There’s landmark collaborations, and then there’s Eminem on Tech N9ne’s “Speedom (WWC2)” from Special Effects.

The effect of the track has already been pretty staggering. Fans that have clamored for a collaboration between two of the most technically proficient emcees of all time have gotten their wish in the form a song with a blistering pace and breathless verses from three amazing emcees. The song has grown faster on YouTube than any of Tech N9ne’s actual music videos.

When thinking about Eminem’s contribution to the track, and the fact that he delivered a game-changing 24-bar verse, you have to wonder, “Who won’t want to collaborate with Tech N9ne after this?” In Tech’s words, the doors are open to get on a track with anybody.

We talked to Tech about the possibilities that “Speedom” has unlocked, and how the song is one of the biggest game-changing moments in Tech N9ne’s career.

In the interview you and Eminem did with Sway, we got to see what your reaction was when Eminem was really praising you as an artist and as an emcee. I know people like you and Em, and elite emcees, they do it for a lot of reasons, but one of them is to gain the respect of peers and that’s a really big deal when you’re at a certain level. So tell me, how did that feel, because I could tell that you were like, “Man, this is fucking crazy.” When a guy like that, someone you called the greatest, was saying what he said about you.

It was overwhelming because it’s the utmost validation when you got this motherfucker who’s at the top with Dr. Dre and 50 Cent and all these people who’ve been killing it in the game for over a decade plus. For him to say that I’ve been killing it and he trips off of my pockets and everything, and he’s at the top of his game, it’s like the utmost validation. Because when you’re a weirdo in everybody else’s eyes, you tend to think that people are overlooking the fact that you’re an emcee, because they can’t get past the face paint, or the red spiked hair, or the bishop’s robe, or the scrub clothing. You tend to think that people are not paying attention to your emceeing, which you know you are an elite emcee. But when you get validation from the motherfucker that’s looked at as the top emcee, and he does the fucking song for nothing, for love? That’s the utmost, best feeling in the world. It’s validation, like, “Yeah, I’ll fucks with you, Tech. You a rapping motherfucker,” from the rapping motherfucker. I was overwhelmed, bro. I know you saw that.

Yeah, it was great. To me, it was one thing to get him on a feature, it seemed like that was a milestone for you, in itself, because he is that guy. Tell me, what was your initial response to his verse when you first heard it?

My mouth dropped open. You could see it on the DVD. I was sitting on the couch and you could see my eyebrows scrunch up. That was my first reaction because I’d never heard him go so fast. I was flabbergasted. I was beside myself like, “Whoa, this is it. This is going to cause some commotion.” When I heard the verse, I was like, “Yeah, this is going to cause a commotion,” because there were already people talking shit when they found out there are only three people on it and they’re from the Midwest. They said it should be called “Midwest Choppers”, but you know what? After all the styles that I did, that Krizz did, or that Em did; nobody else, actually, could have said anything or did any more styles. They would just be doing what we did with different words. And I said, with the “Worldwide Choppers” thing, “Yeah, we’re all from the Midwest, but all three of us, all over the world or wherever we go, we chop motherfucking heads off.” So, we all Worldwide Choppers. We chop all over the world.

It’s true what you said. There’s an incredible amount of styles on that thing. Were you able to break down and understand Em’s verse?

Hell no! I still ain’t got it. I’m still trying to see what he saying after he say “I’m about to take like Kanye, walk on the stage like Beyoncé, and I have the nerve to say you’re not a real artist,”…something, something. I don’t know what he’s saying before that next line. He does something with the beat right there [demonstrates verbally], and it covers it up a little bit. It’s a couple of parts in there that I’m trying to get. I don’t know what he’s saying! It’s dope, but what the fuck is he saying?

Honestly, you know the website RapGenius? A lot of times shit on there is fucked up, but I read what someone wrote, while listening to Em’s verse, and it made sense. It worked.

[laughs] Really?

Yeah, so I would check it out and tell me what you think. Plus, all the lines make sense, so after you read it, you’re like ” holy shit”. It makes it that much more dope. If you have any time, I would check it out.

My whole thing about showing off, chopper style, is that you should be able to say and spit my shit and it’s super clear. That’s how I show out. Everyone on the track has clarity, like a motha-fucka, but still, Eminem’s words are so close together, it’s hard for me to get them – but I’m gonna get them.

Speaking of that, Em is someone that is….he’s like you. Whenever you guys are set up by somebody else that’s really good, it takes you guys to another level. I remember hearing your verse on the Crooked I song. To me, that would have only happened if you were set up by somebody as great as Crooked I. Like, he had to rap after Crooked I, so he just went out of his mind. That’s kind of what I think. Being that you’re a big Eminem fan, do you think he was taken to another place on this song?

Oh, yeah, because he said it! He said, “Man, I got those verses with you and Krizz and you got all those ‘F’ words, I had to do something.” I was like, “I know, and you did it!” When you get a Tech N9ne verse, it’s going to push you to bring your all. He brought it, everything, and the kitchen sink, my nigga. And I so loved that. Even T.I. on “On the Bible”. Everybody. Even 2 Chainz tried to rap a little more on “Hood Go Crazy”. [Laughing] It’s classic 2 Chainz, but he’s trying to rap. Everybody that gets a Tech verse, they have to push themselves to measure up, and that’s what makes an overall beautiful project.

Real quick, I want to hit on another note on this song. Krizz Kaliko has a lot of people’s vote for favorite verse on this song.

I know, man.

Now, being that you guys always push each other, that’s got to be a proud moment for you. I know you look at him like an equal, and superior in a lot of ways, but you took him on and were his mentor in a lot of ways. That’s got to be like the student just beat the teacher.

Totally. When I heard his verse, I was like, “Oh my goodness, gracious.” I don’t listen to nobody’s verse before I do my verse. I want it to be super fair, you know? So I always, never cheat. And it’s okay, because you’re supposed to listen to the verses and say “Okay, I got to do this.” But my ego won’t let me do it, because I don’t want to do nothing to duplicate what they did. I want to do all of me. After I did my verse and they finally played me Krizz’s verse, I was like “Oh my Lord, Jesus!” He killed it, dude. I knew people were going to say that too. They expect me to murder. They’re used to me murdering, so they’re like, “Oh yeah, that’s Tech. Of course he’s going to do his thing, but goddamn.” They used to me, they know I’m going to chop everything and show as many styles as I can, and sing, and everything. They already know I’m going to do that. So, it ain’t no surprise, but, when I get the ups, I go in. It’s like, I rarely get the ups. Niggas send me a track without their verse on it. They never give me the ups. I want the ups. You know, one of these times. I didn’t even have the ups for the last Twista song that we did, he just sent the beat.

Oh, for real?

Aw yeah, man. Let me see the last time I got the ups… I don’t know, man. I rarely get the ups. You know what I mean by the “ups,” right? When they send you the verse and you say, “ah, okay” and you do yours.

Yeah, and I’ve heard what happens when someone does that for you, it’s madness. I think about the Lynch song, “Takin’ Online Orders” and Crooked I, “Let Me Get It”. I hear what happens and you’re like, “Jesus!” It’s pretty crazy. Hopefully that happens again soon, because I love the results. I know they’ve gotta be like, “God damn it, what’s he going to do?” But that’s how you guys probably think about each other.

Yeah, we do. Krizz Kaliko, man, he sets the fucking stage. If I was Eminem and I got that verse, and I got Tech’s verse, shiiiit. I would have cut heads off too.

My last question about this, this song and this feature has garnered a ton of buzz already. What do you think this is going to do for you as far as features go for albums to come. For me, it’s like, how’s anybody going to turn down Tech N9ne after Eminem did that on the song?

I told Krizz Kaliko that this album is going to make the way for us to get whatever we want from now on. Yeah, this album is going to make the way for us to get whoever we fucking want from now on. It’s going to be that big that I don’t think that we’ll ever have a problem with getting people ever again. I don’t think we’ll have a problem getting Jay Z on the next one.

• Did the Eminem feature live up to your expectations on “Speedom (WWC2)”?

Let us know in the comments section below.

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