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/
The Real Thing
Tech N9ne Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
The Real Thing cross the path of Suwandi
[Chorus:]
What is real? You must decide.
Cause what I feel, I cannot hide!
This pain is mine, I bleed for you!
I cannot lie, cause I'd die for you!
Believe me I'd die!
Hey!
I'm the real thing they can check my stats
All over USA, Overseas, and back
I didn't get out of this shit through crack
Education and motivation and just do rap
Built all my fans, one by one
They lovin the bullets coming from my gun
They do cry for me, digging the alpha me
I'm giving the spirited heart from my tongue
How can you say my life is make believe?
When everybody call me for rent, I paid the G's
I create the "C" notes, we dope
So why the hate, cause he broke, we growth
When I look around I see jokes
With a whole lot of boss and boast
A marti taught me to not be flossy
Cause these copies will doubt me, close
[Chorus:]
What is real? You must decide.
Cause what I feel, I cannot hide!
This pain is mine, I bleed for you!
I cannot lie, cause I'd die for you!
Believe me I'd die!
Believe me I'd die!
Hey!
They say my shit is glamor and glitz
And all they think I'm doing is hammering chicks
When I'm gone, they'll be slandering this
But when I'm around, you a stammering bitch
Just give it up cause our cut is due
Tech lit up and it's better than you
Never in blue, better than runes
Made my money off of summerin fools
I'm the real thing!
I can rap bitch!
And I don't know nobody that's disputin that shit
Put on my mask, spittins fast, get the cash quick
How does it feel to be real?
It's fucking fantastic!
[Chorus:]
What is real? You must decide.
Cause what I feel, I cannot hide!
This pain is mine, I bleed for you!
I cannot lie, cause I'd die for you!
Believe me I'd die!
Believe me I'd die!
In Tech N9ne's song The Real Thing featuring Liz Suwandi, the rapper speaks about his authenticity in the music industry. The song highlights the contrast between those who are genuine and those who fake their way through, just to succeed. Tech N9ne emphasizes that he is the real thing, and his success isn't based on things such as drugs or scandalous stories. He explains that he earned it through his own hard work, drive, and natural talent.
In the chorus, the lyrics highlight the theme of authenticity versus artificiality. The ultimate message encourages the listener to make the decision about what is real and what isn't. Tech N9ne and Liz Suwandi accentuate that they cannot hide their true feelings and that they would die for their art. They bleed for their music and have no motivation to lie or misrepresent themselves.
Tech N9ne's song The Real Thing symbolizes an essential view of his critical reception of the music industry. He emphasizes authenticity and realness, a message that has resonated with his fans. The all-around message of this song is to stay true to oneself, regardless of the forces that may try to force you to compromise your values.
Line by Line Meaning
Drink, this is unreal, beyond me
This situation is unbelievable and confusing to me
The Real Thing cross the path of Suwandi
The authentic and genuine experience comes into the life of Suwandi
What is real? You must decide.
The definition of genuine and authentic is subjective and varies from person to person
Cause what I feel, I cannot hide!
I am unable to conceal my emotions or pretend to be something I'm not
This pain is mine, I bleed for you!
I am willing to suffer for the people I care about
I cannot lie, cause I'd die for you!
I will not deceive you because my loyalty and love for you are paramount
Believe me I'd die!
You can trust that I am sincere and authentic in my feelings
I'm the real thing they can check my stats
I am the authentic article and my track record verifies that
All over USA, Overseas, and back
I have validated my authenticity not only in the United States but also internationally
I didn't get out of this shit through crack
I didn't use drugs as a means of escaping from challenging circumstances
Education and motivation and just do rap
I overcame obstacles through knowledge, motivation, and pursuing my passion for music
Built all my fans, one by one
I earned the loyalty of my fans by connecting with them on an individual level
They lovin the bullets coming from my gun
They appreciate my bold and powerful lyrics
They do cry for me, digging the alpha me
They empathize with me and appreciate my authentic and dominant persona
I'm giving the spirited heart from my tongue
I am expressing my authentic and passionate self through my music
How can you say my life is make believe?
How can you accuse me of being inauthentic when my success is based on hard work and dedication?
When everybody call me for rent, I paid the G's
When everyone was struggling financially, I was able to pay my bills and support myself
I create the "C" notes, we dope
I create the money and the music, and they are both excellent
So why the hate, cause he broke, we growth
Why the hostility towards me just because I was once struggling financially? We can all grow and evolve
When I look around I see jokes
When I observe my surroundings, I see individuals who are not authentic or genuine
With a whole lot of boss and boast
They have a lot of arrogance and bravado but lack substance
A marti taught me to not be flossy
A mentor taught me to not be ostentatious or showy
Cause these copies will doubt me, close
Because inauthentic copies of me will bring doubt and suspicion to my authenticity
They say my shit is glamor and glitz
People accuse me of using superficial and flashy elements in my music
And all they think I'm doing is hammering chicks
They believe that my music is only about exploiting women
When I'm gone, they'll be slandering this
If I were to die or leave the music industry, they would maliciously criticize me
But when I'm around, you a stammering bitch
When I am present, you become intimidated and speechless
Just give it up cause our cut is due
Just accept the fact that our share of success is deserved and earned
Tech lit up and it's better than you
My music is more dynamic and impressive than yours, Tech N9ne has succeeded where you have not
Never in blue, better than runes
I have never been handcuffed/arrested, I am better than those who are bound or limited
Made my money off of summerin fools
I earned a lot of money from exploiting naive or foolish individuals
I can rap bitch!
I have the ability and talent to excel in rapping
And I don't know nobody that's disputin that shit
I confidently assert my greatness, and no one can argue with that
Put on my mask, spittins fast, get the cash quick
When I assume my stage identity, I become more energetic and entertaining, and I earn money quickly
How does it feel to be real?
What does authenticity feel like?
It's fucking fantastic!
It's absolutely amazing and fulfilling!
Contributed by Keira W. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Mr.Fred Fred Burger
I love this chicks voice!! It's so haunting and melodic
Shawheen Azizi
Liz Suwandi is so fucking wonderful. I love her voice.
stewy1389
This song needs to be famous
Steven Vialpando
It is
The Joker
how does it feel to be real? it's fuckin fantastic!!!
Hugo Cinco
Liz suwandi. holy Shit. I nearly blacked out during the chorus
eulB madaM
How the hell did I never hear this until now?!?!?!!
snookycooky
It's total bullshit that this song isn't on Spotify!
Bradford Witherspoon
where and what the fuck right? This song Epic! and did it come from..i miss Liz Suwandi tracks..so this is just a gift
jacob mclemore
Bradford Witherspoon always preorder the delux u get extras