Archive Review: Tech N9ne’s Anghellic (2004)

One of the most underrated and unique talents on the underground rap scene, Tech N9ne’s rhymes skew closer to the horror-movie landscapes of Detroit’s Esham than to those of any faux-gangsta that you’ll see on MTV. First, the Kansas City native’s original patois is a mix of rapid-fire, dancehall-influenced reggae toasting and monstrous, death metal style growled vocals. N9ne’s material is extremely cinematic in nature; every song that flows across N9ne’s tape reel feels larger-than-life and immediate. N9ne’s music is grand in scope and ambitious in execution, his lyricism brilliant and imaginative. Yet, Tech N9ne remains virtually unknown outside of Midwestern rap aficionados.

Tech N9ne’s Anghellic

Anghellic was originally released in 2001 by a regional label in partnership with Interscope, but dropped out of sight quickly and went out-of-print. N9ne has provided the album with another chance, reissuing this crucial part of his catalog on his own Strange Music label. A concept album, of sorts, Anghellic at its core illustrates the struggle between the secular pleasures of the flesh and the church’s promises of the afterlife. Drugs, money, sex, sin and salvation are all addressed with these tracks. 

When N9ne ventures into traditional “gangsta” territory, as he does with “Real Killer,” the results are chilling, his stories blazing with street violence and sudden death. Other N9ne rhymes are equally powerful, whether spitting the life-is-purgatory lyrics of the haunting “Suicide Letters” or outlining the temptations and tragedies of fame with “This Ring.” N9ne enjoys a bit of self-mythologizing with “It’s Alive” while the operatic “Tormented” is, well…just plain weird. The music on Anghellic is lush and complex, less beat-driven than most modern hip-hop, sort of a cross between improvisational jazz, a movie soundtrack and hard-edged heavy metal.    

The Reverend’s Bottom Line

No doubt, Tech N9ne has talent and creativity to spare. As shown by this reissue of Anghellic and the more recent Absolute Power, N9ne possesses a unique vision unclouded by trends or fashion or celebrity. This isn’t Jay-Z or P Diddy playing the tabloids and throwing soundbites at TV cameras. Tech N9ne is the sound of the street, an artist who rocks to the beat of a different drummer. (Strange Music, reissued 2004)

Review originally published by Alt.Culture.Guide™ zine...