Hi-Tek

For other uses, see Hi-Tek (disambiguation).

Tony Louis Cottrell (born May 5, 1976),^[2] better known as Hi-Tek, is an American rapper and music producer from Cincinnati, Ohio. He is best known for his work with Talib Kweli. His father is singer Willie Cottrell of the Willie Cottrell Band, whom Hi-Tek featured on his second album, Hi-Teknology 2.

Hi-Tek
Birth name	Tony Louis Cottrell[1]
Also known as	Tekzilla
Born	(1976-05-05) May 5, 1976 (age 48) Cincinnati, Ohio, U.S.
Genres	Hip hop
Occupations	Rapper producer
Years active	1996–present
Labels	Hi-Tek Productions, Inc. Rawkus Babygrande Aftermath
Member of	Reflection Eternal

Career

1996–2000

Hi-Tek grew up in the West End, Cincinnati. He started his career with hip hop group Mood and had a regional hit with "Hustle on the Side". That song was made for Mood's album Doom, which featured amongst others Brooklyn MC Talib Kweli. Hi-Tek went on to produce most of Talib Kweli and Mos Def's Black Star (1998). In 2000, Tek and Kweli (under the name Reflection Eternal) released Train of Thought (2000) on Rawkus Records, with raps by Kweli and beats by Hi-Tek. It enjoyed moderate crossover radio success with the singles "The Blast" and "Move Somethin'". Reflection Eternal released a follow-up album titled Revolutions Per Minute on May 18, 2010.

2001–present

After signing to Rawkus Records, Hi-Tek produced for a number of the labels projects, including the popular Soundbombing series; a three-record compilation of mostly Rawkus-based artists. In 2001, he released his solo album Hi-Teknology on Rawkus. The album featured appearances by Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Common, Vinia Mojica, Buckshot, and others, with all production handled by Hi-Tek. It received critical acclaim and spawned a minor hit, "Round and Round" with Cincinnati singer Jonell.

Hi-Tek is a staff producer for Aftermath Entertainment and its affiliates, as well as past associates such as Kweli and Mos Def. He has also recorded songs for Dion Jenkins, an R&B singer signed to Aftermath. Hi-Teknology 2 was released October 17, 2006, on Babygrande, and distributed by Koch Entertainment.^[3] The producer released the third installment, Hi-Teknology 3: Underground on December 11, 2007.

In November 2015, producer 9th Wonder announced Hi-Tek as the newest member of The Soul Council – the production staff of his record label It's a Wonderful World Music Group.^[4]

Discography

Albums

Album information
Train of Thought (by Reflection Eternal with Talib Kweli) Released: October 17, 2000 Billboard 200 chart position: #17 R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #5 Singles: "The Express"/"Some Kind of Wonderful", "Move Somethin'"/"Good Mourning" & "The Blast"/"Down for the Count"/"Train of Thought", "Down for the Count"
Hi-Teknology Released: May 8, 2001 Billboard 200 chart position: #66 R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #12 Singles: "Round & Round"/"All I Need Is You", "The Sun God"/"Get Back Pt. 2"
Hi-Teknology²: The Chip Released: October 17, 2006 Billboard 200 chart position: #38 R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: #8 U.S. Sales: 51,782[5] Singles: "Where It Started At (NY)"/"Can We Go Back"
Hi-Teknology 3 Released: December 11, 2007 Billboard 200 chart position: #48 R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: # Singles: "My Piano"
Revolutions Per Minute (by Reflection Eternal with Talib Kweli) Released: May 18, 2010 Billboard 200 chart position: #18 R&B/Hip-Hop chart position: TBA Singles: "Back Again", "In This World", "Strangers (Paranoid)"

Production

• 213 – "Twist Yo Body" (The Hard Way) <2004>
• 50 Cent – "Best Friend" (Get Rich Or Die Tryin' soundtrack) <2005>
• ~~~ – "Get in My Car"; "Ryder Music" (The Massacre) <2005>
• Anderson .Paak – "Come Down" (Malibu) <2016>^[6]
• Beanie Sigel – "Get That Dough" (Lyricist Lounge 2) <2000>
• Big L - "Still Here" (Lyricist Lounge 2) <2000>
• Bishop Lamont – "Friends" <2009>
• Bizarre [featuring Obie Trice] – "Doctor Doctor" (Hannicap Circus) <2005>
• Bizarre [featuring Eminem] – "Hip Hop" (Hannicap Circus) <2005>
• Bizarre – "I'm in Luv Witchu" (HanniCap Circus) <2005>
• Blackalicious – "It's Going Down" (Blazing Arrow) <2002>
• Black Star – 6 tracks from Black Star
• Boot Camp Clik – "Ice Skate" (The Chosen Few) <2002>
• Brixx [featuring Talib Kweli] - "Halfway" (Everything Happens for a Reason) <1999>
• Busta Rhymes [featuring Rick Ross] - "Master Fard Muhammad" (Extinction Level Event 2: The Wrath of God) <2020>
• Canibus - "Last Laugh" <2001>
• Cassidy [featuring Bone Thugs-N-Harmony & Eve] – "Cash Rulez" <2007>
• Cocoa Brovaz – "Get Up" (Lyricist Lounge 2) <2000>
• Common [featuring Sadat X] – "1-9-9-9" (Soundbombing II) <1999>
• Cormega – "Take These Jewels" (The True Meaning) <2002>
• D12 – "Just Like You" (D12 World) <2004>
• Dead Prez [featuring Talib Kweli] – (Lyricist Lounge 2) "Sharp Shooters" <2000>
• Dizzee Rascal - "Good" (The Fifth) <2013>
• Donte – "Heat 4 the Streets" <2003>
• The Game – "Runnin'" (The Documentary) <2005>
• ~~~ - "Ol English" (Doctor's Advocate) <2006>
• ~~~ - "Letter to the King" (L.A.X) <2008>
• G-Unit – "G Unit"; "Eye for an Eye" (Beg for Mercy) <2003>
• Ghostface Killah – "Josephine" (More Fish) <2006>
• Grand Agent - "It's Only Right {Rap Niggaz 2}" (By Design) <2001>
• Gym Class Heroes – "New Friend Request {Hi-Tek Remix}" (Snakes On A Plane: The Album) <2006>
• Hodgy – "Glory" (Fireplace: TheNotTheOtherSide) <2016>
• J Dilla – "The Creep (The O)"; "Gangsta Boogie" (The Diary) <2016>
• Jonell – "Round & Round {Remix}" (How High (soundtrack)) <2001>
• Kurious [featuring Dave Dar & Co Campbell] – "Brand New Day" (II) <2009>
• Lady Laistee - "Authentique"; "For the Ladies" (Black Mama) <1999>
• Little Brother [featuring Dion] – "Step it Up" (Getback) <2007>
• Lloyd Banks [featuring Snoop Dogg, 50 Cent] – "I Get High" (The Hunger for More) <2004>
• M-Dot – "Days Are All the Same" (Ego and the Enemy) <2017>
• Mary J. Blige - "Beautiful {Black Star Remix}" <1999>
• Mood – half of Doom <1997>; "Snakebacks (Karma Pt. 2)" <1997>
• Morcheeba [featuring Reflection Eternal] – "Let Me See {Remix}" <1998>
• Mos Def – "Next Universe" (Soundbombing II) <1999>
• Phife Dawg – "Flawless"; "Alphabet Soup"; "D.R.U.G.S."; "Beats, Rhymes & Phife" (Ventilation: Da LP) <2000>
• Piakhan - "Spheres" <2000>
• Reflection Eternal - "On Mission" (Soundbombing II) <1999>
• ~~~ - "The Manifesto" (Lyricist Lounge, Volume One) <1998>
• ~~~ [featuring Mr. Man & Mos Def] - "Fortified Live" (Soundbombing) <1997>
• ~~~ [featuring Bahamadia - "Chaos" (Soundbombing II) <1999>
• Reks - "The Wonder Years" (Rhythmatic Eternal King Supreme) <2011>
• ~~~ [featuring Freeway] - "U Know" (Rheumatic Eternal King Supreme) <2011>
• Royal Flush - "Shines" (Ghetto Millionaire) <1997>
• Russ [featuring The Game] - "Nothin' New" (Chomp 2) <2021>
• Shabaam Sahdeeq - "Eat This Year" <2001>
• Shaunta - "Good Lovin'" (The Wash (soundtrack)) <2001>
• Slum Village - "Slumber" (Trinity (Past, Present and Future)) <2002>
• ~~~ – "The Set Up" (Villa Manifesto) <2010>
• Snoop Dogg – "I Believe in You"; "I Miss That Bitch" (Paid tha Cost to Be da Boss) <2002>
• ~~~ – "No Thang on Me" {R&G (Rhythm & Gangsta): The Masterpiece) <2004>
• ~~~ [featuring Soopafly, RBX, Mr. Kane] - "Doh Doh"; "Doin' It Bigg"; "Light That Shit Up" (Doggy Style Allstars: Welcome to tha House, Vol. 1) <2002>
• ~~~ - "Gun Smoke" (BODR) <2022>
• Soulive [featuring Reflection Eternal] – "Bridge to Bama {Remix}" <2001>
• Styles P [featuring Ray J] – "Let's Go" (Super Gangster, Extraordinary Gentleman) <2007>
• Styles P [featuring Reflection Eternal] – "Testify" (Time Is Money) <2006>
• Syleena Johnson [featuring Mos Def] – "Hit on Me {Remix}" <2001>
• ~~~ - "The Voice/Intro"; "Outro" (Chapter 2: The Voice) <2002>
• Talib Kweli – "Back Up Offa Me"; "Work It Out"; "Beautiful Struggle" (The Beautiful Struggle) <2004>
• ~~~ - "More or Less"; "The Perfect Beat" (Eardrum) <2007>
• Tara Thomas - "When You're in Love {Remix}" <1997>
• Termanology – "In the Streets" (Politics as Usual) <2008>
• ~~~ [featuring Bun B, Bodega Bamz and Masspike Miles] – ""Where's the Love?" (More Politics) <2016>
• Tha Eastsidaz - "Cool"; "Eastside Ridaz" (Duces 'n Trayz: The Old Fashioned Way) <2001>
• Truth Hurts [featuring Dr. Dre] – "Hollywood" (Truthfully Speaking) <2002>
• Xzibit – "Scent of a Woman" (Weapons of Mass Destruction) <2004>
• ~~~ [featuring Busta Rhymes] – "Tough Guy" (Weapons of Mass Destruction) <2004>
• Young Buck – "Don't Need No Help" (Get Rich or Die Tryin' soundtrack) <2005>
• ~~~ [featuring Snoop Dogg, Trick Daddy] – "I Ain't Fuckin' wit You" (Buck the World) <2007>
• 9th Wonder and Talib Kweli [featuring Rapsody] – "Every Ghetto" (Indie 500) <2015>

References

1. "GOD'S PLAN". ASCAP. American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers. Retrieved May 3, 2023.
2. Martin, April L. (October 23, 2003). "Cover Story: Teknology Eternal". citybeat.com. City Beat. Retrieved November 4, 2018.
3. "Exclusive Hip Hop News, Audio, Lyrics, Videos, Honeys, Wear, Sneakers, Download Mixtapes". Hiphopgame.com. July 19, 2006. Archived from the original on April 12, 2009. Retrieved March 30, 2012.
4. Hernandez, Victoria (November 10, 2015). "Hi-Tek Joins The Soul Council". hiphopdx.com. Cheri Media. Retrieved November 15, 2015.
5. "indiehq.com". indiehq.com. Archived from the original on March 22, 2007. Retrieved December 17, 2007.
6. Archived at Ghostarchive and the Wayback Machine: "Anderson .Paak & The Free Nationals: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert". YouTube. NPR Music. August 22, 2016. Anderson .Paak: "DJ Hi-Tek did that bit"