Within recent years, it’s become kind of cool to hate on Tech N9ne if you’re from Kansas City. Okay, so Absolute Power and Misery Loves Kompany weren’t great in comparison to his older stuff (Calm Before The Storm, The Worst, Anghellic…all three regarded as classic albums and not just in KC limits), the foundation he layed for putting Kansas City on the hip hop map is undisputable. You see people in the KC hip hop scene today who grew up on Tech, people like Ces Cru and the Phantom*, rapping fast over drum and bass/hip hop tempo changes on their albums…just like Tech did years ago. I know that a lot of people might mistake Tech as a local rap posterboy, but the fact is, he does 250+ shows a year, all over the world. Tech N9ne is a legend, in my eyes. Here’s a few reasons why, without being too wordy…
Tech N9ne was the first rap artist to make TV commercials telling viewers on MTV and BET to download his album for free …see the following video:
Tech collaborated with Jurassic 5 on the “Soul Searchin” remix (get outta town!).
He also collaborated with Tupac. (“Pac woulda banged this!” – Tech N9ne, “It’s Alive”)…see the following audio video for “Thugs Get Lonely Too”, Tupac feat. Tech N9ne:
If you would like to get hip to Tech N9ne already, go buy this DVD, which should be in stores at Best Buy and Sam Goody:
The Cool Kids The Bake Sale
Chocolate Industries/C.A.K.E. Recordings
Chris Mills
Demencha
When Kurtis Blow became the first rapper signed to a major deal nearly 30 years ago, many dismissed the New York style as a fad. Battling these same suspicions in 2008 are Chicago’s, The Cool Kids, acclaimed poster-boys for the hipster rap style that‘s become a kind of guilty pleasure for some, but a target of criticism for others. Their debut EP, The Bake Sale, is their pledge of allegiance to all things cool and retro, such as playing Sega Genesis, wearing tight pants, etc. But much of the album is directed at the haterade-sipping, hip hop elitists, with directions on how they can get on The Cool Kids‘ level. Take this choice line from “Mikey Rocks”: Sayonara to afros and old flows/ The concept of rockin’ shows is so old/ Just keep ‘em off the wall like Vans logos. While there’s a non-violent, floating party vibe on the EP, the beats go super hard, ideal for cruising or freestyling over…or both at the same time (get at me if you have the instrumental version of this record). And what else would you expect from some guys who claimed that the most influential mark made on their own music was Masta Ace’s “Born To Roll”? Whether or not The Cool Kids and their hipster following will be forgotten by 2010 is still up in the air. What I do know is, and I hate using this term, but, hip hop’s own “real” fans should be the last one’s decrying an emerging hip hop derivative as a fad, if history has taught us anything.
I came across this article on kmbc.com earlier tonight, where it seems as though Westport is going to begin “charging for parking.” It says that the price to park will be somewhere between $2 and $5, and this charge will only be enforced on Friday and Saturday nights after 8 p.m. The article goes on to say that the Westport Powers That Be are doing this to cut down on cruising and create a better environment for their patrons. We all know that every summer, Westport charges a kind of hang out or just-to-walk-around-fee, for whatever reason. So does this mean you’re looking at a total of $10 spent before you even get to the bar?
All I know is, you will not catch me in Westport on a Friday or Saturday night this summer, regardless of whether parking is free or not. After an unpleasant situation unfolded a couple of weeks ago after I went to a show there, for some reason I felt like it was a sign of crazier things to come. WE ALL KNOW WESTPORT IS FUCKING CRAZY ON WEEKENDS IN THE SUMMER. Every summer it’s the same shit. I for one, will be trying out different locations like Mint, Seven, the Studio Downtown and maybe the Hangout (the Hangout is usually a good summer spot). I’d also like to check out the roof parties at NV (book DJ SHAD!!!).
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