Special Effects (album)

Special Effects is the fifteenth studio album by American rapper Tech N9ne. It was released on May 4, 2015, by Strange Music.[1] The album is broken up into several portions representing days of the week,[2] with collaborations with artists including Corey Taylor, B.o.B, Lil Wayne, 2 Chainz, T.I., Hopsin, E-40, Yo Gotti, Audio Push and Eminem, among others. The album also features fellow Strange Music artists Krizz Kaliko, Big Scoob and Ces Cru. Production on the album was handled by Seven, Strange Music's in-house producer, Excision along with Joseph Bishara who was the composer of Insidious and The Conjuring.

Special Effects
Studio album by Tech N9ne
Released	May 4, 2015
Recorded	2013–2015
Genre	Hip hop
Length	77:04
Label	Strange
Producer	Seven N4 Excision Joseph Bishara
Tech N9ne chronology
Strangeulation (2014) Special Effects (2015) Strangeulation Vol. II (2015)
Singles from Special Effects
"Aw Yeah?" Released: March 26, 2015 "Hood Go Crazy" Released: April 27, 2015 "On The Bible" Released: May 4, 2015 "No K" Released: September 23, 2015

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[3]
Artistdirect	(Favorable)[4]
HipHopDX	[5]
RapReviews	7.5/10[6]
XXL	(XL)[7]

Special Effects was met with generally positive reviews from music critics. David Jeffries of AllMusic said, "Sticking to his guns with angry, soul-searching lyrics spewing out while the high-powered crossover collaborations fly about, Tech N9ne skillfully rides his career trajectory as it soars ever upwards with Special Effects, an album that's powerful more than purposeful, plus a therapy session where all the party people can sing along."[3] Eric Diep of HipHopDX praised the production, and said, "Casual listeners — who are more familiar with his Hip Hop catalogue — will likely be turned off by the handful of straight-up rap records. His core audience, though, will revel in the album’s moments like the return of “Psycho Bitch” with a crazy storytelling verse from Hopsin over sinister production."[5] Michael Blair of XXL said, "Steadily nearing the fine line between underground and mainstream for years now, Tech’s 15th studio album finds itself as the apex of where the two classifications meet and invite both the well-acquainted enthusiast and the curious onlooker."[7]

Commercial performance

The album debuted at number 4 on the Billboard 200, selling 60,000 copies in the United States.[8] In its second week of sales, the album sold 14,000 copies in the United States.[9]

Track listing

Sunday Morning

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
1.	"The Procedure (Intro)"			0:14
2.	"Aw Yeah? (InterVENTion)"	Aaron Yates Michael Summers Isaac Cates	Seven	2:50
3.	"Lacrimosa"	Yates Samuel Watson Summers Cates	Seven	4:18
4.	"Condolences (skit)"			0:26

Sunday Evening

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
5.	"On the Bible" (featuring T.I. and Zuse)	Yates Summers Clifford Harris, Jr. Cheikh Gordon	Seven	4:09
6.	"Shroud" (featuring Krizz Kaliko)	Yates Watson Summers Joseph Bishara	Seven Bishara[10]	4:47
7.	"More Psycho Messages (skit)"			0:52
8.	"Psycho Bitch III" (featuring Hopsin)	Yates Watson Summers Marcus Hopson	Seven	4:55
9.	"Wither" (featuring Corey Taylor)	Yates Summers Corey Taylor	Seven	4:43
10.	"Dead Alive (skit)"			0:33

Monday

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
11.	"Hood Go Crazy" (featuring 2 Chainz and B.o.B)	Yates Tauheed Epps Bobby Simmons, Jr. Clarence Montgomery Nick Luscombe Freek van Workum	N4	3:45
12.	"Bass Ackwards" (featuring Yo Gotti, Big Scoob and Lil Wayne)	Yates Dwayne Carter, Jr. Mario Mims Steward Ashby Summers	Seven	4:03

Tuesday

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
13.	"No K" (featuring E-40 and Krizz Kaliko)	Yates Watson Summers Earl Stevens	Seven	3:08

Wednesday

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
14.	"Countdown (skit)"			0:13
15.	"Speedom (WWC2)" (featuring Krizz Kaliko and Eminem)	Yates Watson Summers Marshall Mathers III Richard Havens	Seven[10]	4:55
16.	"Give It All" (featuring Audio Push and Krizz Kaliko)	Yates Watson Summers Julian Brown Larry Jacks	Seven	4:59
17.	"Yates" (featuring Marcus Yates)	Yates Summers Marcus Yates	Seven M. Yates	3:47

Thursday

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
18.	"M.T.M.D. (skit)"			0:15
19.	"A Certain Comfort" (featuring Kate Rose)	A. Yates Summers Kathryn Caggianelli	Seven	3:41
20.	"Burn It Down" (featuring Ryan Bradley)	A. Yates Summers Ryan Greshock Lance Bennett	Seven	3:50

Friday

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
21.	"Life Sentences" (featuring Krizz Kaliko, Joey Cool and Gee Watts)	A. Yates Watson Summers Taven Johnson Gary Watts	Seven	4:56

Saturday

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
22.	"Dyin' Flyin'" (featuring Krizz Kaliko)	A. Yates Watson Summers Cates	Seven	3:51

Sunday

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
23.	"Worldly Angel"	A. Yates Watson Cates	Seven	4:59

Encore

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Producer(s)	Length
24.	"Roadkill" (Tech N9ne and Excision)	A. Yates Watson Jeff Abel	DJ Excision	2:56
Total length:				77:04

iTunes deluxe edition (bonus tracks)[11]

No.	Title	Producer(s)	Length
25.	"Anti" (featuring Krizz Kaliko and Band of Psychos)	Seven	4:48
26.	"Young Dumb Full of Fun" (featuring Ces Cru and Mackenzie O'Guin)	Seven	3:35
Total length:			85:27

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (2015) Peak position Canadian Albums (Billboard)[12] 7 US Billboard 200[13] 4 US Independent Albums (Billboard)[14] 1 US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[15] 1

Year-end charts Chart (2015) Peak position US Billboard 200[16] 192 US Independent Albums (Billboard)[17] 13 US Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums (Billboard)[18] 34 US Top Rap Albums (Billboard)[19] 24

References

1. "Strange Music – Special Effects a day earlier". strangemusicinc.com. Retrieved 2015-03-03.
2. "Tech N9ne "Special Effects" Album Tracklist Features Eminem & Lil Wayne".
3. David Jeffries. "Special Effects – Tech N9ne". AllMusic. Retrieved 2015-05-08.
4. Florino, Rick (2015-05-01). "Album Review: Tech N9ne – 'Special Effects'". Artistdirect. Rogue Digital, LLC. Retrieved 2015-05-08.
5. Diep, Eric (2015-05-05). "Tech N9ne – Special Effects". HipHop DX. Retrieved 2015-05-08.
6. "Tech N9ne :: Special Effects :: Strange Music Inc". Rapreviews.com. Retrieved 2015-05-18.
7. Blair, Michael (2015-05-08). "Tech N9ne Keeps Getting Better on 'Special Effects'". Xxlmag.com. Retrieved 2015-05-08.
8. Harris, Christopher (2015-05-13). "Hip Hop Album Sales: Tech N9ne, Drake, Nicki Minaj". HipHopDX. Retrieved 2015-05-21.
9. Harling, Danielle (2015-05-17). "Hip Hop Album Sales: Snoop Dogg, "Furious 7" & Tech N9ne". HipHopDX. Retrieved 2015-05-21.
10. Smith, Trevor (April 6, 2015). "Tech N9ne Breaks Down "Special Effects" Features, Including Eminem's 24-Bar Verse". HotNewHipHop.com. Retrieved April 6, 2015.
11. "tracklist". itunes.com. Retrieved 2015-04-06.
12. "Tech N9ne Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved May 20, 2015.
13. "Tech N9ne Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 2015-05-20.
14. "Tech N9ne Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved May 20, 2015.
15. "Tech N9ne Chart History (Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved May 20, 2015.
16. "Billboard 200 – Year-end Chart". Retrieved December 9, 2015.
17. "Billboard Independent Albums- Year-end Chart". Billboard. Retrieved December 9, 2015.
18. "Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums- Year-end Chart". Billboard. Retrieved December 9, 2015.
19. "Billboard Rap Albums- Year-end Chart". Billboard. Retrieved December 9, 2015.