Pet peeve: fake folks masquerading as other than what/who they are. I'll take a neo-nazi sympathizer over a gutless, parasitical poseur any day. At least the former, although deluded by an anachronistic/revisionist ethos, has the conviction to stand firm on his/her belief whether you like it or not. The latter stands for nothing--an army of one.
In the sphere of entertainment, it's rare to find those brave, uncompromising souls who take a back-seat to no one or hang their principles out to dry. In the sphere of Hip Hop music, I see a few shining lights beyond the swamp-land of mediocrity and opportunism: Talib Kweli, Mos Def, KRS-One, Common, Ursula Rucker, The Roots, Dead Prez, De La Soul, Little Brother, Outkast, Cee-Lo, Nas, Jay-Z and 2PAC (in their finer moments), Shihan, Master Ace, Wyclef, Chuck D, Kanye and Guru ( there are a few others that don't come to mind right now) lead the way. One artist who is destined to become a member of this elite group of soul rebels is the prophetic Immortal Technique.
Ever since 2PAC emerged on the scene and shook foundation with the seminal "2Pacalypse Now", I have not heard a rapper spit volcanic lava like this. Yes, there is a plethora of fire breathing lyricists out there who can throw it down and get you all twisted ( LL Cool J, 50, Twista, Ghostface, Meth, RZA - damn! the whole Wu Tang Clan!), but after the beat wears thin, it's over as the content seems so banal and forgettable (after ridin' on pimped-out 24's high and blown/wettin' niggas up (i.e glorifying death by killing their own kind) /trampling on women aka bitches, tricks and hoes/partyin' and talking shit to escape the grim realities of hood life--Is there anything much worth remembering?) Immortal Technique engages like a modern day Socrates. He challenges the dominant structures, institutions and (dead-) mind-sets of the body politic against a backdrop of head-bobbing beats that insinuate themselves into your mental landscape razin' the m*f* to the ground!
In the sphere of entertainment, it's rare to find those brave, uncompromising souls who take a back-seat to no one or hang their principles out to dry. In the sphere of Hip Hop music, I see a few shining lights beyond the swamp-land of mediocrity and opportunism: Talib Kweli, Mos Def, KRS-One, Common, Ursula Rucker, The Roots, Dead Prez, De La Soul, Little Brother, Outkast, Cee-Lo, Nas, Jay-Z and 2PAC (in their finer moments), Shihan, Master Ace, Wyclef, Chuck D, Kanye and Guru ( there are a few others that don't come to mind right now) lead the way. One artist who is destined to become a member of this elite group of soul rebels is the prophetic Immortal Technique.
Ever since 2PAC emerged on the scene and shook foundation with the seminal "2Pacalypse Now", I have not heard a rapper spit volcanic lava like this. Yes, there is a plethora of fire breathing lyricists out there who can throw it down and get you all twisted ( LL Cool J, 50, Twista, Ghostface, Meth, RZA - damn! the whole Wu Tang Clan!), but after the beat wears thin, it's over as the content seems so banal and forgettable (after ridin' on pimped-out 24's high and blown/wettin' niggas up (i.e glorifying death by killing their own kind) /trampling on women aka bitches, tricks and hoes/partyin' and talking shit to escape the grim realities of hood life--Is there anything much worth remembering?) Immortal Technique engages like a modern day Socrates. He challenges the dominant structures, institutions and (dead-) mind-sets of the body politic against a backdrop of head-bobbing beats that insinuate themselves into your mental landscape razin' the m*f* to the ground!
Critique if you will ( I recommend it), but this brother has a perspective worthy of serious contemplation. Take these lines from his "Poverty of Philosophy" for example:
"Nigga talk about change and working within the system to achieve that. The problem with always being a conformist is that when you try to change the system from within, it's not you who changes the system; it's the system that will eventually change you. There is usually nothing wrong with compromise in a situation, but compromising yourself in a situation is another story completely....."
Fire.
Plenty of fools need a double-dose of this verbal penicillin to heal their syphilitic idiocy.
Check out a few of Immortal Technique's verses in this hip hop compilation..
Stay true.
::::MixMasterE::::
