There’s nothing spooky about this week’s rappers, who are coming to Columbia on Halloween.
####The lowdown
On Oct. 31, three rappers from Missouri are performing at The Blue Note. Tickets are $27.50 before the show or $30 the day of the show. Doors open at 8 p.m. for the 9 p.m. show.
####The artists
One of my favorite rappers, Tech N9ne, is a Kansas City native. He often raps about the city when performing all around the country. Aaron Yates dubbed himself Tech N9ne after his skill with technical rapping and the TEC-9 gun. Yates owns a record label named Strange Music and is now producing music with musicians like him.
Accompanying Tech N9ne is another Missouri native, rapper Nicholas Rodriguez, known as NicDanger. Rodriguez grew up in Columbia and has been rapping since the fourth grade, according to his [website](http://nicdanger.com).
Ise’ah Damone Bentley, known as Fuego Bentley, is another rapper from Columbia. Bentley lost his brother when he was 18 and has since tried to live through music, releasing an LP and an album.
####Noteworthy Tunes
**“Erbody But Me”** by Tech N9ne
The first time I heard this song on the radio, I was impressed with the lyrics. Every time I hear it, I notice another verse that becomes my new favorite.
**“Hood Go Crazy”** by Tech N9ne
I heard this song at Rockfest, an all-day music festival in Kansas City, in 2015. It was a great performance and made the crowd go crazy.
**“I Get It Now”** by Tech N9ne
In honor of the Halloween show, I’ve included this song. One of the lyrics in this song is “The only time they wanna look like me is Halloween.”
**“Blast Away”** by NicDanger
This song opens up with a meaningful message from Rodriguez and then a sweet vocal hook from Danny Sea. It shows the true power a song can have on both the vocalist and the listener.
**“Ain’t That Something”** by NicDanger
The music video for this song, along with the combination of different tempos, makes it great. My favorite line is “Stop spreading your hatred around just like chicken pox,” which reflects his mantra of peace.
**“Trill Waves”** by Fuego Bentley
Off of the album _Trill Waves_ that came out Oct. 1, this piece is similar to a lot of music that’s out today and features a smooth beat that is consistent over many of his songs.
####If you like this, try…
**“Alpha Omega”** by Machine Gun Kelly
This song is a lot like the voice we get out of Tech N9ne’s music, as well as verses that can compare to “Blast Away” by NicDanger.
**“Waste Away”** by Blackbear
This song is similar to stylings of NicDanger and Feugo Bentley. The LA rapper paired with the voice of Devon Baldwin in this song to make it even stronger.
_Edited by Katie Rosso | krosso@themaneater.com_
