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/
M T M D
Tech N9ne Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Yelling "someone", and when it's done
I'ma treat it like my daughters and son, we having fun
'till intruders came knocking to come kill everyone
The beat and the kick ringing my bell uncontrollably
Four in the morning yelling my name so they know it's me
Scramble and try to find my nigga's gun, I'm supposed to be
Prepared for the crazy, my lady screaming don't go to see
Invite 'em all in my crib and then take everybody's life
Chop 'em all into pieces, pray to god they heat-less
He in d shit, play with their bodies in the name of jesus
One, two, three, god damn it's just the cops
All the motherfuckers must've scramm' when we hit the block
I was gonna kill am I wrong to feel
For my loved safety I'll leave you permanently still
Trav said he caught them on camera they came to his place
Two teen girls and the guy yelling "where is yates"
Damn some fans would've lost some lives on this day
Mistaken, I would've been erasing all of the kid's face
Am I my paranoid or scared
Or is this my nightmare
Were they ever really there?
Tell me if I'm tripping
Am I supposed to sit and wait
While they storm through the gate
Psycho just like norman bates
Tell me if I'm tripping
Seven o'clock, I was upstairs
I was on the keyboard making that tear
Knock on the front door, c.o. got it
Niggas came in, I said "yo, get in the closet"
Hit 'em with venom and run up in 'em while they rummagin'
Too many niggas was coming in, I wanna get me one
Hopin' niggas try me cause I'm finna feel like "fry me"
Eyes all chinese, high off reefer
I'ma get deeper, turn to the grim reaper
He's a heat seeker when I creep with the heater
Leave a deep gash, bring the heat fast
Hit 'em with the venom, when I get 'em I'ma keep 'em
Giving them an enema, even if it's ten of 'em
Then I'ma, eat 'em like dinner in the cinema
Then I'ma, shit 'em out, get 'em out
In about twenty-four seconds I'ma fuck 'em in the ass
Tuck 'em in the grass, cut 'em up fast
Buttercup, shut 'em up, I'ma cut mass
I'ma cut lass, nigga he got it, he gotta fuck 'em up, yeah
Tell me if I'm tripping
Am I my paranoid or scared
Or is this my nightmare
Were they ever really there?
Tell me if I'm tripping
Am I supposed to sit and wait
While they storm through the gate
Psycho just like norman bates
Tell me if I'm tripping
I can still remember, it was January twenty-third, 1994
And a group of us was chilling at the table
We was drinking with our fingers on the ouija board
Tryna summon spirits asking "ouija, can you hear us?"
Never thinking what was in store
Then the dogs started barking, in the darkness
All of a sudden it was knocking at the front door
Then we started approaching, cautious as hell as we pulled the door open
Nervous adrenaline, seeming slow motion
No one was there, we went back to the board hoping
That we finally made contact, with the deity
Apparition on the other side
Then it started moving out and soon it was
Spelling out the warning in the morning one of us would die
We decided to stop it, said our goodbyes, and left the apartment
On the way home sarah hit a patch of ice
Lost control of her car, hit the ditch and lost her life
Am I my paranoid or scared
Were they ever really there?
Tell me if I'm tripping
Am I supposed to sit and wait
While they storm through the gate
Psycho just like norman bates
Tell me if I'm tripping
Fuck that shit, nigga, hmm, let's party
The lyrics of Tech N9ne's "If I Could" recount a night of terror and paranoia. The rapper wakes up to his partner screaming about someone in the bathroom. He goes to look for his gun and prepares to defend his family against intruders. In a moment of confusion, Tech N9ne recklessly decides to confront the intruders with a knife. He then imagines a scenario where he takes on an army of attackers, graphically describing the violent acts he would commit to protect his loved ones. Through it all, Tech N9ne questions his own sanity and whether or not he is overreacting to a perceived threat.
The lyrics of "If I Could" are a reflection of Tech N9ne's personal experiences with violence, but they also speak to a larger societal issue. In an age of increasing gun violence, many people feel unsafe in their homes and communities. Tech N9ne's lyrics highlight the fear and anxiety that can come with living in a violent world.
Interestingly, "If I Could" was not originally intended for public release. In 2011, Tech N9ne recorded the song as a way of processing his own fears and anxieties about violence. He shared the song with his fans in a private email, but it quickly spread across the internet through file-sharing sites. Tech N9ne recognized the song's power to connect with people who had experienced similar traumas and decided to release it officially on his album "All 6's and 7's."
The song's haunting melody and ominous beat were created by producer Jayou, who is known for his work with UK grime artist Dizzee Rascal. The track samples the song "Doin' It Right" by American funk band Liquid Soul and features a slowed-down version of the song's hook. The eerie vocal samples that run throughout the track give it an unsettling, almost cinematic quality.
Overall, "If I Could" is a powerful and evocative song that speaks to the anxieties and fears of living in a violent world. Its bleak imagery and unflinching lyrics make it a standout track in Tech N9ne's catalog.
Line by Line Meaning
I wanted to find my gun, my lady runs to the bathroom
At the start of the song, Tech N9ne wants to find his gun, but his girlfriend runs to the bathroom yelling for someone.
Yelling "someone", and when it's done
His girlfriend keeps yelling, but he doesn't know who she's referring to.
I'ma treat it like my daughters and son, we having fun
Tech N9ne tries to be playful and carefree with his girlfriend, despite the chaotic situation.
'till intruders came knocking to come kill everyone
Suddenly, intruders come knocking, intending to kill them all.
The beat and the kick ringing my bell uncontrollably
Tech N9ne describes the sound of his heart racing in fear.
Four in the morning yelling my name so they know it's me
His girlfriend yells his name loudly so the intruders are aware of his presence.
Scramble and try to find my nigga's gun, I'm supposed to be
He attempts to find his friend's gun, which he previously planned to have in case of emergency.
Prepared for the crazy, my lady screaming don't go to see
Despite being prepared for chaos, his girlfriend tries to stop him from going down to face the intruders.
Fuck it, I'm going down to the kitchen to get the knife
Tech N9ne decides to go to the kitchen and retrieve a knife, ready to confront the invaders.
Invite 'em all in my crib and then take everybody's life
Tech N9ne decides to invite the intruders inside, only to kill them all.
Chop 'em all into pieces, pray to god they heat-less
He describes his violent plan to chop the intruders into pieces and hopes that they don't have any weapons.
He in d shit, play with their bodies in the name of jesus
Tech N9ne shows no remorse in his violent actions, even referencing religion.
One, two, three, god damn it's just the cops
After all the violence, Tech N9ne realizes that the people he killed were actually police officers.
All the motherfuckers must've scramm' when we hit the block
It becomes clear that the intruders running away was the sound that Tech N9ne heard earlier.
I was gonna kill am I wrong to feel
He questions whether feeling relief after surviving and killing the intruders makes him a bad person.
For my loved safety I'll leave you permanently still
In order to protect those he loves, he will not hesitate to kill others.
Trav said he caught them on camera they came to his place
Tech N9ne references a friend who caught the intruders on camera when they broke into his house.
Two teen girls and the guy yelling "where is yates"
Trav identified that two teenage girls and a male intruder were the ones who tried to break in.
Damn some fans would've lost some lives on this day
Tech N9ne realizes that the situation could have turned out much worse and people could have been hurt or killed.
Mistaken, I would've been erasing all of the kid's face
He is acknowledging that if he had made a mistake and attacked the wrong people, it would have been a severe and ugly outcome.
Seven o'clock, I was upstairs
The song transitions to Tech N9ne's past experience with summoning spirits at 7am.
I was on the keyboard making that tear
He was making music when he was with his friends at the time of the supernatural occurrence.
Knock on the front door, c.o. got it
There was a knock on the front door and someone else went to answer it.
Niggas came in, I said "yo, get in the closet"
Intruders came into the room, and Tech N9ne decided to hide in a closet.
Hit 'em with venom and run up in 'em while they rummagin'
If the intruders had found him, he planned to attack them violently.
Too many niggas was coming in, I wanna get me one
He was outnumbered, but he still wanted to try and attack one of them.
Hopin' niggas try me cause I'm finna feel like "fry me"
Tech N9ne wants the intruders to try him so he will have an excuse to attack them.
Eyes all chinese, high off reefer
He describes his high state and adrenaline rush in this dangerous situation.
I'ma get deeper, turn to the grim reaper
Tech N9ne becomes even more aggressive and violent.
He's a heat seeker when I creep with the heater
Tech N9ne feels unstoppable and very skilled in using a gun.
Leave a deep gash, bring the heat fast
He threatens to attack with violence when using a gun or knife.
Hit 'em with the venom, when I get 'em I'ma keep 'em
He plans on using violence and murder as a defense mechanism.
Giving them an enema, even if it's ten of 'em
He is willing to attack and potentially kill multiple intruders.
Then I'ma, eat 'em like dinner in the cinema
He's treating the intruders as if they're food or entertainment to be consumed.
Then I'ma, shit 'em out, get 'em out
Tech N9ne has no respect or remorse for the intruders.
In about twenty-four seconds I'ma fuck 'em in the ass
He's describing his violent intentions in explicit detail.
Tuck 'em in the grass, cut 'em up fast
He plans on disposing of the dead bodies and undressing them.
Buttercup, shut 'em up, I'ma cut mass
He's boasting about his violent skills and how many people he can kill.
I'ma cut lass, nigga he got it, he gotta fuck 'em up, yeah
He's challenging the intruders to attack him because he is ready to be violent.
I can still remember, it was January twenty-third, 1994
Tech N9ne has a flashback to a time he experienced a supernatural occurrence.
And a group of us was chilling at the table
He was spending time with a group of friends.
We was drinking with our fingers on the ouija board
They were drinking and attempting to contact spirits via a Ouija board.
Tryna summon spirits asking "ouija, can you hear us?"
They were trying to communicate with otherworldly beings.
Never thinking what was in store
They were naive and unaware of the potential consequences.
Then the dogs started barking, in the darkness
The supernatural occurrence escalated when the dogs began barking.
All of a sudden it was knocking at the front door
The group heard knocking at the front door.
Then we started approaching, cautious as hell as we pulled the door open
They nervously prepared themselves to open the door.
Nervous adrenaline, seeming slow motion
Time seemed to slow down as they approached the door.
No one was there, we went back to the board hoping
There was no one there and they returned to communicating with spirits via the Ouija board.
That we finally made contact, with the deity
They felt like they finally made spiritual contact with a deity.
Apparition on the other side
They saw an entity on the other side of the board.
Then it started moving out and soon it was
The entity they saw on the board began moving around in the physical world.
Spelling out the warning in the morning one of us would die
The entity warned them that someone in their group would die the next morning.
We decided to stop it, said our goodbyes, and left the apartment
They tried to end the supernatural experience and left the building.
On the way home sarah hit a patch of ice
On their way home, Sarah got into a car accident.
Lost control of her car, hit the ditch and lost her life
Sarah died in the car accident caused by the patch of ice.
Fuck that shit, nigga, hmm, let's party
Despite the dark events described in the song, the conclusion is that Tech N9ne wants to move past it and have fun instead.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Tyler Wayne Lyon, Kevin Mann, Steven T. Shippy, Michael Summers, Aaron Dontez Yates
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind