Known for his chopper style of flow, Tech N9ne knows what listeners have come to expect from his features. It’s for that very reason that fans were completely caught off guard when Tech slowed down his flow for Young Bleed’s “How You Do Dat Again”.

With Young Bleed’s Preserved in stores, we caught up with the Kansas City King and asked him to share some background on his unique feature for “How You Do Dat Again” and offer his thoughts on the latest addition to Strange Music/Strange Lane. As Tech would tell us, Young Bleed has become an important piece of the puzzle when it comes to tapping into new markets for Strange Music.

What did you think of Preserved?

I had it before anybody. I was the one who pointed out the one with him and Juvenile and all that kind of thing. When we first did “How You Do Dat Again”, I was like oh my goodness. You know, that was a big song back in 97, I think it was when it came out. Big thing to go back and do it again with him and Lynch Hung. When you think about the title Preserved, he’s been preserved all this time because he ain’t lost nothing. Still got that Concentration Camp feel, it’s a wonderful thing, I’m glad that he’s a new addition on Strange Music man. He’s a really wise cat too. I met him for the first time like the day before the tour went out, we got to chop it up and go to lunch and everything. Talked about his kinfolk down there and everything. He’s a real knowledgeable guy and I can tell we spiritually connected. Spiritually connected, we talked about a lot of things, about “Show Me A God” and all that. It was good to talk to him, I can’t wait to do some more work with him. He’s on Welcome To Strangeland and I think the people who buy Preserved will not be disappointed. It’s that Young Bleed we all know and love.

Do you have a favorite song on the album?

The one with him and Juvenile, “Boot Up”, that’s my shit nigga. I wear my black boots all the time, it’s time to boot up mutherfucker, that’s my shit.

You surprised a lot of people with your feature on “How You Do Dat Again”. It was quite the departure from your usual style, how did you feel about going in a different direction?

I love it because everyone who wants me to go on a song wants me to go [imitates chopper flow]. Yeah, that’s my specialty, but I ain’t just known for that shit. They just want me to be a chopper on everything. Since I did that on Wayne’s album, everyone who calls me now want me to fuckin chop. People just don’t know, that’s my specialty, but I hate writing it. I do it so well, but it’s like it’s extremely hard to write because you gotta count it, it’s insane, it’s mathematics all day. On “How You Do Dat Again” I got to lay back and ride the beat. It’s a party track so I want people to be able to sing it, “Mr. Kansas City with the Bleed, we kixin it hard and we drinkin Kansas City Tea”. I want the muthafucka on the corner drinkin to be able to say that. You know what I’m saying, I just want the normal muthafuckas to say it because a lot of my rhymes are intricate. I know how to slow it down too and that’s a perfect example of me just partying and kickin it. I want to be able to say that when I’m drunk, cuz you can’t say my shit when you drunk.

With Preserved in stores and fans getting to know Young Bleed now, how important do you think he is to Southern hip hop?

I think it’s very important and I think it’s important to Strange Music too. That’s a market that really I haven’t tapped into. Since I was down on the Weezy album they starting to recognize like, “Oh, ok that’s that cat we been hearing about.” Bleed is big out there, he’s got a big following in the South. Everybody respect Bleed. From the East to the West, to the South, to the Northwest, all that. I think we need some rugged MCs. I know for sure I need a door open for me down there and if Young Bleed ain’t it, I don’t know what is. Thanks to Wayne too, because Wayne did a lot of that. Bleed is that other stamp like boom.

-Victor Sandoval, Assistant Editor Strange Music

Follow Victor on Twitter: @VicMSandoval