In a world where rap often demands novelty and reinvention, Tech N9ne’s 5816 Forest is a profound and rare act of artistic excavation. With over two decades of albums behind him, the indie rap titan rewinds the clock—not to relive the past, but to finally tell the story he’s never told: his own. The result is a cinematic, 22-track deep-dive into the formative years of Aaron Dontez Yates, the kid who became Tech N9ne, told with raw honesty, electrifying precision, and the relentless innovation that’s defined his career.
Produced entirely by JPZ (E-40, YoungBoy NBA), 5816 Forest blends the urgency of ‘90s street rap with modern trap flourishing and soulful interludes. The album is grounded in Tech’s time at the titular address—a lime green house in Kansas City where he lived from age 12 to 17. But this isn’t some nostalgic victory lap. It’s the full origin myth, warts and all, filtered through the eyes of a man who had to run away from home to find his future.
From the haunting “The Punishment (Lockdown),” which reframes teenage house arrest as divine intervention, to “J6’s,” where he skips graduation to perform at Kemper Arena, Tech masterfully translates memory into melody. His voice—gravel-worn and ever-agile—is the perfect vehicle for grief, wonder, and defiant self-belief. https://im-musicmagazine.com/f/album-review-tech-n9ne-5816-forest/
Track List
- Donnie Call (Skit)
- The Birth (Remix)
- Fridee Da Sundee (Triality)
- Yoda (ft. Lil Wayne)
- Ball
- Alyia Call (skit)
- RDV
- Lola
- Black Walt Street (The New Breed)
- Excited
- The Nice One
- The Punishment (Lockdown) (Remix)
- What I Do?
- Reign Call (Skit)
- No Rub
- Fish Captain
- Sacrifice
- Bella Call (Skit)
- Livin In The Sky
- Call With 2-Yr-Old Alina (Skit)
- This I Know
- J6's