Tech N9ne & E-40 travel through 3+ decades of hits in Nashville

If I am being honest, I had pretty low expectations this past Tuesday for Tech N9ne’s show at Marathon Music Works in Nashville, TN. It wasn’t that I thought the music would be bad; I certainly know Tech N9ne is amazing. I think it was more a combination of life burnout and the fact that I haven’t been to a rap show in almost 10 years — the previous one being Wu-Tang Clan in San Antonio. I walked into Marathon Music Works feeling rather neutral about the whole evening.

That was until the first act took the stage…

King Iso was the opener and it seemed as if everyone in the entire venue knew who he was. Chants of “ISO! ISO! ISO!” started even before he took the stage. As soon as he came out, the place erupted even more. His entire vibe felt very mental health-forward, openly talking about his sobriety which I definitely was not expecting. His music is extremely catchy, even though I knew none of the words, and my optimism for the evening started to grow. He performed for close to an hour and I would definitely see him again.

Then rap legend E-40 took the stage… and I was instantly transported back to the 90s. It felt like I was back at a high school dance, completely forgetting that he co-wrote the classic “I Got 5 on It” with Luniz. My energy rose even more and I thought, if these are the openers, it’s only going to get better from here. I felt very fortunate to see E-40 live and was reminded just how many hits this prolific man has amassed over the years.

Tech N9ne stepped out onstage and the entire place exploded.

Tech took a couple of moments during his set to address the economy and the financial strain that so many people are feeling right now, making it clear that he genuinely appreciated every single person who came out to the show, knowing it wasn’t an easy spend with gas prices and the cost of living being what they are. That kind of authenticity hits differently. It wasn’t a rehearsed speech, it was real.

Production-wise, his LED screens showed images from almost every single point of his career. At first, I thought it was interesting to be performing old footage of yourself projected in the background, but seeing his journey play out as an indie rapper over the years was actually quite impressive. Tech’s energy never dipped for a single second, too, powering through his extensive catalog with a ferocity that made it hard to believe he’s been doing this for three and a half decades!

I left the venue a fully converted Tech N9ne fan.

I came in neutral and walked out wanting to go back. There are artists you appreciate from a distance and then there are artists who make you feel their absolute power — Tech N9ne is firmly the latter. If you ever get the chance to catch him live, don’t hesitate. Just go.

Photography by Derek Jones

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