San Bernadino, CA – Tech N9ne understands fans attending the independent hip-hop Paid Dues Festival might not be used to a performer like him with an eclectic mix of hip-hop, rock and energy headlining the bill. “I’m the one ridiculed like `oh he paints his face.’ I don’t think people take to that,” Tech N9ne said in a recent interview. “But I do my thing. My world is getting bigger.”

Besides Tech N9ne, Atmosphere, Living Legends, B-Real from Cypress Hill, Brother Ali, Blu & Exile, Slaughterhouse and other groups will perform Saturday.  

Kansas City-based Tech N9ne said his longevity is due to his record label’s co-owner Travis O’Guin.

“We’re always on this one motto,” Tech N9ne said. “You gotta be ready to get up and go. When we did our first show in San Diego, we had seven people. Now we sell out spots in San Diego. It keeps getting bigger and bigger. People take more and more notice.”

The key to making it in a new world of independent music is a combination of making quality music and touring, Tech N9ne said.

“If it’s wack, it’s not downloaded. You need quality music with substance and depth. It also has to have a beautiful live show I’m blessed to be one of the ones with talent. Raw, uncut talent. Nobody tells me what to say or do. It’s just when I hear a beat, I name it and record it how I feel it or dreamt it.”

Tech N9ne’s most recent album “Killer,” which has a cover that looks like an eerie version of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller,” recently helped the emcee surpass a million in sales.
B-Real, originally from South Gate and best known as lead emcee for multimillion-selling group Cypress Hill, is also on the bill.

“I love to do it,” B-Real said about rapping. “It’s a competitive field. If you’re an athlete, sometimes people do it for money. But some do it for love. I’m doing it for love.”

B-Real’s most recent record, “Smoke N Mirrors,” recently sold about 4,000 copies in its first week.

“With independent records, it’s harder to break through unless you got one of them songs that has that type of single,” B-Real said.

B-Real said the key for him, and any artist, is to be themselves.

“People respect that or not,” he said. “That’s the way I’ve done it. You just gotta be you. Do you. And I’ve been doing me my whole life. I don’t think I would change my public image.”

He compared his situation to the marijuana-loving comedy duo Cheech and Chong, in which Cheech Marin became a mainstream actor but Tommy Chong stayed the same.

“People loved him for it,” said B-Real, whose own group is known for marijuana odes like “Hits from the Bong” and “Dr. Greenthumb.”

The Cypress Hill emcee, who recently got married, does believe he has grown up, however.

“You see things different I don’t want to keep talking about the same things, it gets redundant or boring, and it’s all people know from you. You kind of want to change things up.”

Source:
San Gabriel Valley Tribune