His tenth studio album, K.O.D., was released October 27, 2009. He has spent his illustrious career making sure heβs 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 MCβs flow is sharper and slicker than itβs ever been.
βThis is another roller coaster ride,β explains TECH N9NE about the release. βWhen it came time for Sickology 101, I knew I wanted to do a collabo album based on the study of being sick. Itβs a beginnerβs course for people who donβt 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.β 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. Itβs a twisted vision forged on undeniable grooves and quixotic wordplay.
The single, βNothin,ββ is an inspiring, honest anthem that features Messy Marv and Big Scoob. Meanwhile, on βMidwest Choppers 2,β TECH N9NE and Krayzie Bone cruise to the depths of darkness. βKrayzie Bone came through and murdered it,β says TECH N9NE. βI modeled the song after movies. When you do a sequel, there has to be a bigger body count and more people have to die. βMidwest Choppers 2β is Autobahn-style. It makes you want to speed.β
TECH N9NEβs inimitable flow and rhyming take center stage on solo tracks, including the haunting, hypnotic βRed Nose.β He doesnβt pull any punches on the vitriolic, YoungFyre-produced βBlown Away,β either. Itβs 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 βIβm A Playa,β βCaribou Louβ (which boasts 7.2 million MySpace plays), βRiotmaker,β βLike Yeahβ and βEverybody Move,β itβs 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 β just TECH N9NEβs own record company, Strange Music. TECH N9NEβs 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 MTVβs βJackassβ crew.
It hasnβt been an easy road, but TECH N9NE soldiers on and heβll never stop. βThey call me devil worshipper because Iβm different. I give you music for my core. Theyβre 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 Iβm trying to reach others, too. Itβs not over. My music is supposed to be for everybody, but some people just donβt get it. This album is the result; swallow it. Itβs middle finger music, all-day and all-night.β
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 doesnβt 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 N9NEβs next masterpiece, K.O.D. βI want people to know that Iβm getting better and better and Iβm a machine. I do these collabo albums to give the fans more. This is a bridge record to K.O.D. Itβs the farewell to the TECH N9NE youβve known lately. Itβs getting darker. A lot of people might not be able to go to the place Iβm going, but this place is my specialty.β
βI donβt need people to kiss my hand,β assures TECH N9NE. βIβm not trippinβ on status, and Iβm not a narcissist when it comes to rap. Itβs my heart and soul pouring onto the paper. I write my life and I canβt hold back. This is what I know.β
Origin: Kansas City, Missouri
Year Formed: 1991
Official Site: http://www.therealtechn9ne.com/
Shadows On The Road
Tech N9ne Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I see shadows on the road again
Wonder if they comin' for my soul
I get trapped up in this mode I'm in
And will I ever grow old?
I member them high nights, on X we find sites
To climb heights, unheard to man we line white
Mix it with weed and wet it's chronkite
That shits beyond hype
Spittin somethin we be trippin' and seeing some shit
It's fuckin' up the buzz of me and the clique
So we hop up in the whip and flee with the quick
But the shadow make us swerve and we on the strip
Did you see the shit? (Yeah I saw the shit)
Did y'all see the shit? (Yeah we saw the shit)
All agree that a shadow was crossin' the street
Then immediately vanished we need a hit
[Chorus]
I see shadows on the road again
Wonder if they comin' for my soul
I get trapped up in this mode I'm in
And will I ever grow old?
And will I ever grow old?
Is it comin' for me because of all the shit
That I did in the past was bad to people
Mad and evil, if your the A.O.D. I'm sad to meet you
Angel of death when I quit doin' X
Because of seeing you every night on the stretch
So i've been clean for three years
And counting still I'm seeing shadows will they scheme for me
To follow them into the pit of despair
Punishment for what I did in this lair
What if evil spirits live in the road
To take the kinrid spirits crippled up souls
I don't know how the spirit thing goes
Real or livin' in my fontal lobe
Will I be livin' life until I'm okd
Or will I be takin' by shadows on the road
[Chorus]
I see shadows on the road again
Wonder if they comin' for my soul
I get trapped up in this mode I'm in
And will I ever grow old?
And will I ever grow old?
The lyrics of Tech N9ne's "Shadows on the Road" are about the sense of paranoia and fear that comes from substance abuse, specifically the use of narcotics such as X, Molly and weed. The rapper describes how he and his friends get caught up in a drug-induced haze, which makes them see shadows on the road. They fear that the shadows represent some kind of danger coming after them, whether it be the consequences of their past behavior or a supernatural force. The chorus of the song repeats the haunting question: "Will I ever grow old?" implying that the drug use and its consequences may cut their lives short.
The first verse describes the effects of the drugs they consume, creating a vivid picture of a group of people who see and experience things beyond their ordinary perception. The second verse deals with the regret of past actions that may have caused harm to others or attracted unwelcome attention. The rapper admits that he is afraid of what might happen to him because of these actions and is haunted by what he perceives as supernatural beings or the consequences of his past.
In summary, the lyrics of "Shadows on the Road" deal with the drug-induced paranoia and the fear that comes with it. The haunting chorus and the vivid descriptions of drug-induced experiences create an eerie sense of unease.
Line by Line Meaning
I see shadows on the road again
The singer is seeing shadows on the road and is worried about their significance
Wonder if they comin' for my soul
The singer is concerned that the shadows may represent some sort of threat to their well-being or existence
I get trapped up in this mode I'm in
The singer is stuck in a certain way of thinking, which is making them anxious and paranoid
And will I ever grow old?
The artist is unsure if they will live to old age or if something will happen to them before then
I member them high nights, on X we find sites
The artist is reminiscing about past drug use and the experiences that came with it
To climb heights, unheard to man we line white
The singer and their friends would use drugs to experience new and intense sensations
Molly up it had to be non fight
The drugs they used were likely MDMA, as it promotes positive feelings and wouldn't result in fighting
Mix it with weed and wet it's chronkite
The artist and their friends would mix other drugs with weed to achieve a stronger high
That shits beyond hype
The intensity of the high they experienced was beyond anything they had felt before
Spittin somethin we be trippin' and seeing some shit
The combination of drugs they used would cause them to have hallucinations and delusions
It's fuckin' up the buzz of me and the clique
The side effects of their drug use were negatively impacting their group's enjoyment of it
So we hop up in the whip and flee with the quick
In an attempt to escape the negative effects of the drugs, they quickly leave the situation
But the shadow make us swerve and we on the strip
The sight of the shadow causes them to lose control of the car and swerve onto the street
Did you see the shit? (Yeah I saw the shit)
The group acknowledges that they all saw the shadow and are now concerned
All agree that a shadow was crossin' the street
The group is in unanimous agreement that they witnessed a shadow crossing the street
Then immediately vanished we need a hit
After the shadow disappears, they feel the need to take more drugs to deal with the stress and fear of the situation
Is it comin' for me because of all the shit
The artist is worrying if the presence of shadows is related to their past actions, and if they are being punished for them
That I did in the past was bad to people
The singer is regretful of their past behavior and acknowledges that it may have hurt others
Mad and evil, if your the A.O.D. I'm sad to meet you
The singer is fearful that they may encounter some sort of judgment or punishment for their past actions
Angel of death when I quit doin' X
The artist sees quitting drugs, specifically ecstasy, as a way to avoid the threat of the angel of death
Because of seeing you every night on the stretch
The artist has had repeated nightmares or visions of the angel of death and is now paranoid about its connection to the shadows on the road
So i've been clean for three years
The artist has been sober for three years, likely in an attempt to avoid the consequences associated with their past drug use
And counting still I'm seeing shadows will they scheme for me
Despite their sobriety, the singer is still seeing shadows and worrying about their intentions
To follow them into the pit of despair
The shadows may represent a path towards negativity, depression or even death
Punishment for what I did in this lair
The singer is still worried that their past behavior is being punished in some way
What if evil spirits live in the road
The singer is considering the possibility that there may be supernatural forces at play that are causing the shadows to appear
To take the kinrid spirits crippled up souls
These forces may be targeting people who are emotionally vulnerable or weak in some way
I don't know how the spirit thing goes
The artist admits they aren't sure about the existence or nature of supernatural beings and their impact on the world
Real or livin' in my fontal lobe
The artist isn't sure if the shadows are real or just a figment of their imagination
Will I be livin' life until I'm okd
The singer is hoping they will live a long and full life before anything negative happens
Or will I be takin' by shadows on the road
Despite their hope, the singer is still worried that the shadows may have a negative impact on their life and may represent some sort of danger
Lyrics Β© O/B/O APRA/AMCOS
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@simonsays2677
I see shadows on the road again
Wonder if they comin' for my soul
I get trapped up in this mode I'm in
And will I ever grow old?
I member them high nights, on X we find sites
To climb heights, unheard to man we line white
Molly up it had to be non fight
Mix it with weed and wet it's chronkite
That shits beyond hype
Spittin somethin we be trippin' and seeing some shit
It's fuckin' up the buzz of me and the clique
So we hop up in the whip and flee with the quick
But the shadow make us swerve and we on the strip
Did you see the shit? (Yeah I saw the shit)
Did y'all see the shit? (Yeah we saw the shit)
All agree that a shadow was crossin' the street
Then immediately vanished we need a hit
I see shadows on the road again
Wonder if they comin' for my soul
I get trapped up in this mode I'm in
And will I ever grow old?
And will I ever grow old?
Is it comin' for me because of all the shit
That I did in the past was bad to people
Mad and evil, if your the A.O.D. I'm sad to meet you
Angel of death when I quit doin' X
Because of seeing you every night on the stretch
So i've been clean for three years
And counting still I'm seeing shadows will they scheme for me
To follow them into the pit of despair
Punishment for what I did in this lair
What if evil spirits live in the road
To take the kinrid spirits crippled up souls
I don't know how the spirit thing goes
Real or livin' in my fontal lobe
Will I be livin' life until I'm okd
Or will I be takin' by shadows on the road
I see shadows on the road again
Wonder if they comin' for my soul
I get trapped up in this mode I'm in
And will I ever grow old?
And will I ever grow old?
@0hMyGandhi
KOD is one of the absolute best rap albums I've heard. I am so happy to see him continue to upload his older stuff.
For me, Tech N9ne is the rap equivalent of System of a Down. (Which is why I absolutely lost my mind when he and Serj collaborated on "Straight out the Gate").
Tech is absolutely fearless in his dedication to bringing his own style and structure to the forefront, absolutely steadfast in utterly unique rhyme schemes, and his work with Seven is just masterful, unique flows, unique beats and an absolute breath of fresh air to an industry that, especially today, has an overwhelmingly homogenous tone that is deprived of originality and creativity. Of course, there are exceptions, but Tech has been so committed to his style and that's one of the best things about him both as a rapper and as a creative individual who rarely chases trends...The trends chase him.
Keep it up, man.
@jestinwiley2846
Damn dude you got me at the system of a down part. They need a collab album
@zetancircleofiron8115
Tech done collaborated with so many people including Tupac, Twista, so many more. And many more to come I'm sure!
@KrayzieeGaming
Had the same with him and Corey Taylor man.. So good..
@alexsizemore3508
This will always be one of my favorite tech n9ne songs
@ianmccombs550
Favorite album. Thank you tech!
@RayanOfficial1
Powerful, meaningful, skillful, with such a dope tune and vibe. Tech's forever the GOAT. KOD is gifted.
@outlawstarr417
Not many rappers can say they got gems like this in their archives. A lot of their older material sounds dated. This sounds as crisp as the day it was released.
@agn728
Gotta love Krizz on that chorus β€οΈπΆ
@bublynnd9532
Right! Contrast is epic, got me singing along