Hi-Tek facts for kids

Tony Louis Cottrell (born May 5, 1976), who is better known by his stage name Hi-Tek, is an American rapper and music producer from Cincinnati, Ohio. A music producer helps artists create their songs by making the beats and guiding the recording process.

Hi-Tek is most famous for the music he made with rapper Talib Kweli. His father, Willie Cottrell, is also a singer. Hi-Tek even featured his dad on his second album, Hi-Teknology 2.

Music Career

Getting Started

Hi-Tek began his career in the mid-1990s with a hip hop group called Mood. The group had a popular local song called "Hustle on the Side." While working on Mood's album Doom, Hi-Tek met a rapper from Brooklyn named Talib Kweli.

This meeting was very important for his career. Hi-Tek went on to produce most of the music for the classic 1998 album Black Star. This album was a team-up between Talib Kweli and another famous rapper, Mos Def.

Reflection Eternal

Hi-Tek and Talib Kweli enjoyed working together so much that they formed their own group called Reflection Eternal. Hi-Tek made the beats, and Kweli performed the raps.

In 2000, they released their first album, Train of Thought. It was a big success and had popular songs like "The Blast" and "Move Somethin'" that were played on the radio. The group released their second album, Revolutions Per Minute, in 2010.

Solo Albums and Producing for Stars

Besides his work with groups, Hi-Tek is also a successful solo artist. In 2001, he released his first solo album, Hi-Teknology. It featured many famous guest artists like Mos Def, Talib Kweli, and Common. The song "Round and Round" from this album became a minor hit.

Hi-Tek is known for his amazing production skills. He became a staff producer for Aftermath Entertainment, a record label founded by the famous producer Dr. Dre. This role allowed him to create music for some of the biggest names in hip hop.

He released two more solo albums, Hi-Teknology 2 in 2006 and Hi-Teknology 3: Underground in 2007. In 2015, he joined The Soul Council, a team of producers for the record label It's a Wonderful World Music Group.

Major Albums

Hi-Tek has released several successful albums, both as a solo artist and with his group Reflection Eternal.

• Train of Thought (with Talib Kweli as Reflection Eternal)
  • Released: 2000
  • This was their first album together and is considered a hip hop classic.

• Hi-Teknology
  • Released: 2001
  • This was his first album as a solo artist and featured many guest rappers.

• Hi-Teknology²: The Chip
  • Released: 2006
  • His second solo album, which continued to show off his unique production style.

• Hi-Teknology 3
  • Released: 2007
  • The third album in his Hi-Teknology series.

• Revolutions Per Minute (with Talib Kweli as Reflection Eternal)
  • Released: 2010
  • The second album from the popular duo, released ten years after their first one.

Working with Famous Artists

As a producer, Hi-Tek has created the beats and background music for songs by many famous artists. Here are just a few of the people he has worked with:

• 50 Cent
• Anderson .Paak
• Busta Rhymes
• Common
• D12
• The Game
• G-Unit
• J Dilla
• Lloyd Banks
• Snoop Dogg
• Xzibit
• Young Buck