Kansas City rapper Tech N9ne was prepared to sell his millionth independently released album, spanning a catalogue of over five acclaimed discs. His most recent release, Killer, helped the veteran emcee reach his million-mark destination.”I found out that I had cracked a million when I was just on this tour with Kottonmouth Kings. I think it was a week ago or maybe two weeks ago; I don’t know,” revealed Tech N9ne Thursday afternoon. He added that his manager’s weekly routine helped them determine that the quiet milestone had been achieved. “Travis O’Guin calls me every Wednesday, and he tells me the Soundscan for all my albums. He got to Killer, and it’s moving pretty damn fast. And Killer took me over the million mark. It took us over the mark quicker than we expected. It was so wonderful.”

Perhaps a testament to how achieved the feat, which arguably based on the definition of “independent”, is a first for a rapper, Tech celebrated by performing a show. “It don’t really set in until I did that show that night, and it’s sold out and everybody’s screamin’. When I said, ‘Thank you for making me the number one independent rapper nation,’ everybody went crazy. And I have to sit up there in front of 4,000 people and look at them yell at me because of it,” he said with a laugh.

The event means a great deal to the artist personally, but this is not something he intends to brag about. “I’m in awe. I’m not big-headed, you know what I’m sizzlin’? ‘Cause I know what the bottom feels like. To come from down to so far up, and everybody callin’ us for work and shows, it’s a wonderful thing.” The rapper, who debuted with 1999’s The Calm Before The Storm, recounted that his first show, in San Diego, California, had seven people in the crowd. Today, Tech N9ne tours over half of the year.

Barack Obama ain’t gonna win the Presidential election at home, sittin’ with his wife. John McCain ain’t gonna win on the golf course. You have to go from place-to-place and speak to these people, and touch these people. And that’s what I’ve done. And that’s what Strange Music has done.” Winning his own election of sorts, this accolade adds to Tech’s marketability. “This makes other people look my way. My quest is to get my music to the rest of the world, and the world don’t really know,” he said in an emphatic whisper.

As far as that Strange Music, Tech spoke highly of his label’s first group act, Skatterman & Snug Brim. The Kansas City duo just released Word On Tha Streets. “I was amazed by their shit back in the day. We had the same producer, DJ Icey Rock, who hooked us up. Skatterman and his clever lines and Snug and his distinctive voice, I had to have ‘em on Strange Music.” The album features both Paul Wall and Young Buck click to read. The album is in stores now. We at Hip Hop Spy support Indie artists. If you are a Indie artist you can learn from Tech N9ne he not only release’s CD’s he constantly tours and builds his fan base, and that is what it is all about.