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/
Tappin' In
Tech N9ne Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴
'Bout when I ginormously fell
Won't say no names though
'Cause it ain't no game bro
And it ain't no angle making no woof tickets for me to sell
It's about to, buddies in the middle of a bout too
A lady on the daily putting out two
One of the buddies she told him never let his mouth spew
'Cause we were together, plus shacking in
That's what you call gettin' back at friends
Shoulda told him I was tapping in
I was 21
She was 40-something, say she wanna give me some
So I started putting Tecca Nina in the lungs
Of the photographer that my homie, then he brung
But it was a catch, he didn't want a nigga to rack
'Cause her and my homie were together, he'd give her the scratch
After every photo-shoot but he'd have a bitter attack
If he knew his colleague would shoot me then deliver the snatch
So I kept her secret like a dummy keeping it professional
I didn't tell my homie but I was full of regret you know?
Riding out with my homie, out my mouth ain't no decibels
But when she finished flicking me, we bang out on the sectional
I used to throw him hints saying "I really wanna smash her"
Then he would look at me like I was doing it with laughter saying
"She would never do it, I don't know what you after
Out of your league, man you young, broke and plus you a rapper"
Damn
Bros become foes yeah (bros become foes)
Lord knows the lovin' was fly though
It ain't worth livin' these lies though
On my dog (On my dog, on my dog)
Yeah
I should have told him, I should have told him, I should have told him
(That I was tappin' in)
I should have told him, I should have told him, I should have told him
('Cause he was a best friend)
Shoulda told him I was tappin' in
Shoulda told him I was tappin' in
Shoulda told him I was tappin' in
That ain't never what you do to best friends
She would pick me up for photo sessions
But I didn't tell my homie we were low-low sexin'
Man this lady had a body like she was SoloFlex'n
So right after work, she let me give her a pogo lesson
No confession never told him, I was grindin'
On his workin' roommate, I was slimin'
But I messed up and told my other homie
But when me and him fell out he told my best friend that I was lyin' all this time
And then my homie said
Why is you playin' me, I'm hearing too many rumors
Yo you got something to say to me, man?
You know about my affection for that woman that stay with me
You supposed to be my homie, why you fuckin' and fakin'?
And then I gotta hear from someone else
You selfish man all you think about is your fuckin' self
You and her be together, I don't need no one's help
I'm feel like I'm finna lose it, I don't know what I'ma do
But I swear to
Hold on my nigga, you can't be callin' me trippin
I'm with my family and I don't know what the hell you talkin' 'bout that's fuckin' insanity man
Why you lyin' to me bro, you know these people be talkin'
And their stories sound the same and you makin' it awkward
And I ain't finna be the type to act like this don't really hurts
What am I supposed to do 'bout it when I'm at work?
You and her, we supposed to be brothers that make it worse
And he told me everything y'all be doin' don't do me dirt
Don't deny it homie, really you oversteppin' your turf
Told me y'all was snappin' photos and you removin' her skirt
Even said you shoulda known this fuckin' chick was a flirt
Well how you gonna believe every damn thing he say?
Dog you for real? You shoulda told me without delay
We was like fam, now you got me dealin' with hearsay
And everything that he say, she say
Oh, I gotta go
Bros become foes yeah (bros become foes)
Lord knows the lovin' was fly though
It ain't worth livin' these lies though
On my dog (On my dog, on my dog)
Yeah
I should have told him, I should have told him, I should have told him
(That I was tappin' in)
I should have told him, I should have told him, I should have told him
('Cause he was a best friend)
Shoulda told him I was tappin' in
Shoulda told him I was tappin' in
Shoulda told him I was tappin' in
That ain't never what you do to best friends
So that is how me and my best friend fell out
'Cause I told another homie something he had to yell out
All of our business ventures and dreams was the hell out
And I'm left with underhanded things that I can tell 'bout
Lost my best friend, 'cause I was young and dumb
He lost his life to another brother with a gun
I never got to tell him that I was sorry, I was sprung
My other homie just died of cancer, I'm numb
So the moral of the story is
Don't lie to get something that you really want
Always keep it real, though a lot of people don't
That's why they always in funk
Shoulda told him I was tappin' in
Shoulda told him I was tappin' in
Shoulda told him I was tappin' in
That ain't never what you do to best friends
The song "Tappin' In" by Tech N9ne tells a story of betrayal and the consequences that come with hiding the truth from a friend. The lyrics describe a situation where the singer engages in a secret sexual relationship with a woman who is involved with his best friend. Despite the temptation and lust, the singer knows that what he's doing is wrong, as indicated by the line "I was full of regret." He keeps this affair a secret, even when his other friend asks about his intentions with the woman.
As the story unfolds, it becomes apparent that the singer's actions have severe consequences. His best friend eventually finds out about the affair from someone else and confronts the singer. The betrayal leads to a falling out between the two friends, with the singer losing not only his friendship but also witnessing the tragic loss of his best friend's life to gun violence.
Lyrics © BMG RIGHTS MANAGEMENT
Written by: Michael Summers, Joey Cool, Darrein Safron, Aaron Yates
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind