Lawrence.com

He's had little to do with the vitality of this town's hip-hop scene, but when Lawrence/KC hip-hop gets a spot on the national map, Tech N9ne will no doubt be hailed as the 'originator.' And damn if he doesn't deserve it. Tech has powered his way through a decade of hardships and haters, betrayal and broken contracts to get bigger and badder every year. His lyrical talent has earned him props from Tupac, Eminem, and many more. This spring provided a glimpse of what's likely to come: Tech made news for availing his entire "Absolute Power" for free download. His "F--- The Industry" caught on overnight making him something of a pro-file-sharing spokesman. Tech's virus is out there -- if you've heard it, you've caught it.