Watching MTV today, makes it seem that capitalistic materialism has taken over music. From bands like N'SYNC, created primarily to make money rather than music, to Hip-Hop artists who blatantly advertise products in their songs, socially conscious musicians seem to be few and far between. However, a deep look into the underground of music reveals a different kind of artist. Immortal Technique is one of those.
An unsigned rapper, Immortal Technique's independently produced Revolutionary Vol. 1 album has already sold several thousand copies. The reason for its success can be found by listening and discovering the artist's unique talent.
Immortal Technique style is that of a hardcore underground rapper. His flow is superior to many other unsigned MCs. The beats on the album are excellent and they come together to form a superb album. His rhymes take no prisoners as he raps about his skills and the revolutionaries whom he respects, while bashing a system he despises.
The sixteen tracks on his album are a mixture of urban poetry, militant anthems, melodies, and political essays over beats. Immortal Technique takes these different tracks to put forth music of a people oppressed. Songs like "Creation & Destruction," "Dominant Species," and "Top of the Food Chain (Remix)" featuring Poison Pen show his skills as an MC regardless of politics by his creative use of analogies and metaphors. Political minded tracks like "Revolutionary," "The Prophecy," and "Speak Your Mind" send a clear message about the evils of capitalism. Almost as important as the songs are several tracks where Immortal Technique explains some of his philosophies on life. In "Poverty of Philosophy" (after Marx's well-known work) takes issue with the importance of viewing class before race. However, the most powerful song on the album is "Dance with the Devil." This is a 7 minute reflection on the choices one youth makes to become a criminal to win respect, while only gaining him a fate worse than death. The brilliance of this song is that you don't see the end coming, which I won't reveal, till it hits you in the heart.
Revolutionary Vol.1 is an excellent work of politics and urban music. What is so great about this album is its balance. Immortal is able to bring an album that is 100% political, without boring the listener.
When asked what got him into doing socially conscious rap, he explained that most of his original songs and freestyles had nothing to do with politics. He came to a point where he asked himself "why is nobody talking bout the truth?" Slowly revolutionary politics began to creep in, but are not the "be all, end all" in many of his songs. Immortal makes reference to Che Guevara, Malcolm X, and many other comrades as he reminds us of our movement's past. What makes this album special is he speaks of a revolutionary solution, socialism, for today while remembering the past.
While other artists sing about the Ghetto and lament about their conditions, Immortal Technique takes it a step farther. His songs poetically break down an excellent analysis of the cause of bad conditions both here and abroad, and why they don't need to exist, and how to fix them.
It is important to support artist such as Immortal Technique during the onslaught against progressive forces by the federal government. Hip Hop is suffering as well. Immortal Technique pointed out in an interview that many shows are being shut down at the last minute due to fears from promoters of a conservative backlash. The music can not be shut off everywhere, but support is key to its survival. Immortal said "they can kill as many prophets, they kill as many revolutionaries as they can, but they can never kill the spirit or the idea." Let's make sure they don't.
Jack is a writer for Permanent Adversarial Culture, and a College Student.
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Dynamic Magazine
