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/
Purgatory
Tech N9ne Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
But it's not just Hell
See, the children are reaching for Heaven
But their souls are trapped in Purgatory
It's when your soul is caught between the living
And the dead..
The lyrics to Tech N9ne's Purgatory paint a picture of the afterlife and the limbo state known as purgatory. The artist expresses a fear of death and contemplates the existence of purgatory, a place where souls are caught between the living and the dead. He describes a situation where the children are trying to reach heaven, but their souls are stuck in purgatory. This can be interpreted as a metaphor for the struggle between good and evil, as individuals strive for a better life, but are held back by their past mistakes.
The lyrics also suggest an acknowledgement of the uncertainty and confusion that can come with the idea of the afterlife. The concept of purgatory is one that has been debated for centuries within Christian theology, and Tech N9ne seems to be wrestling with this concept - expressing both a desire for redemption but also a fear of being stuck in a limbo state. Overall, the song explores themes such as death, faith, and the afterlife, and the emotions that these ideas evoke in individuals.
Line by Line Meaning
I don't wanna die..
I am not ready to leave this world yet.
But it's not just Hell
The struggle is not only about avoiding damnation.
See, the children are reaching for Heaven
Innocents aspire to a higher place.
But their souls are trapped in Purgatory
They are stuck in a state of waiting and uncertainty.
It's when your soul is caught between the living
Purgatory exists in the in-between space of life.
And the dead..
As your essence lingers on beyond your physical form.
Contributed by Peyton R. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
@jeremiahnichols3191
Afterlife deserved
Is it really real anyway?
Wish I could find a better way
That I would lay me down
And give my life to you
There's nothing left to do
The inner story, the purgatory
What does it all mean?
[Verse 1 - Krizz Kaliko:]
The Good Book says and I don't really think they be wolfin' and if you already get tooken
I shook those fears, and I don't really believe and I should, and now the book got me lookin'
Seem like some all types of hopes, folks, copes and what they lovin' the most (the most)
I had the weirdest dreams and guttural screams and demons were seen from coast to coast
(Breathe) for the last time, sniff as if you deserve it
(Believe) if you don't know by now, you just made it real permanent
(Sleep) inside the golden gate, somewhere everyone hates you
(Please) ain't no savin', no face or nowhere to escape to
Eyes is wide shut but I gotta go visit
The automatism, the vision inside of my gut
Life is like "what?!", whatever you make it
Don't waste it 'fore your time is up till the peace of you
That you can see knee deep, tryna sweep 'em
Keep 'em from peepin' you
And when the streetsweep keep
All the deep sleep blinkin' you
Sinkin' 'em, ain't nobody speak of you
And that's purgatory!
[Hook - Krizz Kaliko:]
Afterlife deserved
Is it really real anyway?
Wish I could find a better way
That I would lay me down
And give my life to you
There's nothing left to do
The inner story, the purgatory
What does it all mean?
[Verse 2 - Prozak:]
Imagine a place that is darker than anything
That you have ever seen
The Earth is infected with evil in people
There is no vaccine
Baptized in blood, it's too late for repentance
The rapture is here
Surrounded by flames and the smoke through the portal
The devil appears
Screams can be heard at the Valley of Death
As the torture begins
The judgment is poured on behalf of our Lord
We shall pay for our sins
Nothing to do but to suffer, eternity
Screaming in pain
Tortured by demons and minions from hell
As they're praising his name
Please God, help me understand this plan
From this planet of madness
I try to walk the right path in this world inhabited by savage malice
I take a look inside but what I find behind my eyes is eternal sadness
I'm begging for forgiveness, Father, I don't wanna perish
Let me rise from the ashes
[Hook - Krizz Kaliko:]
Afterlife deserved
Is it really real anyway?
Wish I could find a better way
That I would lay me down
And give my life to you
There's nothing left to do
The inner story, the purgatory
What does it all mean?
[Verse 3 - Tech N9ne:]
You cannot even see a movie
Without the thought of a killer comin' to get you with the uzi
And you don't even know the killer but he hit you with the tooley
And murdered many more, the motive made is the man is moody
And who is the one to shoot him? He is, indeed his
Mother should've murdered him as a fetus and beat his
Ass with his cleated Adidas
Jillian and Mayci are deleted now we live defeated!
Crooked cops is puttin' niggas in boxes
I watch this on the telly, every day a synopsis
Double cross this, really silly to pop quick
And not get caught with the prejudice for the chocolate
Caustic, burnin' so many right is the Glock spit
I talked then he lost it
STOP IT! All I was yellin' till the last cough it was chalk shit, no hospice!
The homeless, the onus is on us
Get blown up by the enemy and damn, it hurt
A stronger aroma of grown guts
then bone dust, for infinity we damned it birth
Handed dirt, and after disaster
Kill 'em all in the churches the man it worked
But is the one working God or Satan?
Awakened in purgatory, people, welcome to planet Earth!
@christopherstout3376
probably one of the most slept on songs. This classic should be heard by all.
@davecrupel2817
Agreed.
Im not the biggest of rap fans. But god damn this song won my ass over big time.
Cant get enough of it.
Fantastic first impression of Strange Music!
@subsnovids-uu5yb
Krizz’ ability to switch between beautiful harmony and straight bars is so impressive
@moor1719
Easily one of the most talented artists I’ve ever seen
@scottskinner577
Mad props to Prozak for putting this together, to Tech for just doing what he always does flawlessly, but I gotta say Krizz is the heartbeat ofthis masterpiece
@hookedonbassncats
Tech n9ne always goes so hard. Still remember the first time i saw him in 2003 or 2004. Been to about 30 or more of his shows now. Everyone was worth way more than the cost of the ticket. STRANGE, MUSIC!!
@RayanOfficial1
Krizz chorus! What a legend!
@erikadoniqam3981
Tech's abilities to master the rhythm of a beat are freakish
@heatherlawrence8628
Definitely a master at his craft.
@scottskinner577
He's not human