K.O.D by Tech N9ne 4 /5
by Liz Perry 11/08/09
(Mouse over image for details)
While artists like DMX have wrestled with their
demons on record, Tech N9ne has chosen to embrace his. K.O.D., an acronym for
King of Darkness, the Kansas City rapper's latest offering. A three-part album
that attempts to capture the darkness that creatively consumes Tech. He spends
23 tracks of records and skits painting a picture filled with demoniac
presence’s, questions of God, anger, madness, lust, the supernatural and the
diminishing health of his beloved mother. It’s dark and at times eerie but it’s
honest and his lyrical abilities are still top notch.
The album opens with an absolutely brilliant track in “Show Me a God.” In the
song, he wrestles with his mother's failing health and his own fame. The
drumline style percussion and horn hits bring energy that Tech matches. It’s
easy to get caught up in the title of the track but really, Tech N9ne tackles an
issue that we all have faced in some way. Three 6 Mafia makes an appearance on
the next track, and sound more like the Three 6 of 10 years ago, rather than the
radio-friendly group they have become as of late. It’s a dark track, but nowhere
near the eerie “Blackened the Sun” which follows. From the beat to the chorus,
and the lyrics, Tech shines. It's reminiscent of early Tech N9ne, appeasing any
die-hard fan.
The middle of the album suffers a bit from bland subject matter, so-so hooks,
and average beats. “In the Trunk” feels out of place on K.O.D. while “Pinocchio”
showcases Tech altering his voice and telling a story that is eerily similar to
a hungry Big Lurch. Both are easily tracks that could and should have been cut
from the 23 that made the album. It’s really a similar complaint that many fans
and critics threw Tech’s way when he released Killer. Simply put, he could have
trimmed-the-fat and instantly increased the overall quality of the album.
The production of the album fits the overall mood and theme of K.O.D. There are
clearly efforts that are so-so, but one of Tech N9ne’s strong points as an
artist is his voice's ability to become another instrument on a track. At times
it is difficult to separate the production from Tech and that is a testament to
his artistry. Big guitars make an appearance in “Low” creating one of the albums
highlights. Meanwhile, the single, “Leave Me Alone” sounds like it could be
played on your radio station, as it just happens to be one of the better tracks
on the album. The flow is evident and unquestionable throughout the project. The
guest appearances at times struggle to keep pace with Tech’s rapid-fire delivery
and assort of dope verses. Freddie Foxxx makes an always welcomed appearance,
while Prozac and King Gordy drop two of the better verses of the album on
“Horns.”
Tech N9ne is as technical as any emcee alive is. He can do anything he wants
with his flow, voice and lyrics. On “B-Boy” he absolutely murders the beat by
using every B word known to man. Only Crooked I may rival his ability to use
alliteration in a verse. That technical ability never prohibits the emotional
quality of his voice and music to shine through. It’s mesmerizing to listen to
him switch his flow up several times within a verse all the while relaying a
deeply personal message. Maybe in an emcee’s hierarchy of needs the
self-actualization stage is when he is supremely confident and can push his
crafts limit without sacrificing his content. Sure, it may not bring groves of
new fans, but after selling a million units during his independent career, few
can doubt that Tech N9ne cares.
K.O.D. is a very ambitious project that is geared solely to Tech’s faithful
audience. It is filled with many well-constructed contradictions where Tech N9ne
is playing puppet master and pulling strings of controversy. Each listen deepens
the complexity of the album. It’s definitely an effort that is worthy of praise
and it may be Tech N9ne’s best offering to the public yet. With that said, the
album has its share of flaws. The intensity at times suffocates the more
light-hearted moments. While the skits, for the most part, are a waste of
compact disc space. Maybe those lighthearted moments and skits are just who Tech
N9ne is but unfortunately that doesn’t translate to pure perfection on K.O.D.
