore! We got a letter in the mail from a guy in Berlin, Germany, and it said something to the effect of: "My name is Ronny, I'm a big fan of Tech N9ne and I wonder why Tech N9ne hasn't made it to the top. You're better than a lot of artists and dadadadah. And, not only am I a fan of rap music but I also produce it and enclosed I have CD of 17 tracks." We were like, ok it's probably whack, but it was the most beautiful shit I've ever heard in my life dude. So, we called him on his 00 number out there in Germany, and we're like: "Dude, this shit is hardcore!"
We used like 3 tracks on Anghellic and on Absolute Power we used like six or seven dude. We've been connected ever since and we will be cause I love talent. I get it from the deepest darkest parts of the world. The deep cracks and crevices of anywhere as long as it's dope, I don't care. That goes for MCs and producers.
M131X: It seems like you listen to a lot of different kinds of music. What are some of the bands/artists you listen to?
Tech N9ne: yes I do. I love Portishead, I love Slipknot... I love Hip Hop, I love Trip Hop, I love Rock n Roll and all that shit man. You know, I'm deep-rooted in music my family did that to me and I thank them for that.
Tech N9ne: You ever heard of Portishead man?
M131X: Yeah, They're from England right?
Tech N9ne: Yeah, Beth Gibbons man, I love her and I wish I could find her one day and do a song with her soon. I love Tricky and all that shit. I'm a rave cyber-cat man, my fuckin' hair's Red. Hip Hop is my love, it's what I grew up on but because my family was so eclectic when it came to shit, it blended over to me and I'm glad I'm not so one-sided when it comes to music.
M131X: What's the most positive thing you've encountered in the music world?
Tech N9ne:The fans dude. The way they take my messages and convey them back to me. It comes right back at me, how I sent it out. That's the most positive shit when they come up to me tell me exactly what I said to them. Like on "this ring" when I say: "Got me a top notch
straight hot fox we sought rocks and the ewok slot was caught..." That's a lot of wordplay but it means so much when you have fans come back and tell you exactly what you meant. That's a beautiful thing man, that's the most positive thing that's why I make it a point to be clever for them and do shit like "Worst Enemy" or "Cursed" because I want them to think and see if they can figure it out. Or I'll write some shit backwards just to fuck with them and they'll go run it backwards on their computers and hear what my message is.
M131X: yeah, I thought "worst enemy" was real clever and funny.
Yeah, it's the funniest shit. People are like: "He talkin about Don Juan? He talking 'bout Vell Bakardi?" Who knows it's about my [edited out, to not to spoil the song.] So, the most positive thing I've encountered are my fans cause there's a lot of darkness in my world. That's why I do the Extacy, that's why I try to do shit to make me happy, artificial love and shit like that, because a lot of it ain't here with me.
You know, motherfuckers don't understand and say: "He's fucked up in the head" but no, I'm fucking fucked up [because of] where I'm at! Being able to do this beautiful music and the fucking rest of the world not knowing [about it] is hella depressing dude. So yeah, I look for artificial love, yeah I do extacy and shrooms and shit like that but the most positive thing I can see around me besides my kids and my wife are the fans, cat.
That's why I do this. That's why when my production company tells me: "well, twelve songs is an album and anything after that you don't get paid for." I don't give a fuck, I'm doing this for the fans so if you're saying I'm losing money because of the fans, fuck it, my fans love my shit and it's gonna pay off in the long run so fuck what they're talking about.
M131X: Anything you wanna say to your fans around the world ?
Tech N9ne: FTI baby! That's what I wanna say. Fuck the industry, it's all about us dude.
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I wanna thank Tech N9ne for doing this interview with me.
Artist Profile:Tech N9ne by M. S. Majanen
Tech N9ne interview 11/13/02 by M. S. Majanen
Background music for audio files (c)(p) Strange Music Inc.