I first came across Immortal Technique when Blake downloaded some tracks after hearing him played by an Atlanta DJ who noted that it was an "FCC no-no" and he wouldn't be able to play it again. Lyrics like this might have a little something to do with it:
I could quote the whole CD really, but it's way better heard than read. Check out Revolutionary Vol. 2 samples on the Viper Records site (which is where I bought the CD cause I couldn't find it even in off the beaten track record stores). I highly recommend "Peruvian Cocaine" and "Freedom of Speech" for a good sample of IT's killer lyrics and sound, and "Homeland and Hip Hop", a track written and voiced by Mumia Abu-Jamal just for the album.
For an outstanding article that covers much political ground, see Allhiphop.com's three-part feature Immortal Technique: Undying Method: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3. Here's a review from a Maoist site with some solid criticisms of the album, particularly wrt homophobic language (there's not much of it, but what's there makes me cringe). Here's an interview which answers one of my main questions; ie, how the hell does he get away with cover art like this without the Secret Service breaking down his door?
A guy in a suit who looks a lot like IT stands holding an uzi on the back of the CD.
Last edited by livius drusus; 08-11-2004 at 02:05 AM.
Reason: to give credit where credit is due
IT is pretty interesting, but I personally prefer his story telling tracks to his political ones. That said..
Quote:
Check to check, constant struggle to make the payments
Working your whole life wondering where the day went
The subway stays packed like a multicultural slave ship
It's rush hour, 2:30 to 8, non stoppin'
And people coming home after corporate share croppin'
is excellent. His best song, IMO, is "You Never Know." And if you haven't heard Revolutionary Vol. 1 yet, wait till you give "Dance with the Devil" a listen. Holy cripes. I'd post lyrics, but you really have to hear it over the beat for the full effect.
And yes, as with many other rappers, homophic language/lyrics is existent... it's really the one thing I dislike most about rap in general, and especially when it's with otherwise good lyricists like IT.
__________________
We have art to save ourselves from the truth. - Nietzsche
Headline: Bush steals the presidency
He needs the backing of the media what could the remedy be?
The country's headed for recession reminiscent of the Great Depression
Are lives worth a world of power? Easy question
Planes hit the towers and the Pentagon
Killing those the government wasn't dependent on
It's easy to control the scared so they keep us in fear
With their favorite Middle Eastern demon named Bin Laden this year
Bush disguises blood lust as patriotism
Convincing the living to love "Operation Let's Get 'Em"
But when he realized we don't support their attacks
They needed something to distract, hmm, anthrax
This further demonizes Afghanis
So Americans cheer while we kill their innocent families
And what better place to start a war
To build a pipeline to get the oil that they had wanted before
America supported the Taliban
To get Russia out of Afghanistan
That's how they got the arms in
They're in a war against the Northern Alliance
And we can't build a pipeline in hostile environments
Here's what your history books won't show:
You're a dead man for fucking with American dough
They killed several birds with one stone
While you're at home with anti-terrorism up in your dome
But my eyes are wide open and my TV is off
Great, 'cause I save on my electricity cost
And you can wave that piece of shit flag if you dare
But they killed us because we've been killing them for years
Immortal Technique: Hardcore Political Rap
Linear Mode
