His tenth studio album, K.O.D., was released October 27, 2009. He has spent his illustrious career making sure heâs been grinding harder than the average rapper, and is the best selling artist out of his hometown. With nine solo albums and two powerhouse collaboration projects under his belt, the Kansas City MCâs flow is sharper and slicker than itâs ever been.
âThis is another roller coaster ride,â explains TECH N9NE about the release. âWhen it came time for Sickology 101, I knew I wanted to do a collabo album based on the study of being sick. Itâs a beginnerâs course for people who donât know how to be sick lyrically or how to choose sick beats. It all starts with beats because they tell me exactly what to do.â Epic beats from YoungFyre, Wyshmaster, Seven and Matic Lee set the stage for TECH N9NE to weave his introspective and sometimes roguish lyrics around.
Sickology 101 brims with stellar appearances from lyrical heavyweights. On the opening title track, TECH N9NE slays alongside Chino XL and Crooked I, pulling listeners into the Hip-Hop classroom for a lesson in murdering a beat. Itâs a twisted vision forged on undeniable grooves and quixotic wordplay.
The single, âNothin,ââ is an inspiring, honest anthem that features Messy Marv and Big Scoob. Meanwhile, on âMidwest Choppers 2,â TECH N9NE and Krayzie Bone cruise to the depths of darkness. âKrayzie Bone came through and murdered it,â says TECH N9NE. âI modeled the song after movies. When you do a sequel, there has to be a bigger body count and more people have to die. âMidwest Choppers 2â is Autobahn-style. It makes you want to speed.â
TECH N9NEâs inimitable flow and rhyming take center stage on solo tracks, including the haunting, hypnotic âRed Nose.â He doesnât pull any punches on the vitriolic, YoungFyre-produced âBlown Away,â either. Itâs an open letter to several prominent urban artists who refused to play before him at radio festivals despite his massive concert draw.
With hits like âIâm A Playa,â âCaribou Louâ (which boasts 7.2 million MySpace plays), âRiotmaker,â âLike Yeahâ and âEverybody Move,â itâs no wonder TECH N9NE counts a total of over 4.5 million YouTube video plays and an average of 40,000 MySpace visitors each day. His success knows no limits. The July 2008 release, Killer, debuted at Number 1 on the Billboard Top Independent Albums chart and Number 12 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums chart. He did it all on his own. There was no major label â just TECH N9NEâs own record company, Strange Music. TECH N9NEâs tracks have appeared in films like Gang Related and Alpha Dog as well as various TV shows, and he recently made his motion picture debut in The Life of Lucky Cucumber alongside members of MTVâs âJackassâ crew.
It hasnât been an easy road, but TECH N9NE soldiers on and heâll never stop. âThey call me devil worshipper because Iâm different. I give you music for my core. Theyâre the people that put me over the million mark. I raise my middle finger to everybody who judges me because my core audience is there for me. They will always love me, but Iâm trying to reach others, too. Itâs not over. My music is supposed to be for everybody, but some people just donât get it. This album is the result; swallow it. Itâs middle finger music, all-day and all-night.â
TECH N9NE never stops bringing that music directly to his fans, constantly reinforcing his status as one of the hardest-touring rap acts in the business. In 2008, TECH N9NE performed over 200 shows and he doesnât show any signs of slowing down in 2009. In April, TECH will head out in support of Sickology 101 and spend two months on the road, performing live for his rabid fans.
Sickology 101 is prepping the world for TECH N9NEâs next masterpiece, K.O.D. âI want people to know that Iâm getting better and better and Iâm a machine. I do these collabo albums to give the fans more. This is a bridge record to K.O.D. Itâs the farewell to the TECH N9NE youâve known lately. Itâs getting darker. A lot of people might not be able to go to the place Iâm going, but this place is my specialty.â
âI donât need people to kiss my hand,â assures TECH N9NE. âIâm not trippinâ on status, and Iâm not a narcissist when it comes to rap. Itâs my heart and soul pouring onto the paper. I write my life and I canât hold back. This is what I know.â
Origin: Kansas City, Missouri
Year Formed: 1991
Official Site: http://www.therealtechn9ne.com/
Down For The Block
Tech N9ne Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Whoooooooo kidddddddd
hhhhoodrich bitch!
[Chorus]
Down for the for the down down for the block
Down for the for the down down for the block
Down for the for the down down for the block
Down for the for the down down for the block
Down for the for the down down for the block
Down for the for the down down for the block
Down, down for the block Down, down for the block
[Verse 1 - Jay Rock]
Down for the block like Shaq O'Neal
Me and my niggas hittin corners in the batmobile
My block so hot so keep you enough shots
You slip and you fall niggas get chalked like hop-scotch
On my block
I'm in ko-hoots with what's goin on
Take me out the hood but the hood will never leave me, I'm holdin on
as if I'm fallin off the edge of a cliff
If I live and see 80 I'm reppin the bricks
Real shit
leanin' like a syrup sipper
Henny and sprite mix it up get a cup nigga
Pour out some liqour for my niggas who ain't livin on the surface
After the bottle we load our clips and put in work
Block shit
stay in the house when they set trippin'
A hundred rounds hit niggas and wet women
East side N9ne-double-o-five-N9ne Watts California I ain't hard to find
Shit I'm down for the block
[Chorus]
[Verse 2 - Kutt Calhoun]
I'm down for the block like I'm down for my wife
And if you niggaz fuck with either then it's down with your life
I got no mercy for your fuck ups or the way that you behave (on blood)
And represent that from the cradle to the grave
Oh my partner he was taught you got to get it how you spit it
Shoeboxes throw rocks hawk spit or talk shit
Killer city better watch ya might get set up by some hoes
Better do what Alvin Ailey do and stay up on your toes
Got the dueces and the dres click clackin in the paint
A hard method of surival try to shake it but ya can't
Rather win, lose or draw stand your ground and hold your weight
And if ya still can see your ribs get ya weight up, quit ya hate
Cuz niggas know when in a food fight you wouldn't bust a grape
Spike clicks probably better off choppin with
The K I'm down for my block and I love my town
So Killer City stand up and Kutty Cal can stay hound
[Verse 3 - Big Scoob]
Say the word, watch me bust your shit
I'm the realest mutherfucker with this stranged out clip
Suck the willa on the realer, I ain't playin with you niggas
Godzilla with the milla get to sprayin at you niggas
Yeah, check my history nigga when you mention me
Bet they say I'm in da street
ride her nigga for the V
Fuck the industry
fuckin what you think of me
I don't give a fuck, bet you pussies be respecting me
I love the block, cause my sign in the prime time
You niggas faked ya steady lying in your fuckin rhymes
Saw a nigga, hella twisted off the R nigga
Gutter butter, I be seepin like a ball nigga
Dessert eagle for the people, I be bustin lethal
Know the cola for the soldier, but this all legal
For the block, I'll be screamin villain non-stop
5, 6 on a mission take it to the top
[Chorus]
[Verse 4 - Tech N9ne]
Aye
red drawers, red socks, red everything
Look what they've done to me crazier than I've ever been
Like I needed medicine, I don't think it's eratapheme
That is seen, second lettering,
This ho-head plus wanted me to rep the block
Sadly I missed the block
Badly and the ones that came before me doctor Bop and Rock
Daddy, plus being surrounded by real niggas was my big thrill
Cause I was walked up by stand-up niggas from 56 Ville
They helped me get my cheese up love my K-I-D-s much
That's why I would never freeze up when its time to throw B's up
We need a Jesus to relieve us when millies bust
Now we're over seas plus with euros and visas
58, 57, 56, 55th that's my area and I rep it with the quick
How many homies it be grips and they on the sippy trip
Down for the block and it's the same shade as the homie Mitchy Slick, nigga
[Chorus]
Tech N9ne's song Down For The Block is an ode to the block or the neighborhood where he grew up, and it celebrates the loyalty and love that he and other rappers have for their community. The song features four rappers, Jay Rock, Kutt Calhoun, Big Scoob, and Tech N9ne, each of whom offers a verse about their devotion to their block of Los Angeles, specifically the block of 56 Ville.
Jay Rock's verse references his love for his block by comparing it to Shaq O'Neal's love for playing basketball. He talks about his affiliation with what's happening in the neighborhood and vows to never leave it, even if he's taken out. He also talks about pouring liquor for his deceased friends and loading clips when it's time to put in work. Kutt Calhoun's verse reinforces the theme of loyalty and reinforces the idea that if you mess with him or his wife or his block, then it's "down with your life." He references "Killer City," a nickname for Kansas City, where he's from, and talks about how hard it is to survive but encourages others to "stand your ground and hold your weight." Big Scoob talks about how he's realest mutherfucker with strange out clip and how he loves his block because of the vibe it has. He emphasizes how he doesn't care what people think of him, and he pays attention to people who respect him. Tech N9ne ends the song by paying homage to several blocks in his neighborhood, including 56 Ville, which was Mitchy Slick's block.
Line by Line Meaning
Down for the for the down down for the block
Willing to do anything for the neighborhood
Down, down for the block Down, down for the block
I'll always stand up for my block
Down for the block like Shaq O'Neal
Committed to the hood as much as Shaq was to playing basketball
Me and my niggas hittin corners in the batmobile
Driving around corners in a sports car
My block so hot so keep you enough shots
My neighborhood is dangerous and you have to protect yourself
You slip and you fall niggas get chalked like hop-scotch
If you make a mistake you might end up dead
On my block
In my neighborhood
I'm in ko-hoots with what's goin on
I'm always aware of what's happening
Take me out the hood but the hood will never leave me, I'm holdin on
Even if you take me somewhere else, my loyalty to the neighborhood will always stay with me
as if I'm fallin off the edge of a cliff
My life feels like it could end at any moment
If I live and see 80 I'm reppin the bricks
I'll be loyal to my neighborhood until the day I die
Real shit
I'm telling the truth
leanin' like a syrup sipper
As relaxed as someone sipping on cough syrup
Henny and sprite mix it up get a cup nigga
Let's mix Henny and Sprite and drink it together
Pour out some liqour for my niggas who ain't livin on the surface
Let's pour out some alcohol for friends who have died
After the bottle we load our clips and put in work
After drinking, we load our guns and go out to fight
Block shit
Neighborhood stuff
stay in the house when they set trippin'
Stay inside when there's trouble outside
A hundred rounds hit niggas and wet women
A lot of people get hurt in shootings
East side N9ne-double-o-five-N9ne Watts California I ain't hard to find
I live on the east side of Watts and it's not hard to find me
Shit I'm down for the block
I'm always loyal to my neighborhood
I'm down for the block like I'm down for my wife
I'm as loyal to my neighborhood as I am to my wife
And if you niggaz fuck with either then it's down with your life
If you try to harm either my neighborhood or my wife, you'll be in trouble
I got no mercy for your fuck ups or the way that you behave (on blood)
I won't tolerate mistakes or bad behavior
And represent that from the cradle to the grave
I'm always going to be loyal to my neighborhood
Oh my partner he was taught you got to get it how you spit it
My friend believes that you have to hustle however you can
Shoeboxes throw rocks hawk spit or talk shit
We use shoeboxes to hold our weapons and we're always ready to fight
Killer city better watch ya might get set up by some hoes
The city is dangerous and people might try to set you up
Better do what Alvin Ailey do and stay up on your toes
You need to be alert and careful
Got the dueces and the dres click clackin in the paint
We have guns and we're ready to shoot
A hard method of surival try to shake it but ya can't
It's hard to survive in this neighborhood and you can't just leave it behind
Rather win, lose or draw stand your ground and hold your weight
No matter what happens, be strong and don't give up
And if ya still can see your ribs get ya weight up, quit ya hate
If you're hungry, work hard to make money instead of being jealous of others who have money
Cuz niggas know when in a food fight you wouldn't bust a grape
People know that you're not brave enough to fight
Spike clicks probably better off choppin with
It's better to use a knife than a gun
The K I'm down for my block and I love my town
I'm loyal to my neighborhood and I love my city
So Killer City stand up and Kutty Cal can stay hound
Let's stand up for our city and stay loyal to it
Say the word, watch me bust your shit
Just say the word and I'll beat you up
I'm the realest mutherfucker with this stranged out clip
I'm the most dangerous person around with this gun
Suck the willa on the realer, I ain't playin with you niggas
I'm not joking around, I'm serious
Godzilla with the milla get to sprayin at you niggas
I'm like Godzilla with a gun, shooting at people
Yeah, check my history nigga when you mention me
Look at my past to understand who I am
Bet they say I'm in da street
People will say that I'm always in the neighborhood
ride her nigga for the V
I'm willing to fight for my neighborhood
Fuck the industry
I don't care about fame and fortune
fuckin what you think of me
I don't care about what you think of me
I don't give a fuck, bet you pussies be respecting me
I don't care what you think, but you should respect me
I love the block, cause my sign in the prime time
I'm proud of my neighborhood and I'm always representing it
You niggas faked ya steady lying in your fuckin rhymes
Other rappers are dishonest in their lyrics
Saw a nigga, hella twisted off the R nigga
I saw a guy who was really drunk
Gutter butter, I be seepin like a ball nigga
I'm in the gutters, but I'm still rolling like a baller
Dessert eagle for the people, I be bustin lethal
I have a Desert Eagle gun and I'm willing to use it
Know the cola for the soldier, but this all legal
I know how to sell drugs, but now I'm doing everything legally
For the block, I'll be screamin villain non-stop
I'm always talking about my neighborhood and how much I love it
5, 6 on a mission take it to the top
We're on a mission to succeed and we'll do whatever it takes
Aye
Hey
red drawers, red socks, red everything
I'm wearing red clothes from head-to-toe
Look what they've done to me crazier than I've ever been
The neighborhood has changed me and made me more crazy
Like I needed medicine, I don't think it's eratapheme
It's like I needed drugs to cope with the neighborhood, but that's not true
That is seen, second lettering,
That can be seen in the lyrics of my songs
This ho-head plus wanted me to rep the block
This girl I was with wanted me to represent the neighborhood
Sadly I missed the block
Unfortunately, I'm not in the neighborhood right now
Badly and the ones that came before me doctor Bop and Rock
I'm missing the neighborhood and the people who were there before me
Daddy, plus being surrounded by real niggas was my big thrill
Growing up, being around other tough guys was what I enjoyed the most
Cause I was walked up by stand-up niggas from 56 Ville
I grew up with guys from the neighborhood who were always honest and loyal
They helped me get my cheese up love my K-I-D-s much
They helped me make money and I love my kids
That's why I would never freeze up when its time to throw B's up
I'll always be loyal to the neighborhood when it's time to represent it
We need a Jesus to relieve us when millies bust
We need a savior to help us when gun violence is happening
Now we're over seas plus with euros and visas
Now we're traveling to Europe and other countries with legal documents
58, 57, 56, 55th that's my area and I rep it with the quick
Those are the streets in my neighborhood and I always represent them
How many homies it be grips and they on the sippy trip
Many of my friends carry guns and do drugs
Down for the block and it's the same shade as the homie Mitchy Slick, nigga
I'm always loyal to the neighborhood, just like Mitchy Slick is
Contributed by Riley G. Suggest a correction in the comments below.