UPDATE: Parental Advisory
I have been receiving emails from a number of people announcing that Tech’s NEW ALBUM, titled 3rd World - his first in five years - will be dropping on June 24th. I know I (and Joolz/Suzy/Bobby) will be the first ones purchasing it!
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For those easily offended by foul language, please disregard this entire post. I am sure I will post more later; you can read those. FORGET THIS ONE. You’ve been warned….
I am a HUGE FAN of Immortal Technique. At a concert a few years ago, I was the only Sikh there, but he even acknowledged me in that small crowd. For those that don’t know about him, here is a bit of his wikipedia biography.
Felipe Coronel (born February 19, 1978), better known as Immortal Technique, is a Hip hop MC and political activist. He is of Afro-Peruvian and indigenous descent and was raised in Harlem, New York. Most of his lyrics focus on quasi-political issues. The views expressed in his lyrics are largely a mixture of commentary on issues such as poverty, religion, and racism. He also focuses on the harsh resulting realities of crime in the housing projects of New York City’s slums. [link]
In the summer of 2001, the bakwas sounds of Missy Eliot’s “Get Your Freak On” or Jay-Z’s “Izzo (H.O.V.A.)” filled the airwaves. In between that nonsense, I remember sitting in my friend’s car when the spoken word of Immortal Technique came pounding out of those Alpine Speakers. That first track was called “The Poverty of Philosophy.”
“The Poverty of Philosophy” refers to one of Karl Marx’s most famous treatises. Marx wrote this as a response and invoking a wordplay on a previous essay called “The Philosophy of Poverty.” While Marx’s treatise is more famous, it is weak in comparison to the passion of Immortal Technique. While yesterday, I mentioned that Stewart was speaking truth to power, Stewart hardly compares to Immortal Technique. Immortal Technique is the epitome of speaking truth to power. Here are some of my favorites here, here, here, and here.
Yesterday, a friend sent this clip of Tech free-styling at a recent concert. A surprising mention comes in at about 38 seconds.
For those brave enough to get through this post, thoughts?
12 Responses to “UPDATE: Parental Advisory”
By Joolz on May 14, 2008 at 5:48 am | Quote
Video is not working, what does he say?
By Joolz on May 14, 2008 at 6:02 am | Quote
OK, so the video is working now, and he says ‘Like Sikh Niggers stabbing Indira Gandhi’
So Jodha, all I can say is you are easily delighted. Amongst a foul mouthed, incoherent rant of rage, he makes a reference to Sikhs, big deal.
By Joolz on May 14, 2008 at 6:07 am | Quote
Is that what you call it? Passion?
I could swear alot, make references to violence and so on and so on, would that make me ‘full of passion’?
Is he?
Why?
Because he swears a lot and uses violent and unfocussed generalising rhetoric?
By kprincess on May 14, 2008 at 7:44 am | Quote
it does have a lot of cuss words, but it still touches on a lot of political issues. more issues than most rappers/singers will discuss in all of their songs combined.
joolz, this is just a clip. maybe you should listen to his other songs, the man does carry a point (whether you agree w/ him or not) even through all the cuss words.
By Joolz on May 14, 2008 at 11:06 am | Quote
Yeah his message is one of rage and unfocussed accusation. I can understand how that appeals to people who can’t articulate themselves, or who subscribe to victimhood ideology, or even cleave to some of the more denial grounded paranoid conspiracies. But I think we should criticise even those who claim to ’speak truth to power’ and hold their words to account.
Anyone who comes out with a phrase about ‘Sikh Niggers’ and glorifies violence or peddles conspiracy theories about 9/11 needs to have some truth spoken to their power. Some people are too easily impressed.
By Jodha on May 14, 2008 at 1:34 pm | Quote
Joolz: You may be right. I am easily amused. I may even be ‘too easily impressed.’ However, I do not expect a person that does not listen to this genre of music to be able to appreciate Immortal Technique. If you cannot get over the language, then of course why even bother with it. If this 1 minute clip is your first introduction, then I suggest either listen to his other tracks or as I stated in the beginning, ignore this post.
You may believe that he is full of ‘rage and unfocussed accusation,’ but who are you to belittle him? You do not come from his community nor understand his perspectives. You are separated by race, class, and maybe even gender. Not that these boundaries that separate you and him cannot be bridged, but you can choose not to embrace him as well. Regardless, he speaks to MANY people. He does speak to me.
His activism speaks to his passion. He was the rallying party for the foundation of a non-profit organization:
By Nicole on May 14, 2008 at 6:23 pm | Quote
Joolz -
I understand that some may never be able to get passed the language used by Immortal Technique, but you’re just doing yourself a disservice. I completely disagree with your “incoherent rant of rage” comment; he is a musician not a historian, so he does not have to explain the entire history behind his lyrics. Also, if you do take some time to read up on South American politics and history, those lyrics will become coherent for you. You may even begin to see the parallels many groups within South America have with Sikhs in India regarding political oppression and violence, and nationalism.
By Nicole on May 14, 2008 at 6:28 pm | Quote
Joolz-
I’m sorry I forgot to say that when I am talking about his lyrics, I’m not referring to just the clip posted. I am talking about the other clips that are linked and his music in general.
By Phulkari on May 15, 2008 at 9:37 am | Quote
Here is another powerful Immortal Technique song (a personal favorite) that I’ll call “emotionally conscious”
because it looks at the huge impact of a larger social issue on a human relationship – two people falling in love (please listen to the song all the way through for the full effect).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pqiqrnZE44 (Please be warned there are direct references to sexuality and cursing, but it’s relatively less than some of his other stuff).
Joolz,
Cursing, for some (despite it being appropriate or not), represents expression of deep anger/hurt that can’t be presented in “clean” or “polite” terms … it loses the effect. Immortal Technique is cursing in his music because he is angry. A legitimate and passionate emotion when you see the human element of social injustices impacting people who look like you, think like you, and feel like you; there is nothing “clean” or “polite” about it. In addition, the beauty of music is being a space where you can creatively express your emotions about experiences/issues without having to “sanitize” them as you would for a policy report.
By Joolz on May 15, 2008 at 7:32 pm | Quote
“Sikh Niggers killing bitches” speaks to you?
Actually its the borderline lunatic conspiracy theories, the hatred, the rabble rousing rhetoric, and the concomitant self righteousness that fails to impress me about Immortal Technique. Race / Class / Gender is the ace card to pull on anyone who prefers thinking to wild random spitting and rage.
I understand some people feel angry and are impressed by the articulation of incoherence, and this is how demagogues rise.
I have noticed the “parallels”, I also notice the differences.
By Jodha on May 18, 2008 at 10:59 pm | Quote
Yes, Joolz, he does speak to me.
Take a single snippet and I am sure I can distort anyone’s viewpoints and beliefs. I am sure I can do the same with your comments as well.
I guess we’ll have to agree to disagree. I will purchase his album and you can call him an incoherent ‘demagogue’. (Do people really apply that word to those not attempting public office? Was John Lennon a demagogue?)