Setting the pace for the culture from outside of the system yet again, independent powerhouse Strange Music celebrates another major milestone. The label's official YouTube Channel, YouTube.com/StrangeMusicInc, crosses the 1-billion views mark, tallying 1.1 billion views and counting to date. Additionally, the subscribers surpass 2 million-plus. This affirms the company's position as "the most successful independent rap record label in the industry."
Label co-founder and multi-platinum rap star Tech N9ne shared this clip as a "Thank You."
?Contributing to these monumental statistics, the iconic artist recently unleashed a string of cinematic blockbuster visuals from his critically acclaimed 21st album, N9NA. These include "I Caught Crazy! (4Ever)" [1.5 million views in a month], "EF U (Easier For You)" [feat. Krizz Kaliko & Jelly Roll] [2.1 million views in a month], "Disparagement" [feat. King Iso & Krizz Kaliko] [1.3 million views in a month], "Like I Ain't" [9.1 million views in two months], and "N9NA" [970K views in two months].
Bubbling up above the mainstream into the pop culture stratosphere, "Like I Ain't" received props from none other than Dwayne Johnson, an avowed longtime "Technician." He posted the video on Instagram to his 147 million followers and wrote, "Been rockin' with him and @strangemusicinc for decades now. We share the same DNA - once you've been hungry, you'll never be full. Highly recommend his new album #N9NA available now if you're ready to get hyped."
The label's influence resounds on the road too. On Saturday August 10, 2019, Strange Music Goes Full Throttle! The roster descends upon the iconic Full Throttle Saloon in Sturgis, SD to turn up for the 20th anniversary of the venue. The lineup includes Tech N9ne, Krizz Kaliko, Ces Cru, JL, Joey Cool, and King Iso. It will undoubtedly sell out! Additionally, Tech N9ne and Krizz Kaliko join the lineup of Blue Ridge Rock Festival in Concord, VA on September 8. Once again, they add lyrical fire like they can to a rock-centric bill, illuminating their ability to slay any stage.
Heading across the pond, Tech N9ne launches his European Tour alongside Krizz Kaliko on August 14. Returning home, he headlines one of his biggest shows of the fall at the legendary Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Morrison, CO on October 19. That show will also feature Krizz Kaliko, Rittz, and Jelly Roll.
Check out the full confirmed itinerary below.
2019 stands out as a banner year for Tech N9ne. Shining a light on the undeniable impact of Strange Music and its flagship artist, Complex recently dissected "How Kendrick Lamar Became A Star With Help From Tech N9ne." Receiving widespread acclaim, HotNewHipHop praised N9NA as "impressive." Meanwhile, HipHopDX asserted, "Tech is definitely the game's number one independent artist by a longshot." StupidDope commented, "The album finds the Strange Music head honcho showing off his rapid-fire delivery yet again, serving up twenty-one new tracks in the process." He also detailed the ins and outs of the record with Ambrosia For Heads.
As always, surprises continue brewing in Strange World from Tech N9ne. Get ready for more!
TOUR DATES:
8/2 Springville, IN Gathering of the Juggalos
8/10 Sturgis, SD Full Throttle Saloon
8/14 Copenhagen, Denmark
8/15 Odense, Denmark
8/16 Hradec Kralove, Czech Republic
8/17 Orpund, Switzerland
8/19 Glasgow, Scotland
8/20 Leeds, UK
8/21 Birmingham, UK
8/22 Munich, Germany
8/23 Stuttgart, Germany
8/24 Frankfurt, Germany
8/25 Hamburg, Germany
8/28 Cologne, Germany
8/30 Dortmund, Norway
8/31 Halle Saale, Sachsen-Anhalt
9/1 Istanbul, Turkey
9/8 Concord, CA Blue Ridge Rock Festival
10/19 Morrison, CO Red Rocks Amphitheatre
Tech N9ne once made a pledge, "Tech will never go mainstream. Mainstream will go Tech."He stuck to his guns, and it came true. By redefining what a rapper could be, his motormouth wordplay and otherworldly rockstar showmanship boldly broke the rap mold, but his dark, dynamic, and definitive vision quietly set the tone for two decades to follow. Founded in 2000, he architected a culture with his label, Strange Music. Kids moshed at his sold-out shows long before the anarchic rage of SoundCloud rap. He invited future superstars such as Kendrick Lamar, MGK, Jay Rock, and Slaughterhouse on their first proper tours. Outside of the system, he unassumingly ascended to the status of "most successful independent rapper of all-time," garnering a platinum plaque for "Caribou Lou" and two gold plaques for "Fragile" [feat. Kendrick Lamar, ¡Mayday!, & Kendall Morgan] and "Hood Go Crazy" [feat. B.o.B & 2 Chainz]. All 21 of his albums charted on the Billboard Top Albums Chart, and he made history by achieving "the most top 10 albums on the rap chart ever." Plus, he scored four debuts in the Top 5 of the Top 200. Not to mention, he generated billions of streams and sold hundreds of thousands of tickets for headline shows. A regular on Forbes' "Cash Kings" list, he graced the cover of XXL and performed on Jimmy Kimmel LIVE! As real recognizes real, Eminem, Lil Wayne, Slipknot, System of a Down, Deftones, and Gary Clark, Jr. all jumped at the chance to collaborate. His empire also expanded to encompass the popular beer, Bou Lou-a landmark Kansas City collaboration with renowned Boulevard Brewery-which went nationwide in 2019. Just as his flow never relents, neither does his restless creativity, which brings us to his twenty-first full-length, N9NA. This time around, he re-ups by returning to his roots and spitting like his life depends upon it-while answering a call from ardent "Technicians" in every corner of the globe.
Founded by platinum rapper Tech N9ne and C.E.O. and entrepreneur Travis O'Guin, Strange Music rose up from the heart of the Midwest to emerge as "the most successful independent rap record label in the industry." Since 2000, the company has quietly and independently made history on a regular basis. By 2019, all 21 Tech N9ne albums charted on the BillboardTop Albums Chart, netting him "the most Top 10 albums on the rap chart in history." The label achieved one platinum and three gold singles in addition to securing four debuts in the Top Five of the Billboard Top 200, not to mention billions of cumulative streams and video views. Tech resided on the Forbes "Cash Kings" list four years in a row as total gross revenue surpasses nine figures to date. Often logging 400-plus shows a year, Strange Music tours provided an early national platform to nascent superstars and counts GRAMMY ® Award-winning legend Kendrick Lamar, along with MGK amongst those who opened up for the flagship founder. Among its signees, the roster includes alumni such as multi-platinum GRAMMY ® Award-winning TDE star Jay Rock, the legendary Brotha Lynch Hung, as well as current acts Krizz Kaliko, Ces Cru, ¡Mayday! and others. 2018 saw the brand expand with the launch of its pop division, Strange Main, home to Mackenzie Nicole.
Consisting of 60-plus employees, its Kansas City headquarters occupies 160,000 square feet. The space spans Strange Headquarters (C.E.O, Accounting, Administration, Social Media, and Touring), Strange Land (Recording Studios, Video Production, Editing, and Soundstage), Strange World (Merchandise Manufacturing, Silk Screen Printing, Shipping, and Fulfillment), and Strange Works (Construction Company). Strange Music boldly evolved in 2019 with the introduction of a full-fledged distribution arm, It Goes Up Entertainment, offering an extensive array of label services in addition to music distribution.
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