Album Reviews

Immortal Technique | 3rd World

By Nirav ⋅ July 1, 2008 ⋅  Email This Post ⋅  Print This Post ⋅ Post a comment

Is it possible for music to scare you? I’m not talking about Marilyn Manson freaky scary nor am I talking about heavy screaming that makes you think “is this much pain in a human even possible?” I’m more talking about lyrics that are so truthful and delivery that is so right in your face, that you literally have 5 sec to decide if you want to take the blue pill or red pill from Morpheus. When I listened to Immortal Technique for the first time, that’s exactly how I felt.

Immortal Technique can be best described as a hardcore underground hip-hop emcee with raw style; he uses simple beats and his lyrics can be downright caustic at times, but mostly everything he does has a message. [thx, Schiavoni] And that message is so engrossing, you can’t help but listen to more of what he has to say. Last week, he dropped his 3rd full album entitled The 3rd World (2008).

I’d rather be proud of what I am, rather than desperately
try to be something I’m really not, just to fit in. And
whether we want to accept it or not, that’s what this
culture or lack of culture is feeding us.

The problem with always being a conformists will always
be 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.

- The Poverty of Philosophy

Immortal Technique, formerly Felipe Coronel, was born in a military hospital amidst a civil war that was breaking out in his native country of Peru. His family and him moved to Harlem during that time where he grew up and also became incarcerated for a few years. Learning the talents of rhyming and flow in his spare time, Immortal Technique began to rap at emcee battles after he got out. And he practically won every battle out there. The ones he lost, he probably should have won too. He was amazing and he could knock anyone out on the mic. I would put him at the top with Talib Kweli and Papoose - he could flow forever and it always stayed on the conscious tip (not the stupid 8 Mile shyt). With the money he earned from odd end jobs and his earnings from battles, he put together his first album entitled Revolutionary Vol. 1 (2001). Since then, he’s become a widespread artists touring the entire U.S. and making his way off seas for events.

What I truly appreciate about Immortal Technique is his brutal honesty and his choice of words. There are not many artists who would go out on a track and officially call The Media, the 4th Branch of the U.S. government. Or talk about how his only true love passed away to HIV from a blood transfusion in You Never Know (ft. Jean Grae). Or get someone as powerful and purposeful as Mumia Abu Jamal to make an intro for his second album.

The 3rd World carries along the same path as his original two albums - great lyrics, in your face lyrics, political + revolutionary, and each song has a message. Only two things I would point out which are very different are the production style and the collaboration with R&B/Soul stars. Because this album was made with legendary DJ Green Lantern, there is more emphasis on the beats, scratching, small echoes, and sound effects. Then in addition, there are a few tracks which have very soulful + still lyrical hooks. My favorite tracks from this album are Crimes Of The Heart, Reverse Pimpology, and Harlem Renaissance.

Tags: hip hop, lyricists