Tech N9ne + E-40 = 30+ years of hits in St. Louis

Even though I love hip hop music, especially underground and independent hip hop, I rarely ever actually go to a hip hop show. Nothing against it — it just isn’t really something I do. But when some of the most successful independent hip hop artists of all time come to my town, you know I’m going to go to that show! The artists I am referring to are, of course, the unstoppable Tech N9ne and Bay Area staple E-40, bringing with them King Iso to The Factory in St Louis on May 23^rd.

First up was Nebraska native and Strange Music standout, King Iso, who brought a raw performance to those who showed up early. This tour represents the artist’s third year of sobriety, which is always worth celebrating no matter what — so why not celebrate with an awesome concert? King Iso and his right-hand man DJ Doc had infectious energy that the crowd really drew off of. It speaks loudly about the growing addiction and mental health crisis in this country where music about those topics, like King Iso’s, can reach so many corners of the map and speak to so many minds; it’s honestly a little concerning.

King Iso’s name carries a lot of deep personal meaning, as well.

While serving a court-ordered solitary confinement sentence, the artist was housed in a section called “Iso” and, while there, he began reframing the letters in his mind to mean “I Shall Overcome”. I’d say, as of now, after seeing how good he is on a stage, he has done exactly that.

Co-headlining the night was Bay Area hip hop legend E-40 and getting to see him felt so surreal. With a massive career spanning over three decades, the catalog of songs to choose from for a set list must be endless; naturally, he brought all the hits, including the one that shot him to a different level of fame — 2006’s iconic “Tell Me When to Go”. Sticking with the night’s theme of overcoming life’s obstacles, E-40 proves going your own way can pay off greatly. Having founded Sick Wid It Records in 1989, E-40 has been dropping independent albums ever since, compounding his already highly impressive musical career. 30-plus years in, independence looks a lot like a packed house singing your lyrics back at you.

And, who else but Tech N9ne stands as the other epitome of independent hip hop?

Strange Music remains a powerhouse label for underground artists, producing some of the most respected names in the genre. Tech N9ne himself — with his chopper flow and intense, relentless delivery — has leveraged his foundation to become one of the best-selling independent artists of all time, remaining one of the most dynamic and respected voices in business. STL was the second-to-last stop, with Tech’s hometown KC closing the tour out, so the room felt about as close to a hometown show as it gets. Chart-toppers like “Riot Maker”, “Midwest Chopper”, “Am I a Psycho?” and “The Beast” had the crowd spouting every single word.

What really made the night special for me was the common thread linking all three of these artists together: they all stood on stages they built for themselves. King Iso found his footing in sobriety; E-40 still commands rooms 30+ years deep; Tech N9ne presides over an empire he built brick-by-brick without any major label’s blessing. In an industry that repeatedly tells artists to either fall in line or fall behind, nights like this feel like a perfect rebuttal. If you do it your own way long enough, success will eventually show up.
 

Photography by Thomas Semonco

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