The Hip-Hop community is mourning the death of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Battle Rap veteran Tech 9 (aka Akeen Mickens). He is survived by a daughter. Details are still forthcoming in this developing story.
“Sadly it’s true. We lost a Philadelphia and Battle Rap legend and pioneer,” fellow competitive MC Buttah Madison told XXL, confirming today’s (March 25) report. “Unfortunately we haven’t fully figured the cause of death. We are praying that it was natural causes. He had no signs of harm done to his body.”
According to Verse Tracker, Tech’s battle record included face-offs against the likes of DNA, Arsonal, Rich Dolarz, and Shotgun Suge. He participated in the Ultimate Rap League and Street Arena circuits. He competed as recently as December, against Compton, California’s Geechi Gotti.
Tech’s peers including Kendrick Lamar, Lupe Fiasco, Pharoahe Monch, Kxng Crooked, and Lloyd Banks expressed their condolences to Tech online. In particular, Monch revealed that Tech’s rhymes influenced one of the Queens, New York veteran’s choruses.
THEY SAY MY FACE DONT LOOK THE SAME WITH THE STOCK-
Condolences to the family of the late great Tech9 of philly. Rest well.
One of my favorite battle rappers … always had me in stitches .. wow … i always wanted to meet him. I never got to tell him I used one of his lines for a chorus …… I will pay homage. Rest In Peace sir I was a huge fan. https://t.co/iRqdmJILe7
Rip Tech 9…one of the most entertaining battle rappers.
Condolences to his family and friends.
May God have mercy on his soul.
— “DROGAS WAVE” NOW PLAYING (@LupeFiasco) March 25, 2019
WE GREW UP IN A SLIM ASS APARTMENT SO ME AND MY BROS USED TO WATCH THIS PART A THOUSAND TIMES AND LOL RIP TECH 9 FROM PHILLY!! THANK YOU! CONDOLENCES pic.twitter.com/MRoUhSKIFi
Despite some mutual connections, Tech 9 is not to be confused with Aaron Yates (akaTech N9ne), the Kansas City, Missouri MC and co-founder of Strange Music.
The Hip-Hop community is mourning the death of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Battle Rap veteran Tech 9 (aka Akeen Mickens). He is survived by a daughter. Details are still forthcoming in this developing story.
“Sadly it’s true. We lost a Philadelphia and Battle Rap legend and pioneer,” fellow competitive MC Buttah Madison told XXL, confirming today’s (March 25) report. “Unfortunately we haven’t fully figured the cause of death. We are praying that it was natural causes. He had no signs of harm done to his body.”
According to Verse Tracker, Tech’s battle record included face-offs against the likes of DNA, Arsonal, Rich Dolarz, and Shotgun Suge. He participated in the Ultimate Rap League and Street Arena circuits. He competed as recently as December, against Compton, California’s Geechi Gotti.
Tech’s peers including Kendrick Lamar, Lupe Fiasco, Pharoahe Monch, Kxng Crooked, and Lloyd Banks expressed their condolences to Tech online. In particular, Monch revealed that Tech’s rhymes influenced one of the Queens, New York veteran’s choruses.
THEY SAY MY FACE DONT LOOK THE SAME WITH THE STOCK-
Condolences to the family of the late great Tech9 of philly. Rest well.
One of my favorite battle rappers … always had me in stitches .. wow … i always wanted to meet him. I never got to tell him I used one of his lines for a chorus …… I will pay homage. Rest In Peace sir I was a huge fan. https://t.co/iRqdmJILe7
Rip Tech 9…one of the most entertaining battle rappers.
Condolences to his family and friends.
May God have mercy on his soul.
— “DROGAS WAVE” NOW PLAYING (@LupeFiasco) March 25, 2019
WE GREW UP IN A SLIM ASS APARTMENT SO ME AND MY BROS USED TO WATCH THIS PART A THOUSAND TIMES AND LOL RIP TECH 9 FROM PHILLY!! THANK YOU! CONDOLENCES pic.twitter.com/MRoUhSKIFi
Despite some mutual connections, Tech 9 is not to be confused with Aaron Yates (akaTech N9ne), the Kansas City, Missouri MC and co-founder of Strange Music.
New Orleans, Louisiana veteran MC Curren$y is an underground sensation who has made a name for himself by staying out of the way, and in his lane. The laid-back lyricist most associated with classic cars and smoking herb seemingly never gets caught in drama. Instead, he has built a booming brand through releasing more music than just about any rapper on his level. His new collaborative effort Fetti—alongside Freddy Gibbs and entirely produced by Alchemist, is a testament to a catalog that has been in constant demand for upwards of a decade. Spitta recently sat down with the Rap Radar Podcast to discuss the album, his loyal following and a desire to maintain his status as an underground king.
While he’s had stints with labels No Limit, Cash Money, Young Money, Blu Roc/Def Jam, and Warner Bros. Records, Curren$y has made his most critical strides as an independent artist on his Jet Life imprint. That approach has served him well.
“I wait my turn,” he insists. “I never was on [Master] P’s bumper like, ‘Listen to this.’ I was there because of the homie. When somebody asked me what I could do, then that’s my turn. I never was on they bumper about [my Rap career or solo interests]. I used to pass out t-shirts.” In the early 2000s, Spitta was part of a 504 Boyz lineup. He joined P, Silkk The Shocker, Magic, Choppa, T-Bo, and Krazy ahead of 2002’s Ballers album, which cracked the Top 50 on the charts.
While earning a significant wage was an objective, Spitta never obsessed over it, because in his mind, it was just meant to be the way that it is. Like No Limit’s later years, that was the case during a fruitless period at Lil Wayne’s Young Money. “Where Da Cash At?” was a successful record, but the anticipated album never following. At 21:44, Spitta talks about “rolling the dice” and having faith in a higher power, which in turn ensures appropriate rewards from the universe. He continues, sharing his first interaction with Jadakiss at (22:02), where the LOX rapper acknowledged his Rap skills, but was more impressed by his determined spirit. “He was like, ‘You can rap and all that sh*t, but you was like, ‘Nah, I’ma do my own thing,’ and then you just did that sh*t!’” Spitta, who was rumored to have turned down an offer to be a Maybach Music Group artist in the early part of this decade, was a front-running example for an artist who does more independently.
To this day, Curren$y has no qualms sharing his music with the faithful masses, knowing his efforts will always come back to him. “I put [music] out, and if they get it for free, they get it for free,” he says. “But when I’m in they town, they can’t bootleg that. You gotta come off that $20 or $30.” Curren$y’s tours and spot dates have led him to a collection of an estimated 35 cars and several N.O. properties. During the Rap Radar interview, Spitta even admits that he bought an early-2000s model Bentley because it was the year that he thought he’d get one. The Rap industry had other plans.
The new father recalls an era when he recorded a string of mixtapes that are, to this day, considered classic material by many. His explanation is vivid, as he describes the 700-square-foot apartment and makeshift booth that helped him create improvisational magic. Among the items he used to record were a mic taped around an overturned chair, a tube sock and a wire hanger for the filter.
“Some people give me the credit I’m supposed to get, but I don’t give a f*ck about that,” he says, describing his impact on culture. As for collaborations, it’s something he’s all but perfected. Take the How Fly project with one Wiz Khalifa for example. “It changed the game. It changed how people smoke. It changed how people dress. It changed music,” he says with unbridled confidence. “That’s why a lot of those young dudes give it up to me.” Alluding to how comfortable he is with his place as an underground legend, Spitta shares another exchange with Talib Kweli where the Brooklyn rapper complimented his “Push Thru” collaborator (a song that also features Kendrick Lamar) about how loyal his fans are.
“You like the best and the worst buddy, because the people who listen to you, don’t want to hear shit else,’” the veteran says. The truth is, Curren$y’s overall trajectory and unwillingness to switch it up for the fetti, is a direct refutation of a verse made famous by one Shawn Carter:
“I dumbed down for my audience to double my dollars / They criticized me for it, yet they all yell ‘holla’ / If skills sold, truth be told, I’d probably be lyrically Talib Kweli / Truthfully I wanna rhyme like Common Sense But I did 5 mill’ – I ain’t been rhyming like Common since.”
#BonusBeat: Today, Spitta released “Flatbed Ferrari”:
New Orleans, Louisiana veteran MC Curren$y is an underground sensation who has made a name for himself by staying out of the way, and in his lane. The laid-back lyricist most associated with classic cars and smoking herb seemingly never gets caught in drama. Instead, he has built a booming brand through releasing more music than just about any rapper on his level. His new collaborative effort Fetti—alongside Freddy Gibbs and entirely produced by Alchemist, is a testament to a catalog that has been in constant demand for upwards of a decade. Spitta recently sat down with the Rap Radar Podcast to discuss the album, his loyal following and a desire to maintain his status as an underground king.
While he’s had stints with labels No Limit, Cash Money, Young Money, Blu Roc/Def Jam, and Warner Bros. Records, Curren$y has made his most critical strides as an independent artist on his Jet Life imprint. That approach has served him well.
“I wait my turn,” he insists. “I never was on [Master] P’s bumper like, ‘Listen to this.’ I was there because of the homie. When somebody asked me what I could do, then that’s my turn. I never was on they bumper about [my Rap career or solo interests]. I used to pass out t-shirts.” In the early 2000s, Spitta was part of a 504 Boyz lineup. He joined P, Silkk The Shocker, Magic, Choppa, T-Bo, and Krazy ahead of 2002’s Ballers album, which cracked the Top 50 on the charts.
While earning a significant wage was an objective, Spitta never obsessed over it, because in his mind, it was just meant to be the way that it is. Like No Limit’s later years, that was the case during a fruitless period at Lil Wayne’s Young Money. “Where Da Cash At?” was a successful record, but the anticipated album never following. At 21:44, Spitta talks about “rolling the dice” and having faith in a higher power, which in turn ensures appropriate rewards from the universe. He continues, sharing his first interaction with Jadakiss at (22:02), where the LOX rapper acknowledged his Rap skills, but was more impressed by his determined spirit. “He was like, ‘You can rap and all that sh*t, but you was like, ‘Nah, I’ma do my own thing,’ and then you just did that sh*t!’” Spitta, who was rumored to have turned down an offer to be a Maybach Music Group artist in the early part of this decade, was a front-running example for an artist who does more independently.
To this day, Curren$y has no qualms sharing his music with the faithful masses, knowing his efforts will always come back to him. “I put [music] out, and if they get it for free, they get it for free,” he says. “But when I’m in they town, they can’t bootleg that. You gotta come off that $20 or $30.” Curren$y’s tours and spot dates have led him to a collection of an estimated 35 cars and several N.O. properties. During the Rap Radar interview, Spitta even admits that he bought an early-2000s model Bentley because it was the year that he thought he’d get one. The Rap industry had other plans.
The new father recalls an era when he recorded a string of mixtapes that are, to this day, considered classic material by many. His explanation is vivid, as he describes the 700-square-foot apartment and makeshift booth that helped him create improvisational magic. Among the items he used to record were a mic taped around an overturned chair, a tube sock and a wire hanger for the filter.
“Some people give me the credit I’m supposed to get, but I don’t give a f*ck about that,” he says, describing his impact on culture. As for collaborations, it’s something he’s all but perfected. Take the How Fly project with one Wiz Khalifa for example. “It changed the game. It changed how people smoke. It changed how people dress. It changed music,” he says with unbridled confidence. “That’s why a lot of those young dudes give it up to me.” Alluding to how comfortable he is with his place as an underground legend, Spitta shares another exchange with Talib Kweli where the Brooklyn rapper complimented his “Push Thru” collaborator (a song that also features Kendrick Lamar) about how loyal his fans are.
“You like the best and the worst buddy, because the people who listen to you, don’t want to hear shit else,’” the veteran says. The truth is, Curren$y’s overall trajectory and unwillingness to switch it up for the fetti, is a direct refutation of a verse made famous by one Shawn Carter:
“I dumbed down for my audience to double my dollars / They criticized me for it, yet they all yell ‘holla’ / If skills sold, truth be told, I’d probably be lyrically Talib Kweli / Truthfully I wanna rhyme like Common Sense But I did 5 mill’ – I ain’t been rhyming like Common since.”
#BonusBeat: Today, Spitta released “Flatbed Ferrari”:
Galt MacDermot has died at the age of 89 today (December 17). It was one day before his 90th birthday. Although family members confirmed the news, according to Rolling Stone, a cause of death has not been made public.
In the early ’60s, MacDermot—who studied at South Africa’s Capetown University, relocated in New York City. He produced Julian “Cannonball” Adderley during this time. Towards the end of the decade, the emerging composer partnered with lyricists Gerome Ragni and James Rado to work on Hair, which debuted off-Broadway in 1967. In the 1970s, Galt lent his talents to Two Gentlemen Of Verona, a modernized William Shakespeare adaptation.
Ahead of his death, Galt MacDermot embraced his extended following through Hip-Hop, Rare Groove, and crate diggers. While Madlib sampled the great, Galt released his Up From The Basement series with some help from Now-Again Records. It included some Hair takes.
Ambrosia For Heads extends condolences to the family, friends, and fans of Galt MacDermot.
Galt MacDermot has died at the age of 89 today (December 17). It was one day before his 90th birthday. Although family members confirmed the news, according to Rolling Stone, a cause of death has not been made public.
In the early ’60s, MacDermot—who studied at South Africa’s Capetown University, relocated in New York City. He produced Julian “Cannonball” Adderley during this time. Towards the end of the decade, the emerging composer partnered with lyricists Gerome Ragni and James Rado to work on Hair, which debuted off-Broadway in 1967. In the 1970s, Galt lent his talents to Two Gentlemen Of Verona, a modernized William Shakespeare adaptation.
Ahead of his death, Galt MacDermot embraced his extended following through Hip-Hop, Rare Groove, and crate diggers. While Madlib sampled the great, Galt released his Up From The Basement series with some help from Now-Again Records. It included some Hair takes.
Ambrosia For Heads extends condolences to the family, friends, and fans of Galt MacDermot.
Just less than two months ago (September 7), MC/producer Mac Miller died at the age of 26 in his Studio City, California residence. The native of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania had recently released his fifth album Swimming, a body of work that he made with J. Cole, Jon Brion, Tae Beast, and longtime producers, ID Labs.
A cause of death has now been released to the public. TMZ has obtained the toxicology report from the L.A. County Coroner’s Office. Miller, born Malcolm McCormick, died from a reported overdose. Investigators found Fentanyl, cocaine, and alcohol in his system. The dosing was reportedly less than a lethal amount. However, the mixture of substances is believed to have been what stopped the Most Dope and REMember Music artist’s heart.
Additional details have been published by TMZ this morning (November 5), including the fact that Miller’s unresponsive body was found on his bed, in the praying position. He had blood coming from one of his nostrils. A rolled $20 bill with “powdery residue” was found in the artist’s right pocket.
A sweep of Miller’s home also found Xanax, Oxycodone, Hydrocodone, and generic Adderall.
Two-time Grammy Award-winning Jazz trumpeter Roy Hargrove has passed away at the age of 49 years old. He suffered a fatal heart attack Friday night (November 2) in New York City after being admitted to a hospital for kidney failure. NPR confirmed the news with Hargrove’s manager, Larry Clothier.
Although Hargrove, a pupil of Wynton Marsalis, was rooted in Jazz and released two handfuls of solo albums between 1994 and 2009, he was instrumental to Hip-Hop. A member of the Soulquarians, the Waco, Texas native worked extensively on albums including Common’s Like Water For Chocolate, D’Angelo’s Voodoo, and Erykah Badu’s Mama’s Gun. His horn was featured on multiple tracks. All three of those 2000 releases were birthed out of a series of overlapping sessions. Later, in his own career, Roy fused Jazz with Funk, R&B, and Hip-Hop.
The horn player formed The RH Factor, a super-group including The Roots/Soulquarians’ James Poyser, sample source Bernard Wright, bassist Pino Palladino, and others. They released three albums between 2003 and 2006.
MONCH (@pharoahemonch) March 25, 2019
pic.twitter.com/MRoUhSKIFi
