Tech N9ne Bio

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Vishal Thakur

Vishal became a Hip Hop fan when he started playing various video games that featured the genre. After listening to his first Kid Cudi album, he fell in love with the music's storytelling, poetry, and rhythm. Some of his favorite artists include Kanye West, Kid Cudi, Denzel Curry, and Lil Baby.

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Introduction

Few in the hip-hop world can say they truly remained independent and relevant throughout their career. Tech N9ne, with a career spanning over three decades, is one of those hip-hop artists. Acting as the noble prototype for so-called ‘independents,’ Tech’s insistence to keep his Strange Music record label free from the influence of higher-ups has significantly contributed to his success. Tech’s longevity in the game is admirable, and his flow and rhymes are incomparable.

Bringing his signature “chopper” style to nearly every track, Tech N9ne is in his own lane, and he doesn’t seem to slow down. Sure, his career has had its ups and downs, but we can almost always expect an annual offering from the K.O.D. himself. Please sit back, relax, and let us journey through the life and career of the Tech N9ne.

Tech N9ne Quick Facts

Birthplace and Early Life

Tech N9ne (pronounced “tech nine”) was born and raised in Kansas City, Missouri, USA. He began rapping at a young age and had a hobby of exploring abandoned buildings with his best friend. Tech was raised a strict Christian and explained that his hobby of exploring buildings was his effort to search for God (i.e., hoping to spot a ghost or other entity). He also attended church several times a week with his mother and studied Islam at home with his stepfather. 

Rap music was banned in his household, but that didn’t stop Tech from collecting several hip-hop records, including NWA, Public Enemy, etc. His high school was Southwest High School in Kansas City. Tech immersed himself in music during high school and gained recognition as a rapper and dancer. However, his stepfather disapproved of rap music, which influenced Tech to leave home to live with his grandmother at the age of 17. 

Parents

Tech’s father, Carlton Cook, was estranged from the family and reportedly worked in Los Angeles as a member of the LAPD. Tech’s mother, Maude Sue Yates-Khalifah, lived with Tech and other family members in the Wayne Miner projects. Tech was disturbed by his mother’s epilepsy and lupus, which she had dealt with since the age of 18. His mother passed away in 2014. 

Professional Career

The 90’s: Getting Started

Tech started his career in 1991 as part of a group called Black Mafia. However, he saw more success with the group 57th Street Rogue Dog Villains. Tech signed with several record labels before settling with JCOR Records for a few years. In 1997, Tech joined the group the Regime, formed by rapper Yukmouth. In 1999, Tech and his business partner Travis O’Guin founded their own record label, Strange Music.

Early 2000’s: Underground Rep Building

Tech found some underground success from 2001 to 2005. He released the album Anghellic in 2001 under JCOR Records. However, there were disputes about how the album was promoted, and thus Tech and his label severed ties with JCOR.

Tech’s 2002 album, Absolute Power, debuted at #79 on the Billboard 200. Tech took several years to work on his 2006 album Everready (The Religion), marking the most prolonged hiatus of his career. 

2006-2011: Independence and Success

Following the relative success of Everready, Tech released a string of solo and collaborative albums (albums in the latter are referred to as his “Collabos” projects) that marked, in my opinion, the peak of his career.

The studio release of Misery Loves Kompany, Killer, K.O.D., Sickology 101, and All 6’s and 7’s established Strange Music and cemented Tech as a top independent artist. Commercial and critical success put Tech and his label on the map, leading to higher production value albums with more lucrative features like Lil Wayne, Hopsin, T-Pain, etc. One of the most important collaborations in Tech’s career was his feature in Lil Wayne’s Tha Carter IV on the song “Interlude” with Andre 3000. 

2012-2015: Something Else & Special Effects Era

Tech followed up his early 2010s success with a couple of EPs to appease fans, but he hinted that a full studio album would be released in mid-2013. On July 30, 2013, Something Else was released to universal acclaim from critics and fans alike. On a personal note, I was a full-on Technician at this point in my life, and this album surpassed my expectations.

I remember the ‘temperature’ of the response from fans on Facebook and Twitter was overwhelmingly positive, many lauding its dynamic and entertaining performances and features. Standout tracks include “So Dope (They Wanna)” featuring Twisted Insane, Wrekonize, & Snow Tha Product, as well as “Fragile” featuring Kendrick Lamar, ¡Mayday!, & Kendall Morgan. 

Less than two years later, Tech N9ne capitalized on the success of Something Else with the release of his fifteenth studio album Special Effects, on May 4, 2015. Although the single “Hood Go Crazy” featuring B.o.B. & 2 Chainz is one of Tech’s most streamed and popular songs, I think “Bass Ackwards” with Yo Gotti, Lil Wayne & Big Scoob is a far superior track. It features clever wordplay and an awe-inspiring performance from Tunechi.

The album was supported by the lead single “Speedom (WWC2)” featuring Eminem, the long-awaited sequel to “Worldwide Choppers” from All 6’s and 7’s. Eminem reportedly offered his verse for free in exchange for a verse from Tech for an unknown project. The album was further supported by a Special Effects Tour which began in April 2015 and featured fellow label artists Murs, Krizz Kaliko, and others. 

2016-Present: Between The Rock and a Hard Place

Tech’s releases in the past five years or so have been what I consider low points in his career. Along with some touring and a Collabos release, Tech released The Storm in late 2016, a follow-up to his 1999 debut, The Calm Before the Storm. The album was met with mixed reviews from fans and critics, which “broke [Tech’s] heart.” Aside from some mid Collabos releases and a few studio albums, including Planet in 2018 and N9na in 2019, the “COVID era” of his career has been disappointing.

I dare say Tech became complacent and, to an extent, oversaturated his discography with average releases. Sure, we can see some progression, especially with features (see “Sriracha” feat. Logic & Joyner Lucas), but it’s safe to say Tech reached a peak earlier in his career. 

Thankfully, 2021 saw a short resurgence in Tech’s career. A long-time fan and friend, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, rapped a verse on the track “Face Off” feat. Joey Cool & King Iso. The song began to trend on TikTok with The Rock’s line, “It’s about drive, it’s about power // We stay hungry, we devour…”, spurring many memes and hilarious videos. Tech and The Rock have acknowledged and embraced the song’s success.

The album the song is featured on, Asin9ne, was released in 2021 and marks Tech’s most recent official release as of May 2022.  

Videos

Family, Relationship History, & Influence

Tech was married in 1995 to Lecoya LeJeune, but they separated in 2005. Tech filed for divorce in 2015, and it was finalized in 2017, 12 years after separation. Tech has two daughters, Alyia and Reign, and a son named Dontez. There is no further information on his current relationship status. 

Tech N9ne is an avid supporter and icon in his hometown, Kansas City, with the artist often referencing the city and its major sports teams (Chiefs, Royals, etc.) in songs. Tech has had a significant influence on the industry with regard to founding his own Strange Music label and maintaining Independent status throughout his career (i.e., not signing to any other major ‘parent label’). As for his craft, Tech’s intense flow and chopper-style of lyricism sets him apart from his peers.

That, coupled with his ‘strange’ persona, makes him a true artist in my eyes. 

As for pop culture and other ventures, Tech has been featured in many films, television series, and video games. Business deals include teaming up with Boulevard Brewing Company to release the beer “Bou Lou” to limited US markets. The beer is named after his single “Caribou Lou” and is a wheat beer with pineapple and coconut flavors. 

Net Worth and Career Earnings

Tech N9ne has an estimated net worth of upwards of $20 million. Many credit his ability to maintain independent as a reason for his high earnings. It can be assumed that most of his money comes from his Strange Music label and album sales. Tech’s albums have ranged from ~10k to 360k albums sold, earning him over $2 million throughout his career. 

Real Estate & Residence History

Not much is known about Tech’s real estate and residence history other than that he has lived in Kansas City for most of his life. 

Discography

Studio Albums

• The Calm Before the Storm (1999)
• The Worst (2000)
• Anghellic (2001)
• Absolute Power (2002)
• Everready (The Religion) (2006)
• Misery Loves Kompany (2007)
• Killer (2008)
• Sickology 101 (2009)
• K.O.D. (2009)
• The Gates Mixed Plate (2010)
• All 6’s and 7’s (2011)
• Welcome to Strangeland (2011)
• Something Else (2013)
• Strangeulation (2014)
• Special Effects (2015)
• Strangeulation Vol. II (2015)
• The Storm (2016)
• Dominion (2017)
• Strange Reign (2017)
• Planet (2018)
• N9NA (2019)
• Enterfear (2020)
• Asin9ne (2021)

EPs

• The Lost Scripts of K.O.D. (2010)
• Seepage (2010)
• Klusterfuk (2012)
• E.B.A.H. (2012)
• Boiling Point (2012)
• Therapy (2013)
• Enterfear Level 1 (2019)
• Enterfear Level 2 (2020)
• More Fear (2020)
• Fear Exodus (2020)
• Blight (with HU$H) (2021)

Compilation Albums

• Celcius (2002)
• Vintage Tech (2005)
• The Box Set (2009)

Mixtapes

• Bad Season (2010)

FAQs

Conclusion

With Tech N9ne’s independent success, many others are inspired by his success and continue to listen to his most popular songs.

Research Citations

• Tech N9ne (Aaron Dontez Yates) Biography – Facts, Childhood, Family Life & Achievements of Rapper (thefamouspeople.com)
• Tech N9ne – Wikipedia
• Tech N9ne discography – Wikipedia
• Tech N9ne’s mother Maude Sue Yates-Kalifah has passed away. | Faygoluvers
• Tech N9ne — Pulls Trigger on Divorce (tmz.com)
• Tech N9ne-Bio, Wife, Kids, Net Worth, Albums, Shows, Songs, Height, Age (blossomeye.com)