According to Tech N9ne, the parallels between his own life and Alton Sterling’s life are undeniable.

While speaking with Hip Hop Honesty and Get Your Buzz Up about his upcoming album, The Storm, Tech explains the meaning behind “What If It Was Me”. Tech intertwined his own personal story of how he started his career with the story of Alton Sterling, who was killed by police in Baton Rouge. As Tech states, the parallels to his own life are unmistakable, from the clothes, to the prior criminal history, to selling music.

“What [Alton Sterling] had on, was what me and my homeboys, in our blood neighborhood, grew up wearing. Red t-shirt, khaki shorts. We fit the description. They talked about Alton Sterling, like ‘Well, he was a bad guy. He had priors.’ I was too. I was a dope dealer, I was a gang banger, I was a shoplifter, I was a drug user. But now…Forbes List four times, own a label, leading an army of Technicians… people change. You put me on a pedestal. Just don’t write him off because he had priors, because we all had priors. But people change. So I say ‘What if it was me?’ You love me. Would it mean anything to you if it was me?”

– Tech N9ne

Watch the full interview:

Watch the music video for “What If It Was Me”

• How would you react if a young Tech N9ne was in the shoes of Alton Sterling?

Let us know your thoughts.

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