His tenth studio album, K.O.D., was released October 27, 2009. He has spent his illustrious career making sure he’s 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 MC’s flow is sharper and slicker than it’s ever been.
“This is another roller coaster ride,” explains TECH N9NE about the release. “When it came time for Sickology 101, I knew I wanted to do a collabo album based on the study of being sick. It’s a beginner’s course for people who don’t 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.” 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. It’s a twisted vision forged on undeniable grooves and quixotic wordplay.
The single, “Nothin,’” is an inspiring, honest anthem that features Messy Marv and Big Scoob. Meanwhile, on “Midwest Choppers 2,” TECH N9NE and Krayzie Bone cruise to the depths of darkness. “Krayzie Bone came through and murdered it,” says TECH N9NE. “I modeled the song after movies. When you do a sequel, there has to be a bigger body count and more people have to die. ‘Midwest Choppers 2’ is Autobahn-style. It makes you want to speed.”
TECH N9NE’s inimitable flow and rhyming take center stage on solo tracks, including the haunting, hypnotic “Red Nose.” He doesn’t pull any punches on the vitriolic, YoungFyre-produced “Blown Away,” either. It’s 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 “I’m A Playa,” “Caribou Lou” (which boasts 7.2 million MySpace plays), “Riotmaker,” “Like Yeah” and “Everybody Move,” it’s 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 — just TECH N9NE’s own record company, Strange Music. TECH N9NE’s 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 MTV’s “Jackass” crew.
It hasn’t been an easy road, but TECH N9NE soldiers on and he’ll never stop. “They call me devil worshipper because I’m different. I give you music for my core. They’re 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 I’m trying to reach others, too. It’s not over. My music is supposed to be for everybody, but some people just don’t get it. This album is the result; swallow it. It’s middle finger music, all-day and all-night.”
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 doesn’t 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 N9NE’s next masterpiece, K.O.D. “I want people to know that I’m getting better and better and I’m a machine. I do these collabo albums to give the fans more. This is a bridge record to K.O.D. It’s the farewell to the TECH N9NE you’ve known lately. It’s getting darker. A lot of people might not be able to go to the place I’m going, but this place is my specialty.”
“I don’t need people to kiss my hand,” assures TECH N9NE. “I’m not trippin’ on status, and I’m not a narcissist when it comes to rap. It’s my heart and soul pouring onto the paper. I write my life and I can’t hold back. This is what I know.”
Origin: Kansas City, Missouri
Year Formed: 1991
Official Site: http://www.therealtechn9ne.com/
F
Tech N9ne Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Kutt go show how it feels
to be voided but listen
First I'll make you miss it,
like the senate was missin
Patricia Hearst cause I been in it for a minute
Put minutes in till it hurt, not for minute will I let
you diminish my men at work
But grieved not I put in work, inside and out
I'm deserving a clean shot
You people nursing every NERD
you encourage to speak not
Or you'll get murdered, you ain't heard
how the industry seized Pac
[Verse]
Somebody help the fame hurtin
I won't fall for the bullshit
So fuck ya'll wit a hard dick
drop jaws when we barge in ya turn bitch
In front of hard men most rappers are garbage
Mitch bade are target how soon de forget that
Strange is the hardest wit a line up of artists
Do it regardless
it's all about where your heart is
You can start this but Strange gonna finish it
Menice rhyme spoken
in every line it presented in
[Chorus]
To all you hataz in power we say
(Fuck the Industry, Fuck the Industry)
Jack yo placks put 'em down on eBay
(Fuck the Industry, Fuck the Industry)
And all you boogie ass chumps can't touch us
The industry is some punk mutha fuckers
You tell 'em FTI when anybody ask ya
Fuck the industry, they the enemy
[Verse]
Fuck this industry man
I'll make it happen boy
With fat change this rap thing
Full of hoes and hataz and hat gain
The CEO don't want no part to this do
'cause if you're fuckin up against
My firm is squakin at you mean carkas is through
The A.R. better stay in this car
'cause I'm parkin it to
Don't hate Brim cause I'm talking the truth
My dogs is barking at you
so you better get your mind right
Deuce clik representation we in the lime light
[Verse]
This "Rage" is "Against the Machine"
Turn these pages and flip till they clean
And what remains is 4 Krizz 2 be seen
So I say "Fuck the Industry"
Cause da speech that you preach to do people
Is so evil so "fuck your ministry"
How they ever gon' say what we gon' say
How they ever gon' say what we gon' do
Here I come 4 the mon and I'm comin with a gun
Now tell me what I will and I won't do
F - Fear em they blast hoes
T - Tear 'em a new asshole
I - Infect their mind wit this lyrical blindness
[Chorus]
[Verse]
Hey Skatterman I heard you rollin' with Tech
But I still ain't signed
'cause I'm a problem for these record execs.
How can they market
a young black political target?
Who done took coca leaves
beacon soda and enlarged it
Into crack rocks selling crack rocks for a livin'
From the black top
where we jack cops for a livin'
So fuck the industry and damn the beats
I ain't just in the street
I'm Skatterman, I am the streets, Nigga
[Verse]
You got a smile glarin', cause you get it packed
I got yo gal starin', cause you minute mack
You go yo mouth swearing that yo hit is plack
You hatin' file-sharing cause your shit is wack
Sampled yo CD listened and it was cheesy
No cable box 4 your TV no label watch for your breezy
We ride feel the pain
from inside fuck yo fame cause it died
Said yo thang was about the game claimed
Then he banged but you lied
Bout yo artist but yo artist is the farthest
From the harest but you market
This bark at this bunk dirty carpet
Shit game is out smarted
Oops somebody farted bout to spark this shit
Niggaz are retarded look what you've started
Cerami Mark is pissed
Imma break it down for you clowns
In the industry chain
(Fuck perspective Warner Bros., Qwest and JCOR's name)
Strange, we independent and you suckas
Are the enemy you fuckin up the industry
You bustas will remember me
[Chorus] (2x)
In the song F.T.I. by Tech N9ne, the three verses express the rappers' resentment towards the music industry. The verses describe how the industry is trying to manipulate and control them but the rappers are determined to resist and remain independent. The chorus is a call to action, a message to all those in power that they are not going to take it anymore. The lyrics speak to the larger issues of oppression and resistance and convey a sense of defiance against the system.
In the first verse, Kutt illustrates how he's been in the game for a minute and has been putting in work, not letting anyone diminish his men at work. He mentions how the industry seized control of Tupac, a reference to how record labels were exploiting musicians for their own profit. The second verse is a call to action, a message that the rappers won't take any of the industry's bullshit anymore. Skatterman, who is featured in the song, talks about how he's a problem for record executives because he's a young black political target. He talks about how the industry tries to market musicians as products, but ultimately, he is the streets.
Overall, the song is a reflection of the frustration and anger felt by many artists in the industry. It speaks to the larger issues of power and control and how marginalized communities are often exploited for profit.
Line by Line Meaning
Kutt go show how it feels
Kutt shows what it's like to be voided, but listen
First I'll make you miss it,
I'll make you miss it so much, like the Senate was missing Patricia Hearst cause I've been in it for a minute
Put minutes in till it hurt,
I put countless minutes of hard work in, till it hurt me, but I won't let you diminish my men at work
And I been hurting trying to fathom the burden
I'm hurting from the burden I carry, but I won't grieve because I've put in work both inside and out and I'm deserving of a clean shot
You people nursing every NERD
You people are taking care of every NERD you encourage to speak, which is not what you should be doing
you encourage to speak not
Encourage them to speak, or you'll get murdered, you ain't heard how the industry seized Pac
Somebody help the fame hurtin
Somebody help me deal with the pain of fame
So fuck ya'll wit a hard dick
I don't care for any of you and I'm showing it
In front of hard men most rappers are garbage
Compared to hard men, most rappers are garbage
Strange is the hardest wit a line up of artists
My record label Strange is the hardest as we have a great lineup of artists
You can start this but Strange gonna finish it
You can start this battle, but Strange will finish it
Menice rhyme spoken in every line it presented in
I drop powerful lyrics each time I rap a line
To all you hataz in power we say
We're addressing all the haters in powerful positions
(Fuck the Industry, Fuck the Industry)
We don't care about the music industry and we're making it clear
Jack yo placks put 'em down on eBay
Take your plaques and put them on eBay
The industry is some punk mutha fuckers
The industry as a whole is a bunch of weak, punk motherfuckers
You tell 'em FTI when anybody ask ya
Let the world know you don't give a fuck about the industry by saying FTI whenever someone asks you
Fuck this industry man
This industry is a piece of shit
I'll make it happen boy
I'll make my success happen despite the industry's bullshit
Full of hoes and hataz and hat gain
The industry is full of fake people and greed
So fuck the industry and damn the beats
I don't give a shit about the industry and its music
I'm Skatterman, I am the streets, Nigga
I'm Skatterman and I represent the streets
You hatin' file-sharing cause your shit is wack
The reason you hate file-sharing is that your music is garbage
Shit game is out smarted
I'm outsmarting this shitty game
Cerami Mark is pissed
Cerami Mark is very angry
You bustas will remember me
You'll never forget me and what I stand for
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@kylemedeiros6907
Fuck everybody but me? Is this song about my ex girlfriend?
@jimmyburns4834
Kyle Medeiros that's just sad
@immortalpariahh4227
This guy said nothing about you and suddenly you all hostile
@kylemedeiros6907
Dakota Bownes The fuck is your problem. Its a joke. I never had a gf you loser!
@kylemedeiros6907
Young Haze not as sad as that silly ass rap name. Young Haze. What r u trying to get in to the wasted first half of life on failed rap career club?
@SnKOnikaG3
Kyle Medeiros lmao!
@spartan23456789
Tech looks like a totally different person in this..he's all smiley and shit, he looks like a totally reborn man, and the tone of Strange Music's social media seems to reflect it..it's been all "yo the world is terrible but smile like tech". He looks just all over better and it makes me so happy for him.
@spartan23456789
Man looks like 15 years younger
@iluvkitanay6345
OMG i thought I'm the only one thinking that!
@gascanguts
Me too.