Tech N9ne

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Tech N9ne

Background information
Birth name Aaron Dontez Yates
Also known as Tecca Nina, The Killa Clown, T-9, Kansas City King
Born November 8, 1971 (1971-11-08) (age 36)
Origin Kansas City, Missouri, United States
Genre(s) Hip hop
Years active 1996 – present
Label(s) Strange Music/Fontana Records/Universal Music Group
Associated acts The Regime
Kabosh
57th Street Rogue Dog Villians
Krizz Kaliko
Kutt Calhoun
Website TheRealTechN9ne.com

Aaron Dontez Yates (born November 8, 1971 in Kansas City, Missouri) better known by his stage name Tech N9ne, is an American rapper. His musical career has spanned 20 years, during which he has performed sold out shows from Los Angeles to New York City. He is also the best selling MC out of his hometown of Kansas City.

Contents

[edit] Career

Tech N9ne is known for his wide range of collaborations with other well-known artists. In 1999, Tech N9ne was included on the track (and accompanying video) "The Anthem" from Sway & King Tech, two radio personalities based in California.

He started his rap career because of a dare from one of his friends in high school. Early in his career, Tech N9ne was a member of a group called "NNUTT HOWZE", which he pays tribute to in many of his lyrics by saying "Six, six, triple eight, forty six, ninety nine, three" (6688846993), which spells out NNUTT HOWZE on the touch pad numbers of a telephone. However, the group disbanded when they were dropped from their label, Perspective Records. Additionally, he saw glimpses of success as a member of the 57th Street Rogue Dog Villians - also a Kansas City-based group - with their single "Let's Get Fucked Up".[1]

Tech N9ne is a member of The Regime, a large collective of MCs including Yukmouth, Dru Down, Gonzoe, Tha Realest and Messy Marv among various others. Fellow Kansas City rappers, BG Bulletwound and Grant Rice, are also included in the collectives roster. Tech N9ne is one of the original members of The Regime, as he has been with the group since its creation by Yukmouth in 1997. The stage name Tech N9ne derives from the word technique and the number 9, 9 being the number of completion; meaning he is a 'complete emcee'.[citation needed]

[edit] Strange Music label

Tech N9ne and Travis O'Guin co-own the record label Strange Music, which was created in 2002 after Tech N9ne's release from JCOR Entertainment.[2] Under the label, Tech N9ne has released six albums, Absolute Power, Anghellic: Reparation, Vintage Tech, Everready (The Religion), Tech N9ne Collabos: Misery Loves Kompany, and Killer. The label has signed several other performers and bands including Kutt Calhoun, Skatterman & Snug Brim, Project: Deadman which consists of Prozak, and producer Mike E. Clark, Big Krizz Kaliko, and Kabosh which is a joint effort by Tech N9ne and Kaliko where they will venture into the rock world. Recently, Strange Music signed Dirty Thug Records, the label that houses Grave Plott (Killa C & Liquid Assassin), to a distribution deal. Strange Music has also signed Brooklyn-area rapper and member of La Coka Nostra, Ill Bill, to release his upcoming second album The Hour of Reprisal. There are rumors that Ill Bill has signed with Strange Music to join the actual label, although there has been no direct word as to whether his deal is for distribution only or not.

[edit] In Popular Culture

Tech N9ne is featured on the soundtrack for the 1997 movie Gang Related, featuring Jim Belushi and 2Pac. In 2001, Tech N9ne's song "Tormented," from his album Anghellic, appeared in a scene of the Fox TV series Dark Angel, it plays for nearly two minutes in the background of a bar scene contained in the season two episode "Two."[3]

Four of Tech N9ne's songs were featured in the 2007 Universal Pictures film, Alpha Dog. Two of those songs, "Caribou Lou" and "Night and Day" are from the 2006 album, Everready: The Religion. Also included are "Slither" from his 2002 album Absolute Power and "LA LA Land" featuring Gina Cassavetes (daughter of film director Nick Cassavetes) which is featured on the Alpha Dog film soundtrack. Originally, Tech N9ne was behind scoring the entire movie but the movie studio decided to remove some of his music to add more commercially known songs.[4]

His song "I'm a Playa" featured on the album Absolute Power samples the song Rock Me Amadeus by Falco.

The tracks "Jellysickle" and "My Wife, My Bitch, My Girl", both from 2006 album Everready (The Religion), are featured on the soundtrack to 25 To Life, a 2005 video game, in which Tech N9ne is also an unlockable character. A censored version of "The Beast," also from 2006 release Everready (The Religion), is featured in the game Madden NFL 2006.

In early 2007, Tech N9ne was featured on the MTV program I'm From Rolling Stone.

Tech N9ne has been confirmed for several upcoming collaborations. Among them are an appearance on Bizarre's (of D12) second solo album titled Blue Cheese & Coney Island, Bay Area rap pioneer E-40's upcoming album The Ball Street Journal[5], Bay Area MC San Quinn's album From a Boy to a Man, Ill Bill's The Hour of Reprisal and Brotha Lynch Hung's Dinner & A Movie album[6].

Lil' Flip has expressed interest to Tech N9ne in working together, though details have yet to be worked out between the two parties.[7]

Twista was originally set to appear on "Welcome To The Midwest" from Everready, but his recorded verse wasn't sent to Tech in time to be fully mastered without delaying the album. Tech says he still plans to use the verse in the future. [8] Tech later collaborated with Twista and Prozak on the song "Why" from Prozak's Tales From the Sick. Referring to bringing back the midwest, Krayzie Bone stated that he and Tech will definitely do work together in the future.

Tech N9ne has also popularized a mixed drink called Caribou Lou which is often asked for when in Kansas City.

In Spring 2008, Tech N9ne will embark on a nationwide tour with Swisha House recording artist Paul Wall. The tour will also feature Brooklyn rapper Ill Bill.

[edit] Discography

Main article: Tech N9ne discography

[edit] Albums

[edit] Music videos

Note 1-1: Remains unreleased, was released in clips of each verse through an old Tech N9ne fansite.
Note 1-2: Tech N9ne makes a cameo appearance in this video.
Note 1-3: This video can only be found on the Das Bus DVD.
Note 1-4: There were two versions of this video made, the first was released normally, the second was made available through FiggKidd's forum, completely different then the first, this one having a more adult theme.
Note 1-5: Footage of Tech N9ne recording in studio is used for his verse.
Note 1-6: This video was released on the T9X DVD in 2004, it was recorded several years prior, evident by Don Juan being present.

[edit] Selected filmography

  • 2003: Beef
  • 2003: Das Bus
  • 2004: T9X: The Tech N9ne Experience
  • 2004: United Ghettos of America Vol. 2
  • 2005: Hip Hop Nation Vol. 1
  • 2006: Jack's Law2-1
  • 2006: Alpha Dog2-2
  • 2008: The Psychumentary[9]
  • 2008: The Life of Lucky Cucumber2-3
Note 2-1: Yet to be officially released.
Note 2-2: Tech N9ne does not physically appear, but he did have a helping hand in scoring the movie, this includes the placement of several of his songs in the films score as well as the appearance of a song from fellow label mates Skatterman & Snug Brim.
Note 2-3: Currently in Post-production.[10]

[edit] References

  1. ^ VonHolten, Tim (2003-12-22). The Belly of the Beast. Lawrence.com. Retrieved on 2007-09-26.
  2. ^ Tech N9ne - Album Bio
  3. ^ "Two". Dark Angel. No. 06, season 02. 13:16 minutes in.
  4. ^ D., Spence (2007-01-12). Various Artists - Alpha Dog: Music From The Motion Picture. IGN.com. Retrieved on 2007-09-26.
  5. ^ Amter, Charlie (2007-07-12). Tech N9ne finds his own flow in rap. LA Times. Retrieved on 2007-07-17.
  6. ^ Interviews - Brotha Lynch Hung. DubCNN.com (2007-06). Retrieved on 2007-09-26.
  7. ^ Tech N9ne Interview With TheFroHas2Grow Promotions (flv). Retrieved on 2007-12-11. Event occurs at 00:22-00:35.
  8. ^ Interviews - Twista. DubCNN.com (2007-07). Retrieved on 2007-09-26.
  9. ^ Tech N9ne dvd info
  10. ^ The Life of Lucky Cucumber (2007). IMDB.com. Retrieved on 2007-10-22.

[edit] External links

v • d • e
Tech N9ne
Albums
Singles
"Mitch Bade" · "Cloudy-Eyed Stroll" · "Soul Searchin'" · "Big Bad Wolf" · "It's Alive" · "Slacker" · "Imma Tell" · "Here Comes Tecca Nina" · "I'm A Playa" · "Bout Ta' Bubble" · "Midwest Choppers" · "Gangsta Shap" · "Everybody Move"
Filmography
Beef · Das Bus · T9X: The Tech N9ne Experience · United Ghettos of America Vol. 2 · Jack's Law · Alpha Dog · The Life of Lucky Cucumber · The Psychumentary
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