Fire Starter: Stevie Stone

Some things were just meant to be. In the case of St. Louis, Missouri, rapper [artist id="3210413"]Stevie Stone[/artist], signing with [artist id="1205002"]Tech N9ne[/artist]'s Strange Music label was well in the works before the up-and-coming rapper signed his name on the dotted line.

After opening for Tech with a 10-minute set in a Fulton, Missouri, show as a high school student in 2000, Stone knew that he wanted to pursue music full-time.

"That 10 minutes gave me the bug," [article id="1665367"]Stevie told Mixtape Daily[/article] at a recent Independence, Missouri, album signing event for Tech's All 6's and 7's.

Through the years the young MC kept in close contact, doing shows with Tech even though he signed his initial deal with Ruthless Records, the label co-founded by the late Eazy-E. In 2009 Stone dropped his debut album, New Kid Comin. Tech appeared on the LP on a song called "Midwest Explosion."

"A lot of his fans -- Technicians, Juggalos -- all of them adapted to it," Stone said of the song. "My name started buzzing around here, especially in the Midwest on the underground scene."

Though he and Tech had formed a bond, Stevie was contractually obligated to Ruthless and couldn't sign to Strange. Still, he joined Tecca Nina on his K.O.D. tour in 2009, his Ruthless contract expired the next year and he ended up officially signing with Strange in March. Stone is currently on Tech's 82-city All 6's and 7's tour as an opening act. In between shows, the new addition is prepping his Strange Music debut, Rolling Stone, for an early 2012 release.

"It was a move that was in my heart. I knew it was the move to make, and I guess they felt the same way. And when the time presented itself, we inked," said Stevie, holding up his Strange Music chain with pride.

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