Rapper Tech N9ne is embarking on his national tour, Tech N9ne's Independent Powerhouse Tour 2016. The tour features six acts from Strange Music: Ces Cru, Stevie Stone, ¡Mayday!, Rittz, Krizz Kaliko and Tech N9ne. The journey kicks off in Tulsa on March 30, and wraps up in St. Louis on May 28. Tech N9ne and his label mates will be in Chattanooga on Friday, April 8, performing at Track 29.
"It's going to be big, the biggest tour we've ever done," Tech N9ne says in the Tech N9ne's Independent Powerhouse Tour 2016 EPK. "You don't want to miss this one."
Review for the performers:
The tour will also build off the success Tech N9ne's Strange Music has generated in the past few years. Tech N9ne's "Fragile" single was named DJ Booth's 2014 Best Indie Hip Hop song. In addition to his staggering tour prowess, the Kansas City rapper has appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live, Revolt TV, Skee TV, MTV Jams, and BET's 106 and Park in the past two years. Tech had the biggest radio hit of his career last year, with "Hood Go Crazy," featuring 2 Chainz and B.o.B., hitting the Top 10 at rhythmic radio.
While other artists have struggled to make an impact with their music, Tech N9ne thrived in 2015. Upon its release in May 2015, Tech N9ne's Special Effects debuted as the #2 Rap album, #3 R&B/HipHop album, #3 Indie album, and #4 album on the Top 200 chart. In November, Strangeulation 2, the latest in the Tech N9ne Collabos series, debuted as the #1 Rap, R&B/HipHop, and Indie album in the country. It was also #13 on the Top 200 chart. Tech N9ne also was the only truly independent artist to appear on Forbes' Cash Kings 2015: The World's Highest Paid Hip-Hop Acts and he celebrated the Kansas City Royals' World Series win with the release of the revered "KCMO Anthem."
But Strange Music's success isn't only pegged to Tech N9ne. For instance, HipHopDX named ¡Mayday!'s Take Me To Your Leader as one of "The 30 Best Underground Hip Hop Albums Since 2000." Complex premiered Krizz Kaliko's track "Behave," off his highly anticipated upcoming R&B-tinged album, Go, available everywhere April 8. Atlanta-bred double-time rapper Rittz is also dropping an album this spring, and recently revealed the artwork for Top Of The Line, slated for release May 6. Dynamic rap duo Ces Cru boasts an impeccable tag-team style, and Billboard.com named them in their Emerging Pick of the Week. Hard-hitting spitter Stevie Stone released his third album on the imprint last year, Malta Bend, on which he collaborated with Mystikal and Kevin Gates. All artists signed to Strange Music are put to the test of how their live performance measures up, as that is a huge part of Tech N9ne's success and Strange Music's model.
"It takes a group of people, a lot of people to create an epic masterpiece and that's what we always do," Tech N9ne says. "Strange Music is a bright light, man."