PHILADELPHIA, PA. (THECOUNT) — Akeem Mickens, aka, Battle rapper Tech 9, has reportedly passed away.
Fellow battle rapper Buttah From The Block, who was friends with Tech 9, announced the sad news on Facebook, reports XXL.
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“Sadly it’s true. We lost a Philadelphia and battle rap legend and pioneer,” Buttah From The Block tells XXL. “Unfortunately we haven’t fully figured the cause of death. We are praying that it was natural causes. He had no signs of harm done to his body.”
Tech 9, not be confused with Strange Music’s Tech N9ne, had been throwing down defensive bars in the ring for well over a decade. In that time, he’d battled artists like Arsenal, T-Rex and plenty more. Although he wasn’t a key player in mainstream hip-hop, elite lyricists and like Lupe Fiasco, Kendrick Lamar, Denzel Curry, Lloyd Banks and more have already hopped on Twitter to express their condolences and offer prayers to the battle rapper’s family and friends.
“Rip Tech 9…one of the most entertaining battle rappers,” Lupe Fiasco tweeted. “Condolences to his family and friends. May God have mercy on his soul.”
Geo quick facts: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania’s largest city, is notable for its rich history, on display at the Liberty Bell, Independence Hall (where the Declaration of Independence and Constitution were signed) and other American Revolutionary sites. Also iconic are the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, immortalized by Sylvester Stallone’s triumphant run in the film “Rocky,” – wikipedia.