Aaron Dontez Yates (born November 8, 1971; Kansas City, Missouri), better known by his stage name Tech N9ne, is an American rapper. His musical career has spanned over 25 years.
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.
Early in his career, Tech N9ne was a member of a group called Black Mafia, which was founded by Black Walt in 1990. The group also contained Boss Hoss, Short Nitty and Bakarii. However, Tech didn't appear on the group's tape, which was released in 1991. Tech N9ne was also a member of the group Nnutthowze, along with producer IcyRoc Kraven and MCs Dyno Mack, Agginy and Plaque. The group was signed to Perspective Records in 1993. However, the group disbanded soon after being released from the label. Tech often pays tribute to the group in his lyrics by saying "Six, six, triple eight, forty six, ninety nine, three" (6688846993), which spells out Nnutthowze on the touch pad numbers of a telephone. 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".
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 collective's 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.
In September 2008, Tech N9ne officially hit a milestone in his career, recording over a million album sales to date, thanks to the release of his double album, Killer. Despite the accomplishment, the rapper remembers the struggles of his career, up until this point. However, he wasn't surprised. "It just reminded me of all the work we done in the past, up until now. It's something. It's dope," the rapper told BallerStatus.com. "I don't think it's sunken in yet. I've been celebrating for the last two days because that's a hell of an accomplishment. I've been planning success all my life. I'm not even a bit surprised, I'm happy about it. That just means I was right." Sickology 101: The Study of Being Sick was released on April 28, 2009. Sickology is the second Tech N9ne collabos album (the first being Misery Loves Kompany), the album has several guest appearances such as Krayzie Bone, Crooked I, Messy Marv and Chino XL.
On April 7, 2009, it was announced that Tech N9ne would be one of the performers for the Rock The Bells 2009 Festival. In August, Tech N9ne performed at the tenth annual Gathering of the Juggalos after appearing at two prior Gatherings.
In 2010 he made his second appearance on The Wake up Show "The Anthem" from Sway & King Tech.
His newest album K.O.D. was released on October 26, 2009. The album was accompanied by the "K.O.D" tour featuring Krizz Kaliko, Kutt Calhoun, Slaughterhouse, Glasses Malone, Stevie Stone, and the newly signed artist to Strange Music, Big Scoob.
Shortly after K.O.D. was released it was announced that 5 more songs that hadn't made the cut would be released on March 30, 2010 on a 5 song EP. The Lost Scripts of K.O.D. will not be available in stores, only available for purchase online.
Strange Music label:
Tech N9ne and Travis O'Guin co-own the record label Strange Music, which was created in 1999. Under the label, Tech N9ne has released nine albums, Absolute Power, Anghellic: Reparation, Vintage Tech, Everready (The Religion), Tech N9ne Collabos: Misery Loves Kompany, Killer, Tech N9ne Collabos: Sickology 101, K.O.D. and The Lost Scripts of K.O.D. 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, Krizz Kaliko, and Kabosh which is a joint effort by Tech N9ne and Kaliko where they will venture into the rock world.
On February 9, 2009, it was announced on Tech N9ne's official website that Skatterman & Snug Brim had decided to leave the Strange Music label after fulfilling their commitment.
On February 9, 2009, it was announced on Tech N9ne's official website that Big Scoob had joined the Strange Music label two days earlier, on February 7. Big Scoob having featured on Tech N9ne tracks in the past was unsigned by all labels and found a large welcoming into the Strange Music community. Big Scoob has his own theme song recorded on Tech N9ne's first collabos album Misery Loves Kompany titled "Big Scoob". Tech N9ne and Big Scoob both started out as members of the underground rap group the 57th Street Rogue Dog Villians. Big Scoob will be the first of those members Tech N9ne has personally aided in their career quest for label support.
May 2009, Tech signed Brotha Lynch Hung to his Strange Music label. Brotha Lynch has completed a new album since being signed to the label, Dinner and a Movie which was released on March 23 of 2010.
July 19, 2009, Cognito is signed to the Strange Music label. Cognito released his album 'Automatic' on April 20, 2010.
In popular culture
Films:
Tech N9ne is featured on the soundtrack for the 1997 movie Gang Related, featuring James Belushi and 2Pac, with the song "Questions."
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 his 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.
In 2009, Tech recorded the original song "Get Your Shoes On," for local critic/film maker Shawn Edwards' film, "Our Heroes: The 25 Best Black Sports Movies (Ever)." On March 13, ARTISTDirect premiered the track "Donde Esta La Fiesta" from The Life of Lucky Cucumber soundtrack. In July of the same year, "Let's Go" from his album Killer was used for an online promotional short film for AXE body spray, which featured professional skateboarders Ryan Sheckler, Greg Lutzka and Jereme Rogers.
2010 will see the release of the Danny Trejo film, "Vengeance," in which Tech has a small part. The film was initially titled "Jack's Law" and was scheduled for release in 2006.
Games:
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. The song 'Everybody Move' from the Album Killer was featured on the Hip Hop station of Midnight Club: Los Angeles.
In 2009, Tech N9ne along with label mate Krizz Kaliko appeared in a promotional video for the Fight Night Round 4 video game.
Television:
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."
In early 2007, Tech N9ne was featured on the MTV program I'm From Rolling Stone. In December 2007, Tech N9ne's song "Caribou Lou" was featured on an episode of MTV's My Super Sweet 16, during the scene in which the birthday girl received her car. In summer 2008, Tech N9ne's song "Earthquake" was featured on an episode of MTV's America's Best Dance Crew in which the crew had to visually convey the title of the song in their performance.
On the August 15, 2009 Strikeforce event, Strikeforce: Carano vs. Cyborg, MMA fighter Gilbert Melendez entered the arena to Tech N9ne's 2006 song "The Beast" for his bout with Mitsuhiro Ishida.
In 2010, Tech N9ne's song "Let's Go" (featuring Kutt Calhoun & Mistah F.A.B.), from his album Killer, was featured on an episode of MTV's The Hills. On June 20, 2010, Spike Guys' Choice Awards used the song "B. Boy," from his album K.O.D., to introduce the "Most Dangerous Man Award."
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