Following the release of his "major label" debut album Anghellic, which was put out through JCOR Records in August 2001, Aaron Dontez Yates, known by the brilliant stage name Tech N9ne, thought that things had finally gone his way - he could leave the Kansas City underworld behind him, and finally get his time in the spotlight, recognised as the great that he was. Unfortunately, things didn't turn out in quite the way he might have wanted them to in the next few months. Anghellic sold surprisingly well despite the controversial cover art that appealed to absolutely no-one at all, Tech had made himself quite the cult fanbase thanks to his personal lyrics and notoriously excellent live shows, and JCOR had even put money in to shoot a video for the album's sole single, "It's Alive". However, the latter is where things really went wrong. After Tech and the guest stars (apparently, the video was to cameo, among others, Busta Rhymes!!) had arrived at the shoot and begun to set everything up, JCOR called up Tech's manager at his at-the-time brand new and fairly useless label Strange Music, Travis O'Guin, and told him that they were pulling out of the video in order to put money into a video starring (if I remember rightly from the T9X documentary) Puff Daddy and 8Ball. Needless to say, Tech and Travis were furious, and allegedly, Travis drove straight to JCOR's New York offices to get their asses out of the deal. And, once again, Tech N9ne was unsigned, underground and independent.
Thankfully, as I said earlier, Tech had already struck up a business deal with Kansas City businessman Travis O'Guin to start up the label Strange Music, and this label plus financial backing meant that he was still able to grab the resources to begin putting in work for another studio album. And now, Tech was truly angry at the mistreatment of him on his previous label, and in fact, all labels he had ever been signed to. This anger was probably further fuelled by his old home Mizery Entertainment promoting a Tech compilation called Celcius on the same day as his own new project, but that's a story for another day. What is important now is that Tech had more of a drive than ever before to create a great body of work.
Tech's ties with Travis O'Guin and a few other artists in the industry meant that he wasn't at a total loss when it came to the finances needed to release and promote new music. In 2002, Mark Cerami (known for being a founding force behind Priority Records) and Dave Weiner (who'd left JCOR after they basically went financially bust, shortly after Tech exited) teamed up to form a new independent distributor label MSC Entertainment - MSC being a shortening of the word "MuSiC", incase anyone didn't figure it out. Travis knew the legend behind Priority Records, and since MSC didn't actually require any rights to the music like most majors did, he struck up a deal with them to release anything that was to come through the Strange Music label (which back then consisted of absolutely no-one besides Tech), and this deal would end up being far more fruitful than the JCOR deal - it ended up lasting until 2005, although Tech clearly had some falling out with Mark Cerami following that, as you can tell from some of his lyrics on "Like Yeah" - "FUCK Mark Cerami, ya heard that from the horse's mouth!"
So, Tech had a label to promote the record, and he had a shit ton of music to put on it, what with the man's work ethic being akin to an 1800s miner, but he needed something more. Something to really get the people interested in the project. And this is where he came up with a new campaign - "Fuck The Industry". "Fuck The Industry" consisted of some rather disjointed television commercials that encouraged fans to download his new album, which was given the excellent title Absolute Power, for free off of his website, as a ploy to get more people onto his independent music and away from all the major label bullshit, that he had been screwed over by so many times over the years. This marketing strategy could have failed completely, but thankfully for him he garnered an even larger fanbase based off of this, and the album ended up selling a hell of a lot of physical copies after people realised just how damned good this album was.
Like with most of Tech N9ne's previous works, Absolute Power's feature list and producer credits both consisted of artists no-one living outside of Tech's little Midwest bubble had ever had the fortune to come across, and like with Anghellic and pretty much every album that came after it, Absolute Power was incredibly long - the album here is 78 minutes across 20 tracks alone, but then the album also comes with a bonus DVD, on which there are 7 more songs which I need to review! It's ridiculous!! It's also funny how there's more songs here than on most double albums in hip-hop, except for Tech's own double album, of course. I know Tech has said he likes to give the fans their money's worth, but I can see how most might be skeptical about his quality considering the sheer amount of music he is constantly putting out - and yes I said "putting": Tech has already released a 24 track project this year, and plans to release another one by December. I mean, come on, man! Anyway, back then it would be plausible that Tech's rage would have fuelled him to make such a long album, and so with that in mind did his emotion translate itself into good music? Well, I don't like to give spoilers, and I also want people to actually read this whole thing, so I won't tell you now, but all will become crystal clear in time, my friends...
1. Intro
After the sudden sound of a gunshot that might cause some listeners to jump out of their seats, we are subjected to an interview between Tech and a man that I believe is the same guy interviewing Tech on the bonus DVD on this album - unfortunately this particular clip does not show up there - imagine how awesome that would be? This intro serves as a way of explaining the album's concept, but unlike with most rap album intros, the concept that Tech discusses here is actually heavily followed through during the album. We also get some of Tech's signature reversed vocals on the end here, which is nice. Solid intro.
2. The Industry Is Punks (prod. RUBONYX)
Talk about the perfect way to open your album. Following a perfect transition from the previous track that hits hard and in all the right places, Tech's scream of "the industry's a bunch of fucking punks!!!" will get any casual lister riled up and hyped for what's about to come. The chorus on this song is heavily abrasive and takes a fuck ton of getting used to, though - I actually enjoy it now, but I remember back when I first listened to this album I was like "what the motherfuck is this??". I think the second half of said hook, when Krizz Kaliko (who will handle singing duties a million more times for Tech songs, so watch out for that) is chanting in the background, is actually a lot better. Anyway, the most important facet of this song is clearly the verses, and if these don't convince you that Tech N9ne is a phenomenal MC, then you might have already been forced to sit through "Fish In a Pita" 50 times in a row - that's the only reason I can think of to not like this shit. Yes, Tech is flowing fast as hell on this one, but unlike a lot of today's bullshit fast rap, he is actually chopping things up and using a flow, and he's consistently got things to say in his lyrics. One thing I commend Tech on is his consistent ability to stay on topic, and that's none more evident than on here, where he devotes all three verses to the takedown of the industry - he doesn't name names unless it's in a positive light, but we all know the types of corporations that he's taking on here. It's not only the content and flow that's great though - Tech proves to be an oftentimes funny but still incredibly skilled rhymer too - "you can look into my E-Y-E's, and you can see why these motherfuckers don't wanna see my steez". And I'll be damned if that "put the double barrel to his forehead" at the end doesn't send goosebumps tingling down your spine. And I've written all of that without mentioning the phenomenal production, which is dark and perfectly fitting for this opener. What a way to begin.
3. Here Comes Tecca Nina (prod. Flash Technology & Carl Breeding)
4. Imma Tell (prod. RUBONYX)
5. Slacker (prod. Femi Ojetunde)
6. Keep On Keepin' On (feat. Big Krizz Kaliko) (prod. RUBONYX)
Despite the fact that he has had some type of vocal contribution on every song so far besides the intro, it isn't until track 6 that Krizz Kaliko (known back then as Big Krizz Kaliko) actually gets a feature credit on the back cover. I mean, he at least should've got it on "Imma Tell", he does loads on there! Anyway, his performance on here is probably his most potent yet, and so it makes sense that he gets credit here. And anyway, it would look stupid if every song was featuring the same guy, so I understand. Anyway, the song. As I said, Krizz's singing on this one is really nice - his hook is great, but my favourite part is the outro that he does, where he really shows off a nice vocal range. As for Tech, he gets back in angry mode on this song, basically dissin' all the haters, people that say he isn't "rap" enough, and also that Vell Bakardy guy that he had beef with back in the day. In fact, it's this section of the song that is arguably the best to me - "only way you gon' burn me is with yo' bitch, nigga" is a fucking cold diss if you ask me. Tech also uses so many different flows here, none of which had ever been used before - Tech really is so unique, man. And I also enjoy that bit where he lists all of his mainstream collaborators in the rap game, to show all those that say he's not a proper rapper that they're full of bullshit. RUBONYX provides his third absolutely bangin' instrumental in a row too, only this one is a bit more subdued, which is good. This cut is fire, and one of the best songs here.
7. Gunz Will Bust (feat. Yung Gunz) (prod. Carlos Chalmers (Big Los))
No, those are not the Young Gunz that were signed to Jay-Z's Roc-a-Fella label in the early 2000s, but that would be something, wouldn't it? The Yung Gunz presented to us here is a trio that consists of Money Hungry, Skatterman and Snug Brim, the latter two of which would go on to form a duo that had quite a bit of success on the Strange label in the 2000s. Oh, and remember my confusion over the two "m"s in Snug "Brimm"'s name on the "F.T.I." credit from the last album? Well, I've literally just noticed that it's spelled the same here, so I guess that was just his stage name back then. This track, for some reason, includes people speaking in both German (I think that's Tech's frequent producer RonnZfromBerlin) and also Jamaican, which makes for an incredibly cluttered sounding intro when you take into account the ridiculous horns in this beat. In fact, the whole instrumental here is stupidly overdramatic when you realise the bullshit these MCs are actually saying - Snug Brim brings a weak effort with nothing of note outside his frequent violent bars, and this sets the tone for Money Hungry and Skatterman, who don't fare much better besides the former's dope line "when I spit a fuckin rhyme, I got a million in line". Oh, and when I said the beat was "dramatic", I didn't mean "good" - this beat sounds pretty cheap compared with the rest of the music on this album, and those drums are annoying as hell. Tech does deliver a good verse on the end where he disses Vell Bakardy again, but anyone who's not a superfan of the guy will probably have skipped to the next track by then. What the hell was Tech thinking putting this on here?
8. Bianca's And Beatrice's (prod. RUBONYX)
Despite there not being any indication of it on the back cover, Tech's early artist Kutt Calhoun does show up for a verse on here - the only reason I can think as to why he didn't get the credit was because then the tracklist wouldn't fit on the back with the imagery. This song is one of the early instances of Tech N9ne attempting to introduce his fanbase to a new term or word he has made up through song, and here it's the terms "Bianca" and "Beatrice", which both are basically his term for a slut or a ho - well, I guess you can't knock the man's creativity. He even explains the concept here - "Beatrice's, means more than one Bianca, they actresses, bring 'em sex toys and ganja". Now, I actually quite like this - it shows a sort of devotion to fans where you're willing to create your own world to house your music, with new words and ideas, and I just think that's really dope. Is the song good? Hell no, but it's still enjoyable - Tech's first verse is pretty funny, and Kutt Calhoun does his thing, even though Tech's second verse loses the concept a bit in favour of what seem to be randomly freestyled bars that use the same flow over and over. Also, the hook is all kinds of fucking horrible, but it's so silly that you'll probably be compelled to sing along. And for the reasons I've explained, I'll definitely say I'm a fan of this, and Tech's devotion to his fans is something to always marvel at.
9. Diamond Joe's (Interlude)
As is the case with pretty much every Tech album from here on out, this album has a fair share of skits to break up these (usually very long) songs. This one sets up the next track as a strip club anthem, which I'm sure the underground hip-hop fans were chomping at the bit to hear... Still, there's a fun bit of trivia here, as the song "Here I Come" from Anghellic plays in the background - this song's not on streaming today, so my question to you is - how many of you noticed that??
10. Slither (prod. RonnZfromBerlin)
I remember when I was looking at this tracklist before listening to the album, and wondering what the hell a song called "Slither" could be about. The song title intrigued me right up until I had heard that last skit, which informed me it was to be about a chick Tech spotted at a strip club. Isn't that fun? Still, I actually enjoy this one quite a bit, even if the twist at the end certainly helps that to a large extent. The instrumental on this one from RonnZfromBerlin is hella smooth, and even if Tech's first two verses are literally just recounting his time at a strip club, they're not offensively vulgar like, say, a "The Sexorcist" or a "Chilly Rub", so that's something. The hook's solid too, even though the seductive chick's voice is slightly uncomfortable to hear given the dark tone this song has. In the third verse is where things get interesting here, as the girl takes Tech home where three of her female roommates also reside, and after they've had sex, the roommates come in, only to reveal themselves as vampires of sorts who are going to suck on Tech's blood for the rest of his life - "I'm trapped with blood suckin' muh'fuckers for eternity". The noises during the outro are a bit unnecessary, but still, it'd be a lie if I said I disliked this track.
11. Disturbance (Interlude)
This interlude prepares us for the dark section of the album, as an announcer called Davy Meza (I think?) introduces Tech as a "psycho ambassador", which is pretty fuckin' hilarious.
12. Trapped In a Psycho's Body (prod. RonnZfromBerlin)
I don't think any Tech N9ne fans need telling just how fucking good this song is, but for anyone reading who's not versed in the Nina world and simply likes my writing style (shout out, whoever you might be), let me break it down for you. After the static that ends the previous skit, this beat begins to build itself up into the full instrumental it becomes during the verses, and it's damned good at that. The beat is quite simple, simple enough that I managed to make a fairly accurate interpolation of it a while ago on GarageBand - there's a loud synth noise, some other synth sounds making up the general melody, high pitched piano keys, and hard drums, and that's it. The instrumental never really crosses into overdramatic territory, and instead remains quite subdued throughout, which is absolutely perfect in keeping the haunting and inevitably hopeless atmosphere that the lyrics go for. On this song, Tech takes on his two personas - the mad, psychotic individual that's responsible for all of the ridiculous shit he does, and the normal man who just wants to be an MC that's trapped inside. Both sides deliver heartfelt monologues, but personally I enjoy the latter's performance more - my favourite lines on the whole album occur on here from that persona, that being the following: "if you a friend, time to say too-da-loo, 'cause ain't no possible way he can ever be true to you. Cancel your appointment to do the do. If he wants to kill himself, what the fuck you think he wanna do to you??". I mean, these lines are so good, and so meaningful, and so passionate, that you can tell this is really how Tech felt at the time of writing this song. There are actually two versions of this song - the one on this album has a reversed hook, which was reversed as the singer Laticia Naylor tragically passed away very shortly after recording the vocals for the song, and the artist whom they interpolated wouldn't allow the performance to be released like that. The version that appeared on Tech's later compilation Vintage Tech featured the hook in its original form, and for what it's worth, I prefer that one. Not that it matters - as it stands this is still easily one of my favourite Tech songs of all time. Oh, and Krizz Kaliko pops up on the end for some operatic singing too, which was nice. "Ayo, I'm trapped in a psycho's body, can you help me?"
13. T9X (prod. Sean Raspberry (Icy Roc Kravyn))
Fans of Anghellic may remember this producer from some of the better cuts on that album, and I personally was very excited to see him pop up on here too. And believe me - the man does not disappoint. This instrumental is all kinds of creepy, speeding up and slowing down to fit with Tech's drugged up mind state, and the sound effects used throughout this one are weird as hell. On this song, Tech recalls one of I'm sure many drugged up nights as a rap star, and he makes sure we as the audience feel the trip with him by rapping with a vocal effect that slows down and lowers the pitch of his vocals. This may sound like it would be tedious, especially as this song runs to a ridiculous 6 and a half minutes, but thanks to the backing and the actual lyrics, the vocals on here work really well. Tech finds time to interpolate both Method Man (on "How High") and RBX (on "High Powered") on here, which I'm sure all the hip-hop heads appreciate, and for the most part he spends his verses going into high detail about his observations and feelings during the trip, which does unfortunately result in some overly graphic sexual scenes - still, this is a Tech N9ne song. Perhaps the biggest surprise here is that the chorus actually works, despite the goofy "I love you very much" making you think it wouldn't. This is honestly one of the most creative songs in the Tech N9ne catalogue, and it's easily another of his classics. Yeah, it's long, but I don't think I'd want to cut any of the runtime here. Fantastic song.
14. She Devil (feat. D12) (prod. RonnZfromBerlin)
Tech teams up with Eminem's group D12, only (as he later recounted on the track "Why You Ain't Call Me") without Eminem himself, which already might lead one to be sceptical about this song - D12 aren't known for being very, you know, good. Still, out of all the early 2000s MCs, Tech would probably be the best replacement for Eminem, so that's definitely something. The instrumental on here is crazily good, with it having a very creepy yet almost slightly poignant atmosphere, and Tech really goes in on the first verse - his lyrics aren't brilliant, sure, but his flow remains as potent as ever. Unfortunately, the rest of the song involves the members of D12 shaming whatever woman they happened to have just fucked, and being entirely misogynistic without any actual cleverness to hide this. Hell, the most standout line comes from Proof, and that's the ridiculous "my cock unlock the keys to your asshole". And don't even get me started on Bizarre and whatever the fuck he thought he was doing with this verse. The instrumental here is so good that I really wish Tech had put these blokes somewhere else - "Bianca's and Beatrice's", maybe - but it does do enough to keep the song moving, as does the very stellar chorus that almost sounds like there's an element of autotune there. The outro is also creepy as hell. This song is good then, but could have been better as a Tech solo piece.
15. Worst Enemy (prod. RUBONYX)
Tech N9ne delivers a personal and powerful disstrack that just happens to be directed toward... his penis. Well, there is a reason why the man's label is called Strange Music. Over a sentimental and quite sad instrumental from the man we've now come to know and love as RUBONYX, Tech spits with a slightly staticky vocal effect that does make the song sound a little disconnected, but nonetheless, the lyrics on here keep you enthralled. Make no mistake, this song isn't just a joke, even if the climax (get it?) may make it seem that way - Tech is really pissed off, but here it's with himself, and I guess he puts most of his problems down to some kind of addiction to sex - probably the same one he discussed on "Tormented". I love how he doesn't reveal who he's talking about until right at the very end, when the "my dick..." is echoed out, and then Krizz Kaliko delivers the "This Ring" chants as if some crazy revelation has just happened - that part of the song is quite funny. Still, the majority of this one is pretty depressing, but thankfully it's also really fucking good, especially when it comes to heartfelt lines such as "listen, I'm losin' my life because of you! I lost my life because of you! I'm losin' my wife because of you! I even had sex and a baby with the crazy bitch you introduced me to! Now I'm straight depressed". This is a classic cut right here.
16. Signing Off (Interlude)
5 seconds to let us know that we are now finished with the darker section of the album. Not that the next song really conveys that at all...
17. Absolute Power (prod. RonnZfromBerlin)
Despite the fact that we apparently literally just left the dark section of the album, this song starts with the disturbing sound of Tech's vocals being played backwards over continuously building dark sound effects that are really rather disturbing. Then, the beat drops, and my God is it a moment - I wouldn't be surprised if someone was literally jump scared by the way this beat and vocal just comes out of nowhere. Tech gets straight to rapping on this one, and even though he repeats 2Pac lines twice and a Dre line once, I'm still incredibly impressed with the man's vocal performance on here (aside from the bit where he spells out the entire song title for us, which comes across as plain ol' filler). The instrumental on here is very heavy and somewhat electronic, which stands as the perfect backdrop for mister N9ne, and the flows and delivery are about as aggressive as you might expect from a song called "Absolute Power" by someone who's actually named after a gun. My favourite line has to be the JCOR diss - "took a lot of shit and I can't take more: fuck Jay Faires and everybody down with him, and fuck JCOR!!" - but there are plenty of other phenomenal lines throughout this thing - heck, I know most of the track completely off by heart at this point. Tech's rapping is unbelievably good, and this hook is also catchy as hell. This is easily one of the best tracks on the album, and hella worthy of its "title track" status.
18. Yada, Yada, Yada (prod. 5150 Mental Productions)
The second disstrack on this album, but this one is different in that it is actually addressed towards another person, rather than Tech's own genitalia. On this song, Tech goes at his former producer Don Juan, who you may remember we have discussed frequently when talking about Tech's first three records - the man did produce some of my favourite early Tech songs, including "Trauma", "Planet Rock 2K (Original Version)", "Psycho Bitch", "Cursed" and "God Complex" among many others, so to hear Tech have a song going at him which signalled the end of their working relationship forever is quite sad in a way. However, the song is also justified in its rage, as Don Juan allegedly held the Anghellic masters from Tech until he got paid, and also finessed Tech out of quite a lot of his money during the man's time at MidWestSide Records. And the background behind this song should let you know immediately that this beef wasn't just about bars - this shit was entirely personal, and we can tell this from the lyrics of this 6 minute plus song that feels like it flies by in 3 just because of how engaging it is. The production on this is arguably the most West Coast sounding on this whole damned record, with the high-pitched synths that come in during the hook being just the cherry on top of this g-funk flavour cake. Tech, meanwhile, doesn't at all sacrifice his flows and rhyme schemes despite this song's very direct subject matter - in fact, this is arguably Tech's best display of skills thus far in his career, which is saying a hell of a damned lot considering what he's so far given us. I could take every single bar from this song and you would marvel at it, but a personal favourite I'll highlight is "it hurts my nigga, the hurt my nigga, but hurt my nigga is what's inspiring these spurts, my nigga, at first my nigga used to be my homie, used to be my ace. Yellin' you gon' slap the taste out my mouth". I mean, that shit is just crazy. Another incredibly effective moment is in the outro, where Tech lists of a bunch of famous producers before ending with "Don Juan be done", basically saying to the man that he's moving onto bigger and better things now. If this song came from a more popular rapper, it'd probably be considered a classic diss - it certainly is in my book.
19. Constantly Dirty (prod. 5150 Mental Productions)
Like with "Bianca's and Beatrice's", the features go completely uncredited here - this song includes verses from the three members of 57th Street Rogue Dog Villains that hadn't been locked up for unspeakably horrific crimes - that being Big Scoob, Bakarii and Txx Will. This song contains the first instrumental on this album that actually sounds quite sad and subdued, and doesn't have any kind of creepy air about it at the same time. The instrumental is actually really fitting to the three Villains, who deliver their verses with some flows that would make you swear they were from L.A., despite them actually residing in the Midwest. I especially enjoy the verses from Scoob and Txx Will, both of whom sound perfectly at home on here. Unfortunately, I feel like Tech N9ne wasn't really the right artist for this beat, as he is forced to slow his flow down substantially during his verse, and it does sound awkward at times, even if at others it's just right. Also, as much as I really love the chorus on here, did anyone else find the repetition of the title towards the end to sound really weird? Maybe that's just me. Whatever - this is a good song, but probably should have gone on a 57th Street RDV album, rather than Tech's record - it just doesn't quite fit the mood.
20. I'm A Playa (prod. Robert Rebeck)
More Power - Bonus DVD
Being that he loves his fans so much, Tech decided to give purchasers of this album a free gift inside - as well as the 20 track, 80 minute long album, he provided us with a bonus DVD entitled More Power, that includes the album cover shoots for this album and Anghellic, various live performances, the video and making of the video for "Slacker", an interview with Tech about the album, and other things that fans would probably have been ecstatic to gain access to. I personally love the idea too, and it was really cool to see all this early footage of what Tech was doing - hell, they even had a feature that showed the recording of parts of "Imma Tell" and "I'm a Playa", which was dope as hell to me. Perhaps the most notable feature of this DVD, however, was the fact that if you moved to a separate menu by clicking on the volume button on the menu that is a fake TV screen, you would be taken to 7 all new songs, the credits of which are inside the booklet. So, the question is - are these songs hidden gems that Tech put there purely for his most hardcore fans, or is there a reason these cuts were removed from the album? Let's take a look.
1. Victory (prod. RonnZfromBerlin)
Over a celebratory, horn-fuelled instrumental from the great RonnZfromBerlin, Tech delivers three verses filled with boasts-n-bullshit that are actually quite unique on here, considering a large quantity of the songs on the actual album were rather thematic and focused. This one, not so much, but what rap fan doesn't enjoy this type of content? After a fantastic build up that includes probably the best beat drop I've ever heard on a Tech album (well, except the one on "Riot Maker"), Krizz Kaliko pops up for a catchy hook that for some reason I found really annoying on first listen, but I have since grown to love a lot. Meanwhile, Tech continues to experiment with loads of different flows, and comes with some great and hilarious bars, the best of which has to be "That's why your mama got a big ol' butt (Oh yeah?), and your sister got a big ol' butt (Oh yeah?) Since your mama and your sister had a big ol' butt, they helped the N9na bust a big ol' nut (Oh yeah?)". This is a classic cut from Tech, and one more people should definitely hear - how did "Gunz Will Bust" make it to the album over this??
2. Freaky Lil Things (feat. Kutt & Grant Rice) (prod. RonnZfromBerlin)
None of the features on this disc two actually get credit in the booklet, so I'm just going to list any writers that aren't Tech himself as featured artists. This one includes verses from Kutt Calhoun, and also that dude Grant Rice, who also showed up on Tech's song "Tormented", but apparently nowhere else (for people with the Anghellic CD, he's the guy with horns with the naked women and money in the booklet). It's probably a good thing he was never seen again, though, as his verse here truly sucks - I mean, at least the other two have flow whilst talking about their sexual encounters in ridiculous detail. A common criticism of Tech is that his music is too sexually explicit a lot of the time, but that hadn't really been the case up until this song - but man is it bad here. "She bought a nacho plate, but only Tech N9ne got ate" is one example, and Tech also finds time to say "fuck your spleen up" on here. Kutt's verse is similarly unpleasant. Still, at least Krizz's singing is nice enough, as is the beat. This song does its job as a throwaway, though.
3. Hydro (feat. Kutt, Greed & Big Krizz Kaliko) (prod. 5150 Mental Productions)
Since all the producers on this bonus disc contributed to the actual album, it's safe to assume these songs were created in those studio sessions, which does kind of confirm that they were leftovers. Still, the leftovers from that good of an album are probably worth releasing, right? Just thought I'd mention my theory on that. This song is pretty terrible in all honesty - I think it would be classed as "crunk", but everything about it is just so obnoxious, whether it's the chorus from Tech N9ne, the horrible singing during his verse, the noisy beat, even the Krizz Kaliko bridge. Also, if it wasn't for Genius lyrics I don't know if I would be able to identify between Kutt and Greed on here - the latter sounds so alike to the former it's uncanny. The most important thing is that this song uses the word "badonkadonk", which is funny, and it also includes the only use of Tech's "dwamn" slang on the whole record. Other than that, you might as well skip this, especially the vigorous sex sounds at the end.
4. Runaway (feat. Erica Hugunin) (prod. RUBONYX)
Tech delivers a song that most listeners would be completely thrown off by - I know I was on first listen. This is a love song - not a sex song (despite there being plenty of sexual imagery), but an actual love song to a woman that Tech wants, but knows he can't have because she's already in a relationship (even though she appears to still be fucking on him). The instrumental on here is fairly bland unfortunately, probably one of the worst here, and the chorus from Erica Hugunin that features some airy 1980s style singing in the background is also really not great. I appreciate the sentiment of this one, but personally I couldn't ever entirely get into it, even if I appreciate it more now than I did on first listen. Also: "remember my face is a permanent sitting spot for your backside" should have never even been inked onto paper, let alone recorded and mastered.
5. Shocked (feat. Kutt) (prod. RUBONYX)
Easily the best bonus cut since "Victory", this collaboration with Kutt Calhoun works really well. After an intro which has that infamous (well, infamous among Tech fans, that is) "sittin' in your ass water" joke, Tech gets into a short but catchy bridge over that brilliant production that is intense and weird, and is the perfect backing for Tech's first verse, which admittedly doesn't say much of worth, but is flowed nicely nonetheless. Tech's other short verse is solid too, despite starting with the awful phrase "bounce to my hits, bitch, bounce on my dick", and Kutty comes through with some great performances too on here. And that hook has just gots to be one of the best on the whole record - "you don't really wanna step to me, we can do it in the street and get 'em up with ease". The track ends nicely too, with a short sung portion from Krizz followed by a little radio skit that is obligatory for underground hip-hop (remember that bit on "Here Comes Tecca Nina"?). This song is nice as hell.
6. The Grench (feat. Boy Big) (prod. RonnZfromBerlin)
Apparently the only song on this disc which actually has any interesting subject matter going on (well, you could argue "Runaway" too, but that one's too generic for my liking), and it's easily one of my favourites. The production on here is intense and dark, and the West Coast synths that come in during the chorus are nice as hell too. Speaking of the chorus, Boy Big delivers a really catchy and well-delivered hook that is completely not what you would expect from a guy with a name that's as repulsive as a bowl of mashed sweet potato. Oh, and Krizz Kaliko appears for some harmonising at the beginning, because of course he does. The most important thing here, though, are the lyrics, which I for one find incredibly intriguing. During the first verse, Tech sounds like he's speaking to himself, and specifically the part of himself that makes him commit all of his fucked up actions - almost like a continuation of "Trapped In a Psycho's Body", only more one-sided. However, as you get into the second and third verses here, it becomes clear that Tech is instead talking to the devil, as he highlights all the fucked up shit that goes on in the world, from Nazis to terrorism to gang violence. The lyricism on here is very powerful, and Tech proves that, even though he can make some dope club bangers, he's at his best when given a proper topic to focus on. Well, that was my interpretation of this track, anyway - please, if you made it this far, let me know yours!
Bonus: 7. Walk With a Limp (performed by Kutt feat. Big Krizz Kaliko) (no producer credited)
According to the menu on the television, this one is a bonus track, which makes sense as Tech doesn't actually appear here except for the introduction along with Krizz that clearly serves to set up the song rather than be a part of it. That theory is proven when you hear this song in its form on Kutt's own album, where said intro is removed. And that's right, folks - this song ended up appearing on Kutt Calhoun's debut studio album B.L.E.V.E., which the booklet promises for January 2003, but actually didn't show up until late 2004, which is quite funny. I won't give too many thoughts on this one now, since it's better to do so when I review said Kutt album, but I will say that I think this track is pretty dope, despite the rather unpleasant chorus from Krizz, the first example of a weak singing performance by him on here if I'm honest. Otherwise, this song is stellar. And, we're out!!
If Anghellic was a delve into Tech N9ne's inner psyche, then Absolute Power is pretty much the opposite of that - this album is very focused on his outside, whether that be in collaborations with his fellow rappers, songs about strip clubs and partying, or even disses against people that have wronged him. I do find it interesting how the most personal songs appear around 3/4 of the way through, since on Anghellic that's where the party songs showed up, and I'm absolutely certain that there's one other person out there who finds that intriguing. I was actually quite shocked when I first watched the More Power DVD, and Tech actually confirmed my theory that this was about his outside life - I was bang on with that analogy. But regardless of the album's concept and proximity to its predecessor, the real question is as follows: is this album actually good, and was it worth the long-ass runtime? Well, the answer to that in my opinion is a bloody enormous yes - in fact, this album is very nearly as good as Anghellic, and a classic album without a doubt. To any hip-hop heads reading this, you're probably thinking that I've gone off my rocker, but hear me out. The production on this album is truly astonishing, not only when you are mindful of the low budget, but also just in general. I love pretty much every beat on this album, and even the weaker ones aren't necessarily terrible. The beats also help to keep the mood of this album - it's quite dark and creepy with a horrorcore feel to it, but at the same time it moves throughout different vibes - something like "Here Comes Tecca Nina" is bangin', rich and uptempo, whereas "Trapped In a Psycho's Body" is skeletal and rather depressing - still, neither of these songs sound out of place on the record at all. The most out of place song here is probably "Constantly Dirty", and even then it's not a huge issue for me. This album does have it's highs and lows, with "Gunz Will Bust" being fairly weak, and the bonus disc not being entirely consistent either, but in general the project is very consistent, which is surprising considering just how much music is here, and how it doesn't have an entirely strict concept like Anghellic did. Also, this album was the first true glimpse of Tech's working relationship with Krizz Kaliko, and it's clearly a stellar one, as Krizz provides great vocals every single time, at least when it comes to the album itself. His vocals are never tacked on, and instead help keep up the consistency of this project to a further extent. And then, we come to Tech. On here, Tech N9ne shows just how versatile he is - he can music that will depress you more than a series 8 episode of The Peep Show (only in his case, the depression is intentional), music that will get you jumping for joy like your team just won the World Cup, and everything in-between, from sex songs to drug-fuelled psychedelic cuts. The man's lyrics, flow and voice all come together to make for one of the most unique rap performances of the 2000s decade, and also one of the best. Hell, this might be Tech's best rapped album - it's certainly him at his most lively. Yes, this album isn't quite on the level of Anghellic, but it's still an utter classic, and an album any hip-hop head should check out. Hell, the hip-hop heads should pop this one in before Anghellic, as it's a lot more accessible to that audience than that other project, which is far heavier. This LP is a wonderful piece of work, and I hope the one person who made it through this enormous piece of writing enjoyed it as much as I continue to enjoy this project to this day.
(Click, click)... TECH, N9NEEE!
Best Tracks: The Industry Is Punks, Here Comes Tecca Nina, Slacker, Keep On Keepin' On, Trapped In a Psycho's Body, T9X, Worst Enemy, Absolute Power, Yada Yada Yada, Victory, The Grench
Worst Tracks: Gunz Will Bust, Hydro, Runaway
Catch up on a few other Tech N9na write-ups by clicking over here!
Gunz Will Bust is easily the worst track. The hook is so annoying, but Tech has always had two issues with his albums... 1. Guest choices and 2. Weak or odd hooks. He still has those issues today that hold him back. But overall, this is classic Tech and the one that made me a fan of his. Good work!
ReplyDeleteCheers, man! Yeah, Tech definitely comes with the odd hooks a bunch of the time - I remember how thrown off I was on first listen of "The Industry Is Punks". And nothing will top the awfulness of that Chorus on "Bianca's and Beatrice's" haha. Peace!
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