Tech N9ne

Background

Aaron Dontez Yates, well-known as Tech N9ne, was born on November 8, 1971, in Kansas City, Missouri. He began rapping at a very early age and would rap the letters of his name to remember how to spell it. His father, Carlton Cook, was estranged from the family and his mother suffered from epilepsy and lupus when he was a child. His mother’s condition emotionally affected him and inspired him to search for God. Early in his career, Tech N9ne was a member of a group called Black Mafia. He saw glimpses of success in the group 57th Street Rogue Dog Villians with their single ‘Let’s Get F***ed Up.’ In 1993, Tech N9ne signed with Perspective Records and became a member of the group Nnutthowze. However, the group disbanded soon after being released from the label.

In 2001, Tech N9ne released the studio album “Anghellic” with J.C.O.R. Records. After disputes arose about the promotion of the album, Tech N9ne and his label severed ties with J.C.O.R., and struck a deal that allowed them to keep the rights to the album. The following year, he released “Absolute Power,” under a 50–50 joint venture between Strange Music and M.S.C. Music & Entertainment. The album debuted at number 79 on the Billboard 200, and sales tripled following a campaign, “F.T.I.,” which was started by the rapper and his label.

Tech N9ne has released many successful albums and singles in the 2000s and 2010s. In 2018, he released “Planet,” making this his 20th studio album. In 2019, Tech N9ne released “N9na,” making this his 21st studio album. Nearly a year later, in 2020, he released his 22nd album, “Enterfear.” In 2021, Tech N9ne released an album titled “Asin9ne.”