From a recent article that I hadn't seen posted here. Mostly about the situation with his mom, but of course I focus on the unimportant shit. ha
http://www.calgarysun.com/entertainment/music/2009/07/31/10323016-sun.html
http://www.calgarysun.com/entertainment/music/2009/07/31/10323016-sun.html
With 20 years of performing and 10 studio albums under his belt, Tech N9ne is reaping the rewards of his hard work.
He may not have the name recognition of Jay-Z, Eminem or L'il Wayne, but Tech N9ne is a platinum-selling hip-hop star.
In fact, he is currently the most successful independent rapper in the hip-hop scene, having sold more than a million copies of his 2008 album, Killer, which was released on his own label, Strange.
But his recent success has been marred by personal problems.
"My mom is super sick right now and I'm in a dark place," says Tech, down the line from a recording studio in Kansas City, Mo., where he is putting the finishing touches on his new CD.
"I've just been in this dark hole and I'm trying not to drag people down with me. But I've been amazed at how this negative energy affects other people."
Tech says he is thrilled to be a part of this year's Rock the Bells hip-hop festival tour, which makes a stop in Calgary at Millennium Park on Sunday. But while Rock the Bells 2009 -- which features headliners Cypress Hill, Damian 'Jr. Gong' Marley, Nas and Big Boi -- is the biggest tour Tech N9ne has ever been a part of, he admits he's been torn between feelings of euphoria and depression because of his mother's condition.
"She suffers from epilepsy and she just got through pancreatitis," he explains.
"It makes me feel so bad that someone so tormented could be such an angel."
Tech says his upcoming album, K.O.D. (he won't say what is stands for, as he's running a contest for fans to try to decipher the meaning) has been a cathartic experience, and will touch upon his mother's illness and other issues that have plagued him.
"It's very important that I'm honest on my albums," he says. "It's my therapy. I get my frustrations out from paper to microphone to tape to the people.
"People get to feel my confusion, my happiness, my madness. This is how I vent ... I'm just hoping the darkness lifts after the album is finished so I can get back to a level of euphoria."
Born Aaron Yates in Kansas City, the 37-year-old rapper started out as a breakdancer before writing his first rhyme in 1985 while in high school.
In his senior year, he won a contest to open for hard-edged hip-hop act EPMD and DJ Quik at a local arena.
"On my graduation day, I had a choice of walking across the stage at the graduation ceremony or opening up for EPMD," he recalls. "I chose to go onstage with EPMD. My friends were trying to run across the stage as quick as they could so they could come join me on stage, but they were too late.
"That's when I knew I was going to do this for the rest of my life."
He may not have the name recognition of Jay-Z, Eminem or L'il Wayne, but Tech N9ne is a platinum-selling hip-hop star.
In fact, he is currently the most successful independent rapper in the hip-hop scene, having sold more than a million copies of his 2008 album, Killer, which was released on his own label, Strange.
But his recent success has been marred by personal problems.
"My mom is super sick right now and I'm in a dark place," says Tech, down the line from a recording studio in Kansas City, Mo., where he is putting the finishing touches on his new CD.
"I've just been in this dark hole and I'm trying not to drag people down with me. But I've been amazed at how this negative energy affects other people."
Tech says he is thrilled to be a part of this year's Rock the Bells hip-hop festival tour, which makes a stop in Calgary at Millennium Park on Sunday. But while Rock the Bells 2009 -- which features headliners Cypress Hill, Damian 'Jr. Gong' Marley, Nas and Big Boi -- is the biggest tour Tech N9ne has ever been a part of, he admits he's been torn between feelings of euphoria and depression because of his mother's condition.
"She suffers from epilepsy and she just got through pancreatitis," he explains.
"It makes me feel so bad that someone so tormented could be such an angel."
Tech says his upcoming album, K.O.D. (he won't say what is stands for, as he's running a contest for fans to try to decipher the meaning) has been a cathartic experience, and will touch upon his mother's illness and other issues that have plagued him.
"It's very important that I'm honest on my albums," he says. "It's my therapy. I get my frustrations out from paper to microphone to tape to the people.
"People get to feel my confusion, my happiness, my madness. This is how I vent ... I'm just hoping the darkness lifts after the album is finished so I can get back to a level of euphoria."
Born Aaron Yates in Kansas City, the 37-year-old rapper started out as a breakdancer before writing his first rhyme in 1985 while in high school.
In his senior year, he won a contest to open for hard-edged hip-hop act EPMD and DJ Quik at a local arena.
"On my graduation day, I had a choice of walking across the stage at the graduation ceremony or opening up for EPMD," he recalls. "I chose to go onstage with EPMD. My friends were trying to run across the stage as quick as they could so they could come join me on stage, but they were too late.
"That's when I knew I was going to do this for the rest of my life."
