While staying independent, Tech N9ne has managed to acquire a large, loyal, and varied fanbase. Like his following, Tech's choice in collaborators has grown increasingly eclectic over the years, and his upcoming studio album, Special Effects, sports the widest range yet
We sat down with the Strange Music leader to talk about some of the more interesting features and songs on the album, as we got into his love of Slipknot, Eminem's 24-bar verse, and the effect his mother's passing had on the music he created.
Check out a few of the stories behind the records, as well as the full interview below. Special Effects is available now for pre-orders on iTunes.
Wither (Feat. Corey Taylor)
On this new album, the features are out of this world. In every genre, we've got the top people. If it's metal, we've got the top in the genre in my opinion, and that's Slipknot. Cory Taylor finally came through and did a song called "Wither". It's talking about my "good guy" withering away. With people getting on my fucking nerves... my angel is subsiding.
Speedom (WWC2) (Feat. Eminem & Krizz Kaliko)
I've been wanting to work with Eminem for a long time, and it's funny saying this on the mic cause I haven't been able to say this to anybody, [but] Eminem finally came through and blessed me with a 24-bar verse, when I only needed a 16. He felt it that much. It's a track that's paying homage to Richie Havens, rest his soul... It's such a massive and beautiful song, it's really personal to me because of Richie Havens and that long-awaited Tech N9ne/Eminem collaboration everyone always wanted. And it had my brother Krizz Kaliko on the chorus, and a fucking killer verse. Seven produced the track.
Psycho Bitch III (Feat. Hopsin)
"Psycho Bitch" 1 and 2 are massive, but this is indeed the last one of the series. In order for it to be massive on it's way out, I had to get an artist on there with me that can close it properly. And that's Hopsin. He murdered it.
Roadkill (Tech N9ne & Excision)
Like I said, in these genres I've got the best all around. If you wanna do EDM. Track 24. It's an encore track, and it's with Excision... it's fucking massive.
Shroud (Feat. Krizz Kaliko)
We wanted to go toward the darkest individuals. So we found Joseph Bishara of The Conjuring, Insidious, and Annabelle. He's the composer... Seven did a beat for this album with him, and we called it "Shroud". After my mom passed June 6th, there's just been this darkened shroud over me, and Joseph Bishara helped me bring out that anger of me feeling like my mom was cheated her whole life, because she was sick her whole life. It's really dark, buit it's not a sad track, it's a mad track, because I feel like she was cheated.
Lacrimosa
It's Latin for weeping, it's an old Mozart piece, and I spoke about my mom. The last thing I said, is in interviews I don't want to talk about this. I said I don't denounce God in any way. I just feel my mom's suffering was too great for how much she worshiped, is what I said to God.