Misplaced Pages

Revision as of 00:39, 17 November 2006

This article contains promotional content. Please help improve it by removing promotional language and inappropriate external links, and by adding encyclopedic text written from a neutral point of view. (Learn how and when to remove this message)

Tech N9ne (born Aaron Dontez Yates on November 8, 1971 in Kansas City, Missouri) is an underground rapper. The meaning of his name has been widely disputed (most misleadingly making reference to a nine millimeter pistol) but Tech N9ne has explained in many established magazine articles that his name means "Technique Number Nine". The number nine is said to be significant in life for many reasons, such as a cat's 9 lives or the 9 months of pregnancy. Tech N9ne feels that he is the entire package, and relates his own rap skill and style to the envelopment of all rap styles into one. He says that his style is adaptable to all formats, which is why he has been heard on so many different artist's albums. He is a fan favorite among people in Kansas City strictly through word of mouth instead of commercial airplay.

Biography

Early life

He was raised in a strictly religious family, his stepfather being Muslim and parents being Christian for most of his life. As a result of this upbringing, Tech N9ne is often seen wearing a cross.

Although rap music was 'banned' from his house, his life changed dramatically when an Uncle (named "Ike" in songs) snuck him a record called Rapp Dirty by Blowfly. He began collecting a large rap collection including Afrika Bambaataa, N.W.A., Public Enemy, Boogie Down Productions, hiding the records at a neighbor's house for fear his stepfather would find out.

At age 17, he left home to his Aunt's home. She was more liberal to rap giving him his first taste of musical freedom. During this time he practiced dancing and rhyming. His skill attracted Tonya Johnston, who invited him to join her at a rap convention in New Orleans. The relationship gave Tech N9ne his first big break.

Rap career

Tech came up as a popular rapper in Kansas City and to a somewhat lesser extent, the rest of the country. Constant touring in support of his album Absolute Power and opening for more popular acts like the Insane Clown Posse increased his reputation. He joined the West Coast group The Regime, headed by Yukmouth, which is currently working on Everready (The Religion), with production from Rick Rock and appearances by Brotha Lynch Hung, Fo-5th, and E-40.

Tech also appeared with, among others: Tupac Shakur, Eminem, Insane Clown Posse, Twista, Yukmouth, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, Esham, Spice1, D12, MC Ren, Brotha Lynch Hung, C-Bo, Twiztid, Kottonmouth Kings, Sole, Roger Troutman, Figgkidd, X Dash and the Danish rapper U$O.

He also appeared on a Wake Up Show (King Tech & Sway) song called "Anthem" with a slew of other rappers that included Xzibit, RZA, KRS-One, Chino XL, Pharoahe Monch, Kool G Rap Eminem, and Jayo Felony.

Tech's only song with 2Pac, "Thugs Get Lonely Too" was to be featured on Shakur's album Loyal to the Game in 2004. Death Row Records contacted Tech and still wanted him to record his verse so they could put the song together. This song was leaked but was never official released. The song ended up on Loyal To The Game and was edited by Eminem to remove Tech's verse and feature Nate Dogg instead of Tech N9ne.

Tech N9ne just filmed the music video for Bout Ta' Bubble, the lead single off Everready (The Religion), which will be distributed and promoted by Universal Records.

Technique

Tech N9ne is known to be a reasonably fast rapper, also known for his ability to speed-rap, a skill mostly dominant in the American Midwest, and due to his geographic location as well as his fast rapping shares many of the same fans as Twista and Bone Thugs-N-Harmony. Tech, however, is also known to compose a rather slower flow, with a yelling, almost chanting delivery. He has been both praised and stigmatized for his dark, almost psychotic and sometimes suicidal subject matter, which has kept Tech N9ne out of the mainstream Rap scene.

Discography

Album Cover	Album information
	The Calm Before The Storm Released: November 9, 1999 Chart positions: U.S. Sales: Last RIAA certification: Singles: "Cloudy-Eyed Stroll", "Mitchell Bade"
File:The Worst - Front.JPG	The Worst Released: 2000 Chart positions: U.S. Sales: Last RIAA certification: Singles:
File:The Worst 2K Edition - Front.JPG	The Worst: 2K Edition Released: 2001 Chart positions: U.S. Sales: Last RIAA certification: Singles:
	Anghellic Released: August 28, 2001 Chart positions: #59 Top 200, #50 Top R&B/Hip-Hop U.S. Sales: 173,511 Last RIAA certification: Singles: "It's Alive"
File:Celcius - Front.jpg	Celcius Released: September, 2002 Chart positions: U.S. Sales: Last RIAA certification: Singles:
	Absolute Power Released: September 24, 2002 Chart positions: #79 Top 200, #3 Top Independent, #28 Top R&B/Hip-Hop U.S. Sales: 181,660 Last RIAA certification: Singles: "Here Comes Tecca Nina", "I'm A Playa", "Imma Tell", "Slacker"
File:AnghellicReparations.jpg	Anghellic: Reparation Released: February 11, 2003 Chart positions: #46 Top Independent U.S. Sales: Last RIAA certification: Singles:
File:Techn9ne.jpg	Vintage Tech Released: March 22, 2005 Chart positions: #19 Top Independent, #63 Top R&B/Hip-Hop U.S. Sales: Last RIAA certification: Singles:
File:Everready.jpg	Everready (The Religion) Released: November 7, 2006 Chart positions: #50 Top 2000 U.S. Sales: 21,966 Last RIAA certification: Singles: "Bout Ta' Bubble", "JellySickle (featuring E-40)"
	Isms: The Missing Scriptures Released: Chart positions: U.S. Sales: Last RIAA certification: Singles:

Notable Songs

External links

• Official website
• Template:MySpace
• Interview with Tech N9ne (Note: Contains some offensive language)

• 1971 births
• Living people
• American rappers
• People from Kansas City