If ever there was an MC who truly deserves the success he has achieved, it’s Kansas City’s own, Tech N9ne. Tech is a man with a vision. He’s been on the scene since the early 1990’s and has been through countless major label record deals with some of the biggest names in the music business. Despite setbacks, Tech never took his eye off of the prize, he never lost his vision. He knew something that nobody else did, that his painted face, rock star style, and sometimes demonic lyrics would one day be a draw for millions of people. Today, Tech is the most successful independent artists in the history of hip-hop with over two million records sold. He owns and runs his own label Strange Music which boasts other very successful artists such as Krizz Kaliko and Jay Rock. He tours most days out of the year and his fans are the definition of rabid. To conquer such a notoriously fickle and difficult business on one’s own is truly an accomplishment. Of course, it should be noted that despite what anybody says, Tech is one of the greatest MC’s to ever grab the microphone. Not many can hang with Tech lyrically, or in any way musically, for that matter. Only the KC legend can make you bob your head to a song called Am I A Psycho? At this point, from Red Nose to the Carter 4, Tech has done it all and declared victory with his rapid fire flow. Tech N9ne is a legend and nobody can deny that. Mens Mag Daily sat down with Tech to discuss his previous music industry dealings, what it’s like for him to be mentioned amongst the greatest rappers of all time, and possible reasons why he and Eminem have connected for a song or tour yet.
Mens Mag Daily: Tech, I’m picturing you in the early 1990’s going through different deals and trying to put together Strange Music. Did you know that you would ever reach this level of success?
Tech N9ne: I always knew I had something special and my expectations were always bigger than this which is why we’re still going so hard to this day. I didn’t know that I would be respected by all musicians from all walks of life, I did not know that. I knew I had something special but I didn’t know that I would be commended by KRS-One. I didn’t know I would be commended by Serj Tankian from System of a Down or Corey Taylor from Slipknot. I did not know I would be commended by Lil Wayne or Andre 3000 or The Doors, whoever. I had no idea that my music would touch these people that I consider to be greats. Me and Travis had expectations that exceeded where we’re at now and this is a blessed level to be the most successful independent hip-hop artist and label. World domination has always been our goal. It’s been my goal since I got signed by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis in 1993. That let me know I had something special. I knew that I had something special when Quincy Jones signed me in 1997. When I got my deal in 1999 with Interscope at JCOR and it went sour it really prompted me to do my own label. I’ve always had this expectation of being the greatest. Can you dig it? I always thought I was that guy.
Mens Mag Daily: I commend you for all of it because the work ethic you have must be absolutely incredible.
Tech N9ne: That’s what they say man. I just go one thousand percent. When I get an idea I don’t hold back. It’s,”Hey let’s do another EP, hey let’s do another collabos, hey let’s get another album out this year.” I’m ready to go, it’s like get me beats. When they tell me I have to do an interview in the morning and I’m tired from the night before because I went so hard, I get up and just go man. I just have to be me; I don’t have to turn on or anything. I get up and go and do it. They say the work ethic is incredible but then I look at Tupac and I’m like I don’t know. I look at Nick Cannon and how he’s everywhere and I’m like I don’t know man, maybe I can go even harder, I don’t know. But it’s a good one they say.
Mens Mag Daily: Tech you’re getting mentioned in the same breath as Eminem, Jay-Z, Nas, all of the greatest MC’s. What is that like man?
Tech N9ne: That’s crazy man. That’s what’s crazy. See, that goes back to the first question, I had no idea that I would infect my peers like that. I’ve always strived to be a lyricist and put words together in a way that just twists shit up. To get validation, being a small town boy from Kansas City, Missouri, I’m flabbergasted, you know what I mean? I’ve worked with all of these people. I’ve been on tour with Jay-Z. I’ve done the Anthem with Eminem. I’ve toured with Nas and Damien Marley. I’ve done Rock The Bells with KRS-One and Raekwon. They all commend me. Supernatural commended me and I’m not even a freestyle rapper. I may have a battle style at times but he still commends me. It’s a wonderful feeling that they compare me with the greats. I see it on Twitter every day. They’re talking about Tupac, Eminem, Tech N9ne and Biggie, Nas, Jay-Z, Andre 3000 whatever they say. It’s crazy that people mention me and like I said man I’m just gonna keep on pushin’.
Mens Mag Daily: I’m just being honest here but if somebody told me I had to pick one dude that could really fuck with Eminem, I’m picking you.
Tech N9ne: (Laughs) Man, I’m tryin’ to be on this nigga’s team man. I’ve been trying to get on a song with him since 2006 and I’ve actually sent him three songs. I’ve worked with his whole team. I’ve worked with Proof on down to the rest of D12. I’ve worked with Slaughterhouse, Yelawolf, and Royce. I’ve even done songs by myself with me and Bizarre. I’ve been trying to get the nigga on the team and join forces. We’ve always been connected. I don’t want to be against that guy man. That’s a hard thing to do.
Mens Mag Daily: You think we’ll get to see you guys connect eventually?
Tech N9ne: I don’t know man, I don’t know. I listen to this music and I’m like amazed man, just the flow. I mean, I can rap my ass off but he’s like a super technical dude man. I always wanted to hear how I would sound next to something so great because I feel like I’m right there. We all have God complexes man but I don’t know. I don’t know how deep the ICP thing goes. I actually went on tour with ICP right after I toured with Jay-Z. I had never seen them perform. I heard something about them on MTV back in the day but I was just like cool more clowns, I can still paint my face. (Laughs) I was painting my face way back in 1994 before anybody was doing it. After my album dropped in 2001, the Juggalos which are what they call ICP fans voted me to go on tour with them, The Wicked Wonka Tour. It was me, the Kottonmouth Kings, and ICP. Since then I’ve done the gathering of the Juggalos year after year. See, what I think it is, those fans love me so much that I don’t think it would be in Eminem’s best interest to invite me on say an Anger Management tour because it would be chaos if all those Juggalos came to see me. But me and Em are connected too with the Wake Up Show anthem and the songs I’ve done with D12. I was told they had people die on each side and I’m thinking ok that’s a real beef. Automatically, I’m not in that. I’m from Kansas City, Missouri so I don’t know nothin’ about that. I think that might be the thing in the middle. I can’t think of nothin’ else.
Mens Mag Daily: Tech, you have some loyal, diehard fans. What makes them so connected to you?
Tech N9ne: I’m inside out man and what I mean by that is my insides are out there for people to see. I let people in and a lot of great artists do that. Eminem lets you in, Kanye lets you in, Jay-Z and Nas might give you a little something. They give everything in terms of thoughts and their soul and that’s where I let the fans know me. That’s why reality TV is so big because people are nosey, they want to know things. I let them into my personal life and they respect me for it. When you let people in they become real loyal. When Slaughterhouse first got the deal with Shady and they were on tour I told them, “Listen, y’all can rap, everybody knows you’re the dopest. But you have to let people in too.”
Mens Mag Daily: Tech, do you still feel like people view you as this alternative version of hip-hop?
Tech N9ne: Hell yeah, I mean look at me. I’m a black dude who paints his face. If I still had hair it would be red. I’ve always been different but they can’t deny that I can rhyme in any circle. They call me to be on the BET cypher and I’m there. They call me for a song with the Deftones and I’m right there. I’m a three dimensional person. I’m a black dude with paint on his face who may come out looking like a witchdoctor or something so people are always going to view me as different.
Mens Mag Daily: And Tech, what can we expect in the future?
Tech N9ne: I’m just working like usual man. We have the new collabos album which is called Strangeulation that’s coming out on May 6th. It actually leaked weeks early and I’ve heard nothing but positive things. People love it. I’m not condoning people leaking my music but if it’s an anticipated project that could happen. If nobody is checking for it at all then that’s not gonna happen. (Laughs) The music is just so sought after. We have a huge amount of pre-orders. They’ve come in so quick that I’ve actually signed 9000 copies and it only looks like we’ll be getting more. Also, we have my LP called Special Effects and basically it’s going to be us just playing around with flows and different sounds. It’s like that Tech N9ne sound is firmly established so now we’re gonna play with it on this album. The fans can reach me on all my social media outlets which are https://twitter.com/TechN9ne, https://www.facebook.com/therealTechN9ne, and http://www.strangemusicinc.com/.
Article By: Jon DaBove
