Night at the GRAMMY Museum with Tech N9ne

On the night before his most personal album to date dropped, Tech N9ne took over the Clive Davis Theater inside the GRAMMY Museum in Los Angeles for an intimate night that was part deep dive, part live show, and every bit unforgettable.

The June 26th event was hosted by hip hop journalist Justin Hunte, who guided the one-on-one with Tech with conversation spanning everything: from his emotional teenage years of 5816 Forest to founding Strange Music in 1999 — long before the world knew his name. And with 5816 Forest dropping at 12am EST (9pm PST, right as the show ended)

The moment was perfectly timed.

Hunte also pressed Tech on his production process, noting how wildly different each track on the new album sounds. Animated, charismatic, absolutely hilarious, and never one to follow trends, Tech explained how he lets the feeling lead the way.

Fans in the room were then given the opportunity to ask their own questions, many of which dug into the classics. Would Tech N9ne ever bring back songs from Anghellic, Everready, or All 6’s and 7’s at his future shows? (All of which Tech claimed were some of his favorite projects.) The room filled with nostalgia, not knowing what Tech had up his sleeve after his hour-long Q&A.

It was then that a seated discussion was transformed into a standing-room-only underground hip hop show.

Without missing a beat, Tech returned to the stage and delivered a high-energy 30-minute performance of certified bangers, such as “Caribou Lou”, “Einstein”, “The Beast”, and, of course, “Red Kingdom” — his booming anthem to the Kansas City Chiefs.

What was supposed to be a quiet night at the Museum became a full-circle moment for one of hip hop’s most consistent and creatively fearless rappers. We’re talking 40 years of artistry with 25 albums to show. 

And Tech N9ne won’t be slowing down anytime soon. This late summer and into fall, he’ll be hitting the road for back-to-back, versatile tours that showcase how in-demand he continues to be. First up, he’ll join post-hardcore band Falling In Reverse on their God Is A Weapon Tour. Immediately after, he’ll be linking up with legendary hip hop groups Bone Thugs-N-Harmony and Three 6 Mafia for the Thuggish Ruggish Mafia Tour.

Whether you’re a metalhead or a hip-hop junkie, there’s a show coming your way. Get your tickets here for God Is A Weapon and here for Thuggish Ruggish Mafia.

Photography by Celeste Basich

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