Tech N9ne’s career is a blueprint for any indie rapper trying to get to the next level. The 43-year-old rapper has released 14 albums prior to Special Effects — nine are solo projects, five are part of his “Collabo” series — and not to mention six EPs and one mixtape. Depending on how old you are, you probably got into Tech around Anghellic or Everready (The Religion) and have been loyal Technicians since. From All 6’s and 7’s to now, the underground mainstay, who often deals with darker themes in his music, saw the mainstream embraced him. However, his fans weren’t too happy with it.
The moment Lil Wayne announced that he wanted to work with Tech through an interview from Riker’s Island is when things started to change. New and curious fans wanted to learn more about him. His diehard fans thought he was selling out. “Tech will never go mainstream, mainstream will go Tech,” he promised on “Love Me Tomorrow.” Throughout the years, Tech never fully went mainstream, he just let them into his strange world. Bigger names slowly crept up on his projects: The Doors, Kendrick Lamar, Wiz Khalifa, and The Game all appeared on his last album Something Else. We all watched as his status grew during his career, even when Tech did little to change his style. It was a launching pad for the King of Darkness to experiment more with his influences of metal and rock—two genres he openly states as the crux of his music.
After putting out his neo-metal EP Therapy, Tech is really serious about becoming the epicenter of all genres. Special Effects can be described as a carnival of musical tastes, where 24 tracks are your attractions to indulge in different moods. It’s become a staple of Tech’s albums to add another layer for the listener to dissect, and this time he’s broken down the tracklist to represent certain days of the week. Given the circumstances Tech has endured this past year (his mother Maudie Sue Yates-Khalifah passed away from a long battle with lupus), the veteran emcee didn’t succumb to this loss by making a 808s & Heartbreak-type of album. Instead, he kept his spirits high and delivers a bit of everything we expected from him: party anthems, rapid-fire rhymes, and songs with crossover appeal.
“Aw Yeah? (interVENTion)” starts with “question for the maker and it’s ‘aw yeah?’ / This is the way it’s supposed to be huh?” In the same emotional spectrum as “Fear,” Tech ponders why injustice keeps happening around him — including a direct question to God about why he took his mother away. On “Lacrimosa,” he employs the same method to vent about his loss. “My mother left me, but her death ain’t okay with me / Still I’m praying for her spirit to stay with me.” And on “Shroud,” he addresses his problems with societal misconceptions by channeling the darkness that consumes him, in which he refers to it as “thick and oozing like lava.” The use of choir, eerie moans and orchestra strings has always made his messages feel heavier. It’s Tech’s take on the ominous presence of Michael Myers in lyrical form.
Tech’s 20-plus year career in Hip Hop has given him many opportunities to work with popular and newer acts. Special Effects has its fair share of high-profile collaborations with Lil Wayne, Eminem, E-40 and T.I., Corey Taylor (of Slipknot) and more. While it is exciting to see Tech alongside bigger names, these attempts don’t really push him to the status he envisions for himself. “Bass Ackwards” isn’t on the same caliber as “Fuck Food,” with Weezy delivering a lazy verse and Yo Gotti sounding out of his element. “No K” is Tech’s attempt at recreating the bounce of the Bay Area, but it sounds dated compared to fresher takes by Iamsu! and G-Eazy. And all hype aside, Eminem’s jumbled verse on “Speedom (WWC2)” is nowhere near the warp speed of “Rap God,” and feels less organic than intended. Even so, “On The Bible” featuring the reggae flare of Zuse and a standout verse from T.I. is Tech’s strongest, full of his trademark exceptional rhymes and bass-heavy beats. “Wither,” too, is a perfect storm of alternative rock, metal and rap that Tech strives to hit.
Special Effects will get recognition for Strange Music’s in-house producer Seven. He’s all over the album’s wide range of genre-bending songs that’s a mixture of Therapy’s hard edge meets Something Else’s cleanliness. Casual listeners — who are more familiar with his Hip Hop catalogue — will likely be turned off by the handful of straight-up rap records. His core audience, though, will revel in the album’s moments like the return of “Psycho Bitch” with a crazy storytelling verse from Hopsin over sinister production. The merge of psychedelic rock and aggressive raps on “Give It All” (featuring Audio Push and one of many highlights from Strange’s own Krizz Kaliko) finds Tech in his zone, especially when boasts about rappers sounding the same shouldn’t go unnoticed. “Worldly Angel,” his ode to his mother, wraps up the album on a somber note backed by a minimalist piano. So, all in all, Tech doesn’t do much to break new ground, true, but succeeds in creating an overwhlemingly consistent listen.
LOL @ DX riding Hopsin’s dick but saying Em’s verse is nothing less than incredible. Nepotism at its finest.
Eminem’s verse wasn’t incredible. Easily a 6.5/10
I am an Eminem Stan too
Just dope!
Just dope
Album is easily a 4 or 4.5… I guess DX is just sucking Young Thug’s dick these days.
Album of the year!
In my opinion this album deserved a 4.
It was meh…
Incredible album as a whole. This album is as cohesive as any other Tech N9ne album, a “Klusterfuk” of a wide range of emotions… Enjoyed the special effects theme throughout the whole album, not too over the top. Oh yeah the fuckin’ reviewer didn’t even acknowledge the production on “Shroud”, Joseph Bishara, the mastermind behind the Insidious series, Dark Skies, Annabelle, The Conjuring, etc… How the FUCK is that not worth mentioning in a review?! That’s a massive collaboration for a hip-hop artist… Overall i’d give this album a 4-4.5 /5.
Agreed with most points made here, but even then it’s a 4/5 album and makes the Barter 6 look like it was made by mentally handicapped kindergartners.
Shut up bitch! Who are you to say what rating an album should get. Do you have some kind of authority over album reviews? No? Yeah I thought so you dumb bitch. Get real. But yeah I agree with what you said it deserves a at least a 4/5.
Lol, kinda mad huh? It was a simple comparison, the overall execution of Special Effects blows Thuggers ass out of the water. Sorry if you’re hung up over a shitty album but I guess if that’s the kind of garbage you like then go head and let your ears rot.
Are you guys really comparing Tech to Young Thug? That’s more insulting than giving this album 0.5/5. You’re talking about potentially the most technical and daring emcee to ever grace a mic to a dude that has to wipe the slobber off the mic every 8 seconds so we can hear his lyrics through a lean coma…. I knew I was gonna hate DX and every other reviewer’s (don’t make me murder you over this one Fantano) take on this album, but Tech knows exactly what his fans want and fuck those who don’t get it. He’s the only 40-plus rapper who has evolved and steadily built up a style (and indie label) over 20 years and gets consistently better each time, with few lapses. Name any album in the past 2 years that has the breadth of musical, topical and lyrical variety as this. Yea, few guest verses were weak (Yo Gotti? C’mon..), but I don’t even skip a track anymore. No rating can match up to what this shit means to a lot of people who have followed Tech forever…
I don’t like Young Thug and I said that I agree with you. Read the entire comment.
Satanic symbols??!! Y’all are lame as fuck whoever wrote this review.
Hiphopdx trippin as usual. Awesome Lp. 4,5/5 or even 5/5. Can’t wait for Strangulation vol.2!
To close out his article, the author says “Tech doesn’t do much to break new ground..”
Are you ******* kidding me?!?!?!?!?!? You cannot find ANY other album that sounds remotely similar to this. What other rap artist comes even close to the type of production, sound, style, and norm-breaking that IS “Special Effects”? NONE. I am not a nut-hugger either, it is just facts.
Also, “In Tech’s world, satanic symbolism if often used to …” give me a break. This has been beaten into the ground for the past 20 years almost. Give it up. Face paint =/= satanism. That is so far putdated and asinine, the author makes himself look like a damn fool.
Shut up Flap Jackson you dumb pretentious bitch! Who are you to say who broke new ground and who didn’t as if your opinion is fact. You sound like a tool and a bitch. Get over yourself and get Tech’s dick out your ass so it can close up some. But yeah I agree with you this album unlike anything else out there
WOOOO
I agree with this review, but they ignored one crucial fact about this album and that is the fact that Tech N9ne has a sexy bald head, and it easily deserves a 4 just because of that. Every song just makes you picture his bald head and the wide range of emotions displayed here shows you exactly how to treat his head. The sadder songs makes you rub and gently kiss his head while the party and sex songs call for intense licking. He breaks down the genre barriers and even the barriers around sexuality cause his head will make anyone wanna do some gay shit to it so it’s practically not gay.
5!
Wonderful album!!!! STRANGE!!
Dope Album!!!
His best album to date. Hip hop editors don’t know what hip hop is. Especially based on most the reviews I’ve seen lately. The difference between user rating and editor rating is huge on such great albums. They did the same with Yelawolf on Love Story. This album is versatile and tech definitely does not slack on any of his verses what so ever. The production is original and portrays the tons of each song and album as a whole. Feels like KoD 2 album.
Absolutely incredible
A very top notch album. Production, lyrics, hardcore hooks and features through out. Crazy!!
Tech has been solid throughout this entire album. Saying he hasn’t broken ground?! Landing huge features with solid verses throughout every song? This review has got to be the most disappointing one I’ve seen on this site. If you’re going to have people publish reviews on this site, make sure their information is at least credible. Smh.
He delivers everything you expected and you gave 3.50? Interesting. And you said Eminem’s Speedom verse is weak and Hopsin’s verse crazy? Oh God what a fuckin Hopsin dickrider! And “In Tech’s world, satanic symbolism if often used to …” WHAT THE HELL IS THAT? ARE YOU SERIOUS?
This is like an hybrid of Killer and Absolute Power. Love it. Wordly Angel is such an beautiful song.
While this guy was sure to sprinkle in as many Tech facts as he could summon from the ever-helpful Google, it’s pretty clear he has no business reviewing a Tech album. Case and point: you’re gonna praise Hopsin for giving us a stereotypical Hopsin verse and refer to Em’s verse as jumbled? Sit down, bro. You just think it’s jumbled because your ears couldn’t keep up. I’m giving this review a 1 out of 5 because even doing the research you did couldn’t help you write a worthwhile review. Way to suck.
Amazing one of techs best and also pumped him and em finally got a track together they both kill it with krizz kaliko great album overall.
Yo it’s cool to have your own opinion about things (even though they’re usually shit), but it’s factually wrong to say that “Speedom is nowhere near the warp speed of Rap God.” Like it’s not a matter of opinion, Speedom has like 6 words per second and Rap God is 4.8 or something. But anyway…another great album from Tech
Exactly man! What the fuck was wrong with the reviewer’s head when he said that?
Em was definitely faster in speedom than rap god.
HOW CAN YOU SAY THAT THIS IS NOT BREAKING NEW GROUND?! Have you EVER heard any music like this album before!? Has Tech EVER done his music like this before? No! And his career is 30 years long. Do your fucking research!
Get your ears tested dude, you’re deaf as a bat!
And Young Thug gets a 4 ?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?
Best production from a Tech N9ne Album yet! no bad songs on the album and several have high replay value, worth every penny!
Dope album, could have lived without a few of the features and Yeah, The Em feature was a dissapointment, but I still loved the album.
Just wanted to plug in my 5 stars.
Awesome album, Tech just gets better with age.
Definitely his best album in my opinion.
This album review sucks.
Awesome album! Great records through and through with a nice tone and heavy meaning from the beginning to the end. Eminem is just the icing on the cake 😛
Album if the year ! This is innovative and different from what you normally hear, tech n9ne goat!
Biggest tech fan sense absolute power. And this was abother great album. I thought sounded alot different then alot of other albums of his but his themes n his a depth carry over. Also love that seven gets the credit he ben one of my fav producers for awhile now.
The album was amazing, so creative and unique. Tech n9ne needs to collaborate with the German neoclassical band Haggard!
This album is krazy amazing, starting to really dislike hiphopdx album reviews. You’re no longer a credible source.
Siiiicccckkk
Omg…. My head just exploded
These comments are a great response to this terrible review..
Meanwhile Yelawolf’s album also has a 3.5 and Young Thug’s has a 4/5
…..
HipHopDX is losing credibility.
Yo, the author of this article seems seasoned and well read however he’s vastly confused on the overall message of this album. Not just because I’m a diehard Strange fan but because if he did a full “mainstream” sounding album his core fan base may perceive it wrong and it may sound slightly misdirected as that isn’t his main avenue. Tighten up and listen again.
I swear everytime tech releases a new album,its like they discredit its greatness. Dislike the angles this guy took on reviewing this album,like always. This wasnt a fucking review. Its a brief comparison stirred in with slick ass remarks. Fuck it,we Techn9cians know the beauty of this album. And i know how alot of ppl gonna say this but how do you grade a album with great adversity and heartfelt tracks a 3.5 but Barter 6 a 4/5. I left XXLMAG because of shit like this and now HipHopDX on the same Bullshit.
Some of the most impressive lyricism and beats on this album. It’s so diverse but still retains it’s quality and theme. The only parts I don’t like are 2 Chainz part, and lil wayne’s part was not the greatest, but I gotta respect his choice of final words. This album surprised me multiple times and was fun to listen to the first time so I bet it will just get better with time. 9/10
lol,all these comments were hilarious to read. everyone here’s gotta be a part of strange music’s staff or something or else everyone wouldn’t be so up in arms with their panties in a bunch about this album getting a 3.5. tech n9ne ain’t even good anyway, he just speed raps his way through and tries to sound all evil when he raps, and for some reason, y’all love it. he could make an album full of burping and y’all would still call it the greatest album ever. this got a 3.5, so what? get over yourselves. the world will still be spinning tomorrow. never seen so much stanning in my life. i’ll give it a 1 to get you guys even more pissed.
No one cares what an internet gangster has to say. We just thought it deserved a better ranking. Still got 35/39 perfect ratings. I hope you feel important though, lmao.
not an internet gangster. what did i say that was so gangster? i’m just saying this album and tech n9ne are very overrated. and those perfect ratings could’ve been from strange music staff trying to make this album better than it actually is. stop crying about the rating.
Solid album. FU** your opinion.
Favorite album of all time it fits into almost every genre and has some unique choices like joseph bishara from the conjuring and insidious to compose beats with seven let tech do tech he doesn’t disappoint he went independent so so the industry couldn’t tell him what to do.
SHIIIT. FIRE.
This writer obviously doesn’t know hip hop or anything about tech n9ne. I have been a tech n9ne fan since the beginning. i think this is his best work since all 6’s and 7’s. It doesn’t really matter what the editorial rating is, because the fans will still buy the album and love it. The user rating says it all. I can’t stop listening to this album. Thank u tech for such a great album and many more to come. Strange music all day!
“It really doesn’t matter what the editorial rating is.” Hmm…
I used to really like hiphopdx but for you to rate these other lame rappers higher than tech… Wtf man do you even listen to rap or do you just try to appease the bullshit radio rap? I used to listen and love some of the radio rap but I grew up and it didn’t… You should too Mr dx editor.
According to HHDX, Young Thug’s album is better than Tech’s album and Yelawolf’s album… if that tells you anything.
Yeah It’s getting ridiculous
Haters arnt listening close enough. No other rapper has half the ability to make an album that sounds anywhere close to this.
That’s a bold statement. I wonder if you have a reasonable argument to support it. I hope (for your sake) that you find other artists that meet your criteria for making good music, otherwise you’ll be listening to only one rapper for the rest of your life. That would be sad.
Great album
His best album to date. Any music aficionado that rates Drake higher than Tech has no place in the biz. Check the user rating. Great collaborations from dubstep to pop to metal. Pulling Hopsin out of retirement ain’t a stunt just any artist can pull.
Drake’s latest is better than this wack album.
^ agreed.
Tech didn’t pull Hopsin out of retirement. Hop said his retirement was a joke.
good sheeit
This should’ve had a higher rating than 3.5. This album is better than all the rest of the garbage that’s being pumped out into ears of people who think they know hip hop.
Mediocre album at best. Giving it a 1 to balance out all of the Stans.
Great album, a must buy !
I’m through with new tech. His last album was almost as bad as this one. I’ll go back to Anghellic, Absolute Power, Everready, Killer, KOD, All 6s & 7s
Review is actually basically spot on contrary to se if the comments. I liked absolute power thru killer and the collabo and everything I’m between best. Imma tell was the first tech song I ever heard. I am happy for tech to get the big name collaborations heh deserved and and while I wish it could have happens earlier I’m happy nevertheless. Tech is one my favorites because he’s unique and I respect a rapper with business sense and tech is a true pioneer in that format. Overall consistent album. If you were a little turned off check out anything starting at absolute power and ending at killer before listening to the rest and you’ll see why technicians are the way the are
good album
That album was dope lil Wayne was was whack but that album was probably the best album I’ve heard all year
Worst. Review. Ever. LOOOLOLLOOLL..IS THE EDITOR MENTALLY HANDICAPPED
Dwam that’s dope
This is the same reviewer that gave Drake and Big Sean’s albums a 4. We should take his reviews with a grain of salt.
Did this guy just call out Em’s verse on Speedom????
Good review Eric diep Only fair critic on hiphopdx and big sean and drake desserve that 4 as far as tyler creator and young thug…young thugs album was alright a 3 tylers was the worst trash tho
How can you say “Tech doesn’t do much to break new ground” ? He has a song that is a Motzart piece with some how killer 808 drum beats, a song with Corey from Slipknot, a song with Eminem over a beat inspired by Woodstock, eloquent lyrics about the passing of his mother over an original song that sampled itself, lyrics calling out the crooked cops of America, instrumentals that could pass for songs on their own, working with the dubstep artist Excision, and most taken for granted thing… he more often than not (unless for theatrical purposes) RAPS IN HIS OWN SPEAKING VOICE UNLIKE MOST RAPPERS TODAY! I literally laughed out loud when I heard Drake in an interview he sounds completely different no gangsta dialect/slang just sounding nerdy lol How can people truly understand your message if you don’t use your natual speaking voice at all? So I think he is breaking plenty of new ground. So I guess you can go give more credit to artists rapping about brand names, money, hoes, making money, spending money, getting fucked up, and their “flow” over 4 bar reptitive annoying piano “hooks” underneath 808 trap beats with 64th note hihats throughout the length of the album.
^^^^^ This
U hipster nerds are annoying. You try to rate all these so called real rappers high despite putting out trash music. Get on drakes level.
the fact that u said Drake runs rap immediately voided any opinion you have on real hip-hop. i bet you think TYGA is the second best rapper too huh? smh you must not’ve heard real music growing up
This is the last time I read a shitty HipHopDX album review. 3.5 stars for Tech N9ne’s incredible work of art, while Young Thug gets 4 fucking stars? 3.5 for Yelawolf as well? HipHopDX battling The Source for street cred these days? I rate this review 1 star because that is as low as I can go.
Tech fell off after Seepage and All 6’s And 7’s. His albums now consist of empty beats (and too much rock guitars)
Worldly Angel is less a ode to his mother and more him discussing how he feels that he doesn’t belong in this world…clearly not listening very closely.
Mr. Eric Diep, please, go suck some Big SeAnus dick please. You got no taste
This just sucks. Really never saw why people liked this.
Tech’s greatest work yet! Album is fire from one to done!
Great!
What a terrible review. Hardly anything about the album, more like a bio of his accomplishments.
I expressed my hate for this review. As i have gave it a few more listens,a whole lot more,i realized this Review is worse then i thought . It truly does Not describe this album in any way and does not encourage new listeners to enter into Techs world. This album is a plethora of Pain and Beauty. I would give this album a solid 4.4. Wither,Shroud,Lacrimosa are amongst my most favorite tracks on this album And once again ,Fuck the reviewer of this album.
Just keeps getting better
Dope
This fucking review. Does nothing to actually discuss the album, nor is any discussion accurate. Eminem’s verse here is clearly faster than is on Rap God and Worldly Angel is not specifically about his mom. Kendrick Lamar was on tour with Tech and as a courtesy Tech featured him to show some love and for new fan recognition for Kendrick. (Kendrick was still underground at that point.) Don’t forget that grammar matters.
awesome
Wow, first time I can say a review on this site isn’t just bad, it’s flat out deplorable and almost disrespectful.
it clean but speedom was rubbish