Tech N9ne's Strange Music squad tends to be a loyal crew with few subtractions, but Kansas City's hip-hop overlord recently confirmed that Kutt Calhoun and Jay Rock would be officially leaving the label.
"Kutt's always been different," Tech told Mr. Wavvy — transcribed by HipHopDX. "Me and [Krizz Kaliko] are weirdos and we're proud of it ... Kutty is a lot cooler, you know, a lot more hip and a lot more stylish. He didn't really like the scrubs on stage and eventually he wanted to be off stage with us and do his own show. He did that. He wanted to be his own man and not in the shadow of Tech N9ne.
"After a while, he wanted to do his own thing musically ... We hope he can do it without Strange, but Strange is [a] f----n' force to be reckoned with, my n----. It's hard out there for a pimp."
As for Jay Rock, Tech said that dude was more at home with his other crew, anyway.
"Jay Rock is now officially all the way TDE," he added. "We did what we was s'posed to do. We got him off Warner Bros. They were sitting on his records and wouldn't put it out. We snatched him off of there, put out his first record, Follow Me Home, and it's f----n' beautiful. Now, TDE is poppin' with Kendrick [Lamar], his family, ScHoolboy Q, Isaiah Rashad and [SZA] and Ab-Soul and he needs to be where his family is. His family is over here, as well. We're his extended family.
"But it's always been TDE for Jay Rock. Strange Music was that other family member that gave him a boost, and now [TDE] got what they need to put him where he belongs with TDE. Now he's 100 percent TDE, and I told him, 'You better murder it, Jay Rock. I love you, my n----. Do your m---------n' thug-thizzle.' He told me, 'Thank you, big bro. You ever need anything from me, I got you. Thank you for what you did.' I'm like, 'N----, I'll still do it.' So, it's all love."
HHDX points out that Strange Music released the debut albums for both rappers. Calhoun debuted with B.L.E.V.E. in 2004, and Rock entered the picture with Follow Me Home in 2011.
