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Tech N9ne -
Tech N9ne: "Everready: The Religion"
Kansas Citians unfamiliar with one of the city's best selling exports might wonder if they should proudly embrace Tech N9ne or lock their doors as he passes by. As Tech N9ne is a singularly complex figure, there's no easy answer. Everready, the 35-year-old's new release, is a startlingly ambitious statement from an artist who seems to sense that both his career and his very life are at stake. Its sprawling 75 minutes contain innovative musical and lyrical heights that trample hip hop's tired cliches. In its best moments, Everready is the artistic equal of the hip hop world's premier releases and compares favorably with the groudbreaking work of Kanye West and Outkast. Yet his longtime fans need not fear that Tech N9ne has gone soft- there's still more than enough violence and misogyny on hand to offend anyone not already desensitized by the grittiness of contemporary hip hop. Everready's broad palette of innovative sonic textures is unrivaled by all but the most experimental rock and hip hop releases. "Welcome To the Midwest" marries the cadence of a military march to a Dean Martin-style croon. The ominous "Night and Day" smartly contrasts Islamic prayer accents with a smooth soul ballad hook. While the riveting "Running Out of Time" references a classic rock hit by Steve Miller, Tech N9ne demonstrates that he's also completely up to date on the hyphy "Bout Ta Bubble." The slamming club anthem is Everready's most conventional, radio-ready track. Tech N9ne's favorite subject is himself; fortunately, he's an intriguing figure. He's the rare rapper who openly exposes his fears and faults. Often employing his famous rapid fire delivery, Tech N9ne's powerful voice has never sounded more confident. He brazenly challenges the local competition on "Come Gangsta." "With my red hair and my face paint," he asserts, "I may look like a clown, but you... sound like a ... circus." The jovial "Jellysickle," featuring E-40, is a less abrasive attack on his detractors. "They love my pain because it makes for great music," Tech says of his fans on the oddly affecting "The Rain." It's true that the self-described "crazed clown" seems most inspired on his darkest material. When he revels in earthly pleasures, such as the ode to his favorite adult beverage, "Caribou Lou," Tech N9ne falls back on offensive platitudes and stale beats. Kansas City doesn't fare especially well on Everready. According to Tech N9ne, it's a place punctuated by gunfire. Mutilated bodies are dumped in Swope Park. But just as he unflinchingly documents Kansas City's troubles, Tech N9ne proudly extolls the virtues of the place he calls home. Everready is an artistic triumph that should make Kansas City proud of its most popular musical ambassador. (3.5 out of 4 stars) Bill Brownlee, Special to The Star
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