Oxford has it’s fair share of buskers and street performers. But sometimes, something will catch your eye, your ear or maybe even your nose and you will stop and watch. This is what happened when I first heard Mr. Woodnote and little Rhys, a hip-hop group perform a few years ago. Now they seem to be coming back every summer.
Forgive my thumb being in the way, that was terrible of me!
What was so special about them? Well they produced their beats right there and then in front of you. The thing you see on the ground is a pedal system that allows you to loop sounds that you record into a microphone. One of the performers will play a bit of saxophone and loop that. Then he will beat box to add the drums, and loop that over it. All of it, there and then, it is produced in front of you which I think is quite awesome.
Another nice thing to see is that it is being performed in the street. We have a lot of people playing guitar, singing as duos (there were two different duos that day and another young man playing his guitar) but I rarely see someone rap in public. What is better is to see older and mature people bopping their heads to it and enjoying themselves!
It really is things like this that make me want to get back into lyricism…
P.S. I would have had a word for them, but they were working hard on performing and then trying to sell their CDs in between.
So I found a new UK hip-hop group to listen to, one friend recommended them a long time ago but I have not really checked them out properly until now.
Asides from purely appreciating the lyricism and effort an artist or artists put into a track, one can also pick up on techniques that have been used. In the case of Melanin 9′s (Or M9′s) work, the track Spiritual Scrolls (video below):
Now for those who read a lot, you most likely came across a passage written by an author which is made up of short and abrupt sentences. If each sentence is descriptive then it will produce the effect of time moving fast or of a collage of images inside your head which relate to one theme.
This track features something similar. If you go to 35 seconds in, these lyrics follow: Gods locked in the morgues
Glocks to your jaws
Coppers watching from their choppersSitting in the cockpit door
The clock hits four when feds lick the locksmith’s door
The rest has after has been a little hard to catch (I am trying though). But these short lines describe a dark, dystopian reality of the underworld. To say “Gods locked in the morgues”, I think, is a poetic way of simply saying that morality is collapsing, a place where people do anything just to get what they want; selfish materialism that blinds the soul.
If I happen to write lyrics once again, then this is a technique that I will definitely consider using, but it remains to be seen whether I will be good enough.
I don’t know why I am writing this now, and if you know about Immortal Technique then you are probably a big fan, and if you are a big fan then you probably already know that he has a new album that is completely free to download, it is called the Martyr.
Asides from the usual mix of passion, anger and political activism within each song in the album, Technique also has a much more prominent element of self reflection, best exemplified by the song, Eyes in the sky:
The borders should be illegal instead of the people, that we’re here before the Bible and all of it’s sequels.
The flow in this song is quick, and if you are not used to hip hop that much yourself you may need to listen to this a few times to fully appreciate the lyrics. For me, from the second I heard it it made me think and it produced vivid images in my mind. From the tone of his voice, to the semi-melancholic nature of the beat and the flow, it was a very good composition. The obvious “eyes in the sky” reference to the Illuminati is something that I personally don’t believe in fully, for I am a sceptic to an extent. But I do respect his beliefs and what he has to say simply because he says what he means, and not because a big record label struck a deal with him.
Other notable songs that I enjoyed are (these are all youtube links):
Toast to the Dead - A powerful song about the nature of revolutionary struggle and the bloody nature of history.
Sign of the times - A spiritual song, utilising the the chants of native Americans (I think, anyway, corrections welcome) in the beginning and the middle of the song. All I can say is that this is song is full to the brim with metaphors and references to symbolism. One of my favourite is “they say you fight the greatest Jihad in your heart and your mind” and “this is a message to the older Gods, I’ll sacrifice you all to the revolution like the Romanovs”.
Running Nowhere - A skit (a beat without lyrics, usually thrown in the middle of the album) which will most likely be used by Immortal Technique later on. It is short for now and quite repetitive, but listen to the lyrics and you will find it thought provoking.
Rich man’s world - An insight into the world of corporatism and oligarchy and how it works, from the point of view of the Oligarch himself. The beginning shows a very quick flow style which goes well with the abruptness of the beat.
Check out the rest of the songs, it is definitely worth a listen. And if this is the first time you hear of this artist, then welcome to Immortal Technique!
Well it has been rumoured that Immortal Technique has a new album coming out called The Martyr (not surprised by the name choice). I thought he had something called the Middle Passage coming out instead, but whatever!
Anyway, one of his supposedly leaked songs is a toast to the dead which I fell in love with because it is just one of those pieces which doesn’t just impress with its lyrics but also his performance of it. But without further ado, here is the video followed by the lyrics and then my take on them: note: despite it being “leaked” (maybe he did it on purpose, he did it before) I would like to really encourage you to buy his music and support him if you have the money that is. If not, then at least contemplate on what he has to say. This music is not just to sell, but its a message.
[Chorus] Rest in Peace Here’s another warriors song, rep this life to the fullest Mothafucka, say yo’ prayers! For brothers who died from black-on-black violence Rest in Peace You ain’t payin’ respect when you’ ‘spose to Rep this life to the fullest Rest in Peace This ain’t for y’all, this’ a toast to them Rest in Peace
[Immortal Technique - Verse 1] Here’s a toast to the dead If you don’t drink, smoke to the head For the freedom fighters killed by the feds For those who died hard in the streets soaking in red And died slow asleep in a dream choking in bed Here’s a toast to the dead for my enemies that are gone I’m not a coward so, celebrating that would be wrong I pray to God that your soul will come back again So I can see you in the next life and finish it then A toast to the dead for criminals, burning in hell I wonder how many presidents are burning as well Emperors, Popes, Senators, Generals Amputees feelin’ unlucky until they see the vegetables A toast to the dead for those who are forgotten Written out of the history by the corrupted and rotten Black saints whitewashed during La Reconquista Thousands of Indios Spaniards used to conquer the Incas F-ck a moment of silence! I need a moment of violence! Like the nineteenth century Caribbean Islands Long live those who came before, that paved the way for me The warriors and scientists that came before slavery And if that last lyric was predictable Take your clairvoyance and apply it to your life in the physical Presumptuous half-hearted homunculus Self-destruction is the power without knowing what the function is
[Chorus]
[Immortal Technique - Verse 2] Here’s a toast to the dead, for all of my fam I will never let an idea die with a man My rhymes are like Nazca lines designed to give a view-of-this J.Dilla’s still alive as long as his music is A toast to the dead for rap legends and pioneers Your legacy won’t be forsaken as long as I am here Knowledge of the past and, wisdom of the present I’ll teach and leave in the hands of a worthy lieutenant A toast to the dead, for children with cancer and aids A cure exists and you probably, could have been saved Sad to see, medicine divorce morality Corporate homewreckers, pimpin’ up a salary A toast to the dead, for those that’ve died today The victims and those exonerated by DNA The only thing worse than giving freedom to the guilty Is killing the innocent, and leavin’ your soul filthy Immortal Technique, remember me when I’m gone I encrypted my lyrics to stay alive in a song So you’ll always keep a piece, of my spirit inside But some of you, won’t survive the changes the earth makes Swallowed by tsunamis, hurricanes and earthquakes And that’s just the first stage of ‘you-can-not-reverse-ways’ And realise that we are one, regardless of our birthplace
[Chorus]
First of all, I wish I knew where the lines in the chorus were sampled from, but I don’t, I may ask around to see if anyone knows.
“Here’s a toast to the dead If you don’t drink, smoke to the head” I don’t know if I am looking too deeply, but as soon as I heard that second line I got the impression that Immortal Technique is showing an awareness of Islam as a respectable religion (Muslims do not drink any alcohol as part of their practice), he has mentioned it a lot before in good light.
“Here’s a toast to the dead for my enemies that are gone I’m not a coward so, celebrating that would be wrong” This made me think about a recent event and that is the killing of former Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi. Despite many people openly celebrating his death, I felt uncomfortable in doing so. Now I am not saying that I am not a coward, but is not celebrating death bringing you down to a lower level? I believe that war, no matter how necessary it appears to be, is something to be mourned and not glorified.
“A toast to the dead for criminals, burning in hell I wonder how many presidents are burning as well Emperors, Popes, Senators, Generals Amputees feelin’ unlucky until they see the vegetables” Well, he won’t be Immortal Technique if he wasn’t controversial would he? The second line in this quoted part is said in a very powerful and defined way, really made me feel his anger. The amputees are most likely referring to those who are war veterans and the vegetables are of course others who just live off life support machines.
“A toast to the dead for those who are forgotten Written out of the history by the corrupted and rotten Black saints whitewashed during La Reconquista Thousands of Indio-Spaniards used to conquer the Incas” I admit that I am ignorant of what the La Reconquista, I am guessing its the reconquest of Moorish Spain by the Spaniards against the Islamic empire there, but that is part of what is so wonderful about this, it makes people want to find out, want to learn. The Indio-spaniards are the majority of the Latino-Americans today who were born as a result of the rape of many South American natives by the Spanish colonists. The Incas were just one native tribe to the region.
“And if that last lyric was predictable” He is aware of what he is writing, he is showing self reflection and he knows how much he seems to repeat himself, and that is vital to being a good artist.
“J.Dilla’s still alive as long as his music is” J.Dilla (who I think is the producer of this beat) passed away (R.I.P) and this line expresses the idea of what I call legacy-theory, that people live in through their legacies, be it their children or music or whatever work they leave behind (maybe even inventions!).
“The only thing worse than giving freedom to the guilty Is killing the innocent, and leavin’ your soul filthy” This reminded me of a study we did on Plato once, where he explained that the person who commits injustice should be mourned more so than the victim, for their soul has suffered irreparable damage. I loved the flow of this line, immaculate.
“A toast to the dead, for children with cancer and aids A cure exists and you probably, could have been saved” and
“When you struggle to complete what I started before I died” When I heard the first two lines I just thought that he was referring to his belief in the theory that there is a cure for AIDs that exists, but the medicine industry doesn’t want it released because they will stop making money from the drugs which just deal with the symptoms and that has a higher profit margin. Anyway, if you notice the second line it gives the impression that this is far in the future after he is dead, so maybe it was just a glimpse in the future or self reflection when he is on his deathbed.
“And realise that we are one, regardless of our birthplace” I am a huge fan of this kind of thinking, and it was an amazing way to end it all…
So this looks like one of the most awesome documentaries for hip-hop fans, and I found it on another blog and I thought that the least I could do was try and spread it as much as I could.
So I will drop it right here:
The description of the video reads: “Immortal Technique emerged from prison a changed man. As his inner journey continues he travels the world promoting a revolution of consciousness through hip-hop. His path from a troubled youth to a fearless revolutionary is an inspirational must-see.”
As well as that, this is the official documentary by Viper Records (owned by Tech himself I believe).
The concept of films about hip-hop is exciting, especially since I am bored of Eminem’s eight-mile or whatever it was, I want to see more sides to it, I want to see not just the performance but the lives behind these artists too. And speaking of such things, I think I will watch a movie called “Slam”, it was recommended by a friend who said that it is really inspiring, and that is something I feel like I need right now.
If you have read any of what I had written on here before, then you would have probably guessed that I was into hip-hop at least a little bit, well enough to write my own lyrics. However, I did go as far as to perform a couple of times, and it really really is harder than it looks.
One of my friends was supposed to be performing on that day since it was the “official” last day of school, but he had an exam so (surprisingly enough) he told the head of our sixth
form that I should be a suitable replacement.
So I seized the opportunity and agreed to it without much thought, and before I knew it I found myself on stage with another friend of mine who is a good beat producer and one hell of a beat boxer (yep he was supplying the beat
with his own vocal cords!):
I am the one in blue here, and the first thing I thought when I saw this picture of myself performing is probably the same thing you are thinking…what the hell am I doing with my right hand? What is that gesture? Family and friends have told me that I am a very gesturing person when I talk, I make a lot of actions and gestures that I am barely aware of, now I don’t know if that is good or bad, but I do know that it can be comical!
The first thing I performed was an a capella, which is a rhythm and poetry piece without any beat (similar to deaf poetry). Some did not really know that a thing existed and looked confused as I noticed, but they settled in. The piece was of quite a serious nature concerning war and suffering which made the atmosphere a whole lot more solemn, but I made sure to liven it up again!
When I got up there, and realized everyone will be staring at me and my friend I felt nervous (obviously), my heart basically would just not stop beating fast and I was a little shaky, and here is what was really hard to do:
1. Being animated – asides from those silly gestures I really had a hard time being animated and lively or moving about. I felt really stiff and was unsure of how to act, especially since the audience were not all very hip-hop orientated (there were teachers there after all!) and I didn’t know if I was good or not. I mean, imagine if I was shockingly bad, then I would not move a muscle and spare everyone in the same room some humiliation.
2. Speaking/rapping with confidence – You know what everyone says about hearing their own voice when recorded? They hate it! And I do too! But even worse is hearing it played back as you speak live so that kind of threw me off a little, nevertheless I carried on and went ahead with it. I also have a very deep voice and it was just pure weirdness hearing that voice rapping like that…
3. Breath control - There is a reason that I made this one bold, and that is because it is a big problem for me. We take breathing as a subconscious process for granted, but when you rap and try to keep in rhythm with the beat you have to consciously breathe at times just so you won’t sound like you are being strangled. But I find that as you get better with writing and practising, the rhythm will start to fit in with breathing pattern and remembering to breathe and rapping can be done simultaneously.
Reflecting on that strange day, I think my performance was really really bad despite what a lot of my friends say. It is just one of those things that you can’t believe went well, nevertheless it has made me more determined to practice and practice and take on performing once again!
Oh and if you want to know what I performed, it was this piece mainly which was also written by me.
A friend of mine pointed me towards this dude and asked me what I thought, and I thought “wow!”. So here is Illogic, an artist that I literally don’t know anything about save for this particular track he did called Celestial Clockwork which is also the name of the album. I loved his style the minute I listened to him and the fact he can speak fast and still be articulate is something that I envy.
Here is the video with the lyrics below, lets get down to looking at what he got to say!
I walked into a life of tainted dreams and gum ball machines Nestled between the window seat and the drain of the main stream Watching chaotic daylight stands thermal horizons table Mock the moon with liquidated stars lap from a ladle Looking glass has limited view when you’re trapped in a label Still borns turned action figures when they’re stacked in a cradle Thorough bred disorientated from running laps in a stable Loss of direction sparks the search for a map in the fable Leave me to hunt for scavengers with eye patches and peg legs Use planks to punish perpetrators so the seas will stay fed I told that snake in the grass to roll over and play dead When the seed of the righteous is planted in belly of hybrid companion They fled with torn a silver spoon and lips grasped Cherishing the John Hancock or some jock on your hips clasped Find your own only path this is my territory to tell a story Tailored in three pieces flag, oxygen and thesis I’m nursed by the bosom of a Columbus compass Since birth walking the line of life or rhyme to see which will die first It took me awhile to realise the fact that I’m cursed With the given gift of anointing so only the truth can be dispersed
It disappoints that conjoint twins are more individuals than most So I hunt the industry as a phantom until all my words become ghost Celestial clockwork is an elixir Simplifying an obscure picture So sip the defiled mixture Concocted by purity’s twisted sister
Now the trees are more beautiful on this side of the mountain Plush springs run in abundance I drink direct from the fountain But the dream was opaque the stream was perfectly clear That an acute disorder of paradise would exist if I die here So lay down your pitch forks and raise your pins to the clouds Till their struck twice by lightning sparking styles to move crowds Fish in the pond can’t understand the concept of dry land So they swim aimlessly unbeknown to the purpose of which I stand Don’t ask a question, if you don’t want the answer given Time is an illustrious liquor if the candle ceases to flicker Driven to a life of constant death no choice but one Children rise from the shine hide in the shade to evade the rays of the sun Glaciers become oceans and boulders become bevels Icons become gods and the birth of a spawn is the birth of a devil Individual once realised is the birth of a rebel When I’ve dug my own depth in your faith rest in a shovel The pedestal is crowed over bearing with trinkets a silver lined sink Which drown me in sounds of de-evolution and if it’s not your calling to be enlaced with the evolving of hip-hop Then stop is the inevitable solution
[sample] I’ll work harder. Amy (I’ll work harder), I promise I’ll be better Better isn’t good enough I don’t think you’ll ever be good enough You don’t have it I know it’s a hard thing to hear and it’s not a pleasant thing to say But it’s the truth and I’m saving you a lot of time and pain by saying it to you now I don’t want to be the best
“I walked into a life of tainted dreams and gum ball machines Nestled between the window seat and the drain of the main stream” The first couple of lines seem to be about his beginnings as a hiphop artist. And it seems to be described as one where you are immediately aware of the mainstream and the not so mainstream.
“Looking glass has limited view when you’re trapped in a label” Some people argue there is not as much freedom of art expression when you sign up to major record labels, and illogic is one of them as you can see it.
“Loss of direction sparks the search for a map in the fable” Not very sure about this one, maybe he is talking about how if you are lost in terms of fitting in you will try to find your way or find “a map” that tells you where you need to go. But that map is a fable, there is no place to be except yourself. But really, it could mean anything.
“Since birth walking the line of life or rhyme to see which will die first” Separating his life from his lyricism indicated that for him lyricism is something beyond his life or extremely detached from the rest of it. It as at these moments that I wonder; what do these artists do in their spare time? Where do they work? Do they have family?
“It disappoints that conjoint twins are more individuals than most So I hunt the industry as a phantom until all my words become ghost Celestial clockwork is an elixir Simplifying an obscure picture So sip the defiled mixture Concocted by purity’s twisted sister” The industry, I am guessing, is the music industry. Conjoint twins being more individual than most is a touch of irony that he adds, he does not mean it literally but uses it to say that we are not all that unique. For me it seems to paint a bleak picture of all of us being social automatons in society, and he is just another victim who is not higher than the rest. He is being humble.
The elixir is perhaps an acceptance of things as they are, seeing the cycles of how people rise and fall. I like the whole “purity’s twisted sister” part because it reminds me of a Hellenistic view of Gods and Godesses being within every abstract aspect of our lives. (I read a lot of Greek mythology when I was a kid)
“Individual once realised is the birth of a rebel” This is another hint I thing at the importance of someone being themselves…
“Which drown me in sounds of de-evolution and if it’s not your calling to be enlaced with the evolving of hip-hop Then stop is the inevitable solution” Hip hop here is evolving, and it is changing but only at the pace that the artists allow it to. If we stay the way we are with the same recurring themes and focusing on nothing but the beat then that is what will become.
All in all I found his lyrics very abstract and hard to decipher and who knows? I may have got it all wrong. Nevertheless it was a pleasure trying to work it out as I went along unlike with my other previous articles where I had listened to the track a fair few times before. I will definitely be looking at more of his stuff.
It has been a pleasure writing this, peace to all!
Hello to everyone. It is good to be back to wordpress after a term at university, and it is good to be relaxing in the Easter holidays!
Anyway, I have discussed featuring some unknown lyricists from the deviantArt community on here and here is my first attempt at featuring someone’s hip-hop lyrics. Just to note, I will not be “analysing” them, just posting them up for people to see and along with a few questions to reveal more about the author. I will probably work on adding more to each article, so this is a test run more than anything. However, just because it is the first one does not mean it should be devalued!
Who’d ever think that a sentence would title the shadow of me, people shop but chemicals are placed below the knees, so it seems that we live to poison our needs, I started out wantin to change world, but that soon changed when I saw what we’re like, it hurt so bad, my rhymes took a turn upside down, the crayon drew frowns on white colored clowns,
while this waste land stuffed itself we inhabited, how many of us lost their dreams, to fast food chains, locked behind these bars, perished beneath the autumn leaves, and left to rot or burned to ashes,
lost in the darkness of history, majority madness, developed from government laboratories, just like the widespread of disease and, hybrids in animal sciences, loads of new thoughts have grown to accept these nightmares, or silenced by the signatures of higher beings, night lights move in the night sky, exposed like nude shriekers, they’re still classified as urban make belief, as objects move in paranormal activities, ghosts n the grim feed on the casualties of Human nail biting themes,
So which skittles color will you feed, when all signs begin to glow luminescent, and obedience takes voyage with speed, strike one last thought before you, persist in life to be the bucket list.
Written By Maxim Quirk 15 February 2011
And now some questions (and answers) that I have in mind for all artists that I bump into and am impressed by!
1. What got you into writing lyrics/hiphop in general?
It was mid 2009 when I started, at first I just wanted to write a song, just to say I’ve tried it…But being inspired to write you really gotta look into yourself deeper than normal…For me, I’ve had a difficult childhood, traveling around countries for my dad’s work where I collected most of my knowledges of different communities, from poverty to high class. Having to change schools every 2 years; I could never adapt because of the friends I made, I would probably never see them again. So after a time I stopped trying. until 09′ when the last three years pretty much hit me. I was placed in a highly religious environment where I wasn’t accepted as well for being who i am with the knowledge I had…
That’s where I spent writing by hand half a book of reflections. I got over it about six months later when I wanted to write about things people are too blind or to ignorant to see.
2. What would you say is the central message of this piece and does it relate to your personal life?
The central message [of the featured piece]; well I’ll just reflect on the first line…writing rhymes is the side of me that in person you would probably never even know about, hiding behind my mask. At first the only people I talked with had been DJ Cuba, NJE and an operator of MC Solaar’s facebook account.
But everything else you might notice in my other writings pretty much reflect upon this messed up system we are born into and different aspects of life.
3.What do you hope to achieve through your art? Fame and fortune? Just having fun?
I’m not looking for fame and fortune but if it comes, I guess it was meant to. I don’t find it fun to write and I don’t plan anything prior, when I get into this certain state of mind it just comes to me, funny thing is after I post it I don’t admire it until like a week or a few months later when I stumble across it again and realize how well written it really is.
4.Who inspires you in your art?
Groups that inspire me include Bliss n Eso, Horrorshow, Sandpeople, Illy, Seth Sentry, Vinnie Paz, Bad neighbors, Sadistik, Unknown Prophets… and many more that are buried beneath mainstream.. I guess anyone that has something to say and isn’t afraid to say it; real hip hop that has meaning.
First of all, apologies for not putting up content as regularly as I used to. I don’t have much time since I am concentrating on my university work and concentrating on RELAXING from university work :p I have group work to start up, photography projects to finish and Philosophy reading so it is quite a lot.
I digress. Today I want to look at Immortal Technique‘s 4th Branch from his album Revolutionary Volume 2. One reason that I have liked this song is because he raises the Palestinian issue briefly, and that’s cool because I am Palestinian! But of course, that aside, the way he does this track is very emotional and powerful even at his (then) younger age. The imagery really did leave an impression…
Here is the video followed by lyrics (as usual!):
[Verse 1] The voice of racism preaching the gospel is devilish A fake church called the prophet Muhammad a terrorist Forgetting God is not a religion, but a spiritual bond And Jesus is the most quoted prophet in the Qu’ran They bombed innocent people, tryin’ to murder Saddam When you gave him those chemical weapons to go to war with Iran This is the information that they hold back from Peter Jennings Cause Condoleeza Rice is just a new age Sally Hemmings I break it down with critical language and spiritual anguish The Judas I hang with, the guilt of betraying Christ You murdered and stole his religion, and painted him white Translated in to psychologically tainted philosophy Conservative political right wing, ideology Glued together sloppily, the blasphemy of a nation Got my back to the wall, cause I’m facin’ assassination Guantanamo Bay, federal incarceration How could this be, the land of the free, home of the brave? Indigenous holocaust, and the home of the slaves Corporate America, dancin’ offbeat to the rhythm You really think this country, never sponsored terrorism? Human rights violations, we continue the saga El Savador and the contras in Nicaragua And on top of that, you still wanna take me to prison Just cause I won’t trade humanity for patriotism
[Hook] It’s like MK-ULTRA, controlling your brain Suggestive thinking, causing your perspective to change They wanna rearrange the whole point of view of the ghetto The fourth branch of the government, want us to settle A bandana full of glittering, generality Fighting for freedom and fighting terror, but what’s reality? [+]Read about the history of the place that we live in And stop letting corporate news tell lies to your children
[Verse 2] Flow like the blood of Abraham through the Jews and the Arabs Broken apart like a woman’s heart, abused in a marriage The brink of holy war, bottled up, like a miscarriage Embedded correspondents don’t tell the source of the tension And they refuse to even mention, European intervention Or the massacres in Jenin, the innocent screams U.S. manufactured missles, and M-16′s Weapon contracts and corrupted American dreams Media censorship, blocking out the video screens A continent of oil kingdoms, bought for a bargain Democracy is just a word, when the people are starvin’ The average citizen, made to be, blind to the reason A desert full of genocide, where the bodies are freezin’ And the world doesn’t believe that you fightin’ for freedom Cause you fucked the Middle East, and gave birth to a demon It’s open season with the CIA, bugging my crib Trapped in a ghetto region like a Palestinian kid Where nobody gives a fuck whether you die or you live I’m tryin’ to give the truth, and I know the price is my life But when I’m gone they’ll sing a song about Immortal Technique Who beheaded the President, and the princes and sheikhs You don’t give a fuck about us, I can see through your facade Like a fallen angel standing in the presence of God Bitch niggaz scared of the truth, when it looks at you hard
[Hook] [+]Martial law is coming soon to the hood, to kill you While you hanging your flag out your project window
[Talking] Yeah.. The fourth branch of the government AKA the media Seems to now have a retirement plan for ex-military officials As if their opinion was at all unbiased A machine shouldn’t speak for men So shut the fuck up you mindless drone! And you know it’s serious When these same media outfits are spending millions of dollars on a PR campaign To try to convince you they’re fair and balanced When they’re some of the most ignorant, and racist people Giving that type of mentality a safe haven We act like we share in the spoils of war that they do We die in wars, we don’t get the contracts to make money off ‘em afterwards! We don’t get weapons contracts, nigga! We don’t get cheap labor for our companies, nigga! We are cheap labor, nigga! Turn off the news and read, nigga! Read… read… read…
“Forgetting God is not a religion, but a spiritual bond And Jesus is the most quoted prophet in the Qu’ran” I didn’t know that! But the important thing here is that he is referring to the here and now. Tracks which are politically charged and mention certain events in history become a part of history itself and that is the wonderful thing about this piece. He is talking about the War on terror and the mentalities behind it, and one day the “war on terror” is going to be in our history books.
“They bombed innocent people, tryin’ to murder Saddam When you gave him those chemical weapons to go to war with Iran” Interesting fact: if you happen to be in Demontfort University in Leicester, England, then you can actually see the receipt the Iraq received after purchasing those weapons from the USA.
“This is the information that they hold back from Peter Jennings Cause Condoleeza Rice is just a new age Sally Hemings” Peter Jennings was a journalist who was self made. That is as far as I know of him. Sally Hemings was a mixed race slave and the image of her black heritage and being a slave to the system is used to reflect Rice’s status in the former Bush administration.
“Translated in to psychologically tainted philosophy Conservative political right wing, ideology” It is said that more than half of the Bush Administration believed in Armageddon; Jesus would come down when the Jews controlled Jerusalem, the righteous are saved and everyone else burns in hell. Kind of extremist…like Osama Bin Laden no?
“You really think this country, never sponsored terrorism? Human rights violations, we continue the saga El Savador and the contras in Nicaragua” If you want to know what he talks about then look up the “Dirty wars” in South America during (I think) the Reagan years.
The chorus mentions MK-ULTRA which is, as many conspiracy theorists claim, a chemical agent that is capable of putting in someone in such a state that they are susceptible to suggestions, in other words, mind control. A lot of people may be put off at the notion of a conspiracy theory, but one shouldn’t be so quick to judge. As well as that he was young and he has changed now, and change with the artist is something I will talk about in the future.
“Flow like the blood of Abraham through the Jews and the Arabs Broken apart like a woman’s heart, abused in a marriage The brink of holy war, bottled up, like a miscarriage” Abraham had Isaac and Ishmael. Ishmael was the father of the 12 tribes of Israel while Isaac was father of the “Arabs” (or is it the other way round I am not sure) and both are Semitic races using Semitic languages (Arabic and Hebrew). A holy war is not just a Jihad, remember what I said about Armageddon? Some people tried to set that off.
“Or the massacres in Jenin, the innocent screams” Jenin is a city in Occupied Palestine. It was subject to an Israeli assault during the second uprising in 2000 named “Operation Defence Shield” and resulted in the death of innocent Palestinians. We have family friends who have been affected by this event and it is good to see that some people are aware.
“Democracy is just a word, when the people are starvin’” The word Democracy is used to justify a lot of things, including war. “In the name of Democracy” they say, “In the name of God” they say…
“Cause you fucked the Middle East, and gave birth to a demon” Interesting…way of phrasing things here, but I like the small word play too.
“It’s open season with the CIA, bugging my crib Trapped in a ghetto region like a Palestinian kid Where nobody gives a fuck whether you die or you live” He is actually shouting in the mic. And that is how it should be people, raw passion and emotion! This is what he feels, this is what is coming out. It is not just what you write and recite, its also how you do it.
“Who beheaded the President, and the princes and sheikhs” The sheikhs, the religious rulers mostly associated with Saudi Arabia. He is saying what he desires and that is beheading those people (again, young and angry and energetic) among others. They are hypocritical (well the ones who work for the state), anyone seen the US embassy cables? Anyone heard about the higher ups in Saudi having whore and drink parties? Very Islamic!
The speech at the end just rounds things up. Almost as if grabbing the chance to say everything else he didn’t put into his lyrics. But this is why it is so refreshing to listen to people like Immortal Technique, because he actually believes in what he says. He takes everything that the corporate media (4th Branch) says and throws it out the window by painting a whole different image to the one that the majority of U.S. citizens (were) used to.
Again, my journey in “analysing” these lyrics and taking time to look at them have proved to be interesting, and until next time…
I just had to do another Jehst track. I was looking at a lyrics database and just read the lyrics of this particular track without listening to the song first, and I was impressed with the way it was written and intrigued as to how he flowed it. The tracks is China Shop Taurus from Falling Down, one of his first albums. When I listened to it and read along it was even better (of course) and I loved how laid back the beat was but how energetic it made me feel at the same time, very inspiring!
Here is the video followed by the lyrics (the video is not the best quality and lyrics are courtesy of contributors at UKHH) I strongly recommend you listen and read at the same time to get the most out of it!
The sun sets over cityscape silhouettes Bright lights flicker Cigarette smoke pirouettes It’s the addictive kiss of death in effect I’m a little stressed Spittin liquor breath introspect Hot like triple X Getting lost in the mixing desk Sweat glistens like glitter-balls reflect Recollect on the dreamscape Escape the freebase infested police state Teenage protesters riot in the heatwave Fire in the streets Place bets on the sweepstakes Check how the greed shapes their mindsets The beast clockin like Timex Flexin their biceps
[CHORUS] There’s nothin out here for us Negative forces force us to live lawless And spit rawness I’m like a china shop Taurus I talk of torment And pen chorus after chorus
BNP berserkers bent on murders Teens taggin for a sense of purpose Streets is tense and nervous So bait it’s bound to tempt the serpent’s appetite Parasite paradise Po-lice patronise Lappin up a pack of lies Macho guys Turn hermaphrodite by candlelight Still they wanna scandalise mine Cos I spit rhyme I’m tryin’ to scrape the paper and escape Quick-time Get yours Utilise your get out clause Outlaws on course for the great outdoors I’m way out like Cheech Wizard Keepin’ warm in the winter blizzard Bangin’ my head like Lynard Skynard I’m havin nightmares I’m naked in my groundfloor flat Grippin a baseball bat With the backdoor open to night-time predators Crack heads high like heaven gone wrong Watchin’ back street revellers Revelation of the devil’s messed up messengers Sin is effortless Yet effecting us In fact infecting us with disease Beast inspecting Expecting us to mess up Muck up Leave you bruck up You ll get beaten the fuck up and cuffed Some even got snuffed Others live on to puff another bag And brag how they’re mad tough Man I’ve had enough There’s nothin out here for non of us
[CHORUS]
Post-modernist Pre-apocalypse Livin in this rotten metropolis Existing with broken homes hearts and promises Park bench politics Soapbox soap-bar smokers acknowledge this novelist The broke pocket economist On a mission Fists clenched for the opposition Sittin tight like Taliban in Tora Bora The last stand Now we’re livin in the land of the lost And the age of Sodom and Gomorra Divide and conquer You re blocked by the border Locked by the law and order The war reporter walks streets As the cycle of suicidal thoughts repeats In the minds of the poor and meek A meat market of morbid freaks And freebase heads speak to inform the beast A bleak picture The cycle of war and peace is crazy vulgar Sick as the kids that killed Damilola Taylor And Jamie Bulger My heart broken open and beating slower The cold-blooded grow even colder In a globe so rotten Like teeth in cola No hope of mending A culture of violent endings pending Our pens become government scapegoats But no guns bust at my stage show So yo it’s like…
[CHORUS]
“The sun sets over cityscape silhouettes Bright lights flicker Cigarette smoke pirouettes It’s the addictive kiss of death in effect” Here is the beginning and the first line already sets the scene, and that is an urban scene. And it is not represented as an elegant city, because lights are flickering and people are smoking! Pirouettes, as far as I know, is a particular ballet dance move where the performer spins in a perfect circle without moving from position (you should know what I am talking about, we see it in movies all the time). How cheerful! (/sarcasm).
“I’m a little stressed Spittin liquor breath introspect Hot like triple X Getting lost in the mixing desk Sweat glistens like glitter-balls reflect” And he places himself in the midst of the scene. Stress; alcohol seems to be a way to deal with it but also doing his thing on the mixing desk (remember he is a music producer too) as a form of escapism.
“Recollect on the dreamscape Escape the freebase infested police state Teenage protesters riot in the heatwave Fire in the streets” As Canibus once said “The dream-state is the playground of the supreme” . “Police state” or “Big brother” state is another word used for one of the countries that has a high concentration of CCTV cameras. Teenage protestors and rioting (I can relate that to the recent anti-fees campaign) can either be showing his support for youth movements, or jesting and making fun of the youth stereotype in the media; take yer pick.
“Check how the greed shapes their mindsets The beast clockin like Timex Flexin their biceps”
The beast was mainly a biblical reference to the anti-christ in the book of Revelations (correct me if I am wrong) but now it is also used to label the current capitalist system which rules the world. Notice how he refers to the beast as a collective as in their biceps not his/her biceps.
The chorus reminds me of one quote: If you make peaceful protest impossible, you will make violent revolution inevitable. What does it remind you of?
“BNP berserkers bent on murders Teens taggin for a sense of purpose Streets is tense and nervous So bait it’s bound to tempt the serpent’s appetite” BNP as berserkers; I don’t think he likes them much. Teens looking for a sense of purpose may be referring to the problems that some have with their personal identity, especially if they find it difficult to relate to their parents or culture. And we also have another biblical reference; for those of you who haven’t even heard of the Genesis creation story, Satan is referred to as a serpent there. Metaphorically speaking, the worst of us can come out in chaotic times.
“Parasite paradise Po-lice patronise Lappin up a pack of lies Macho guys Turn hermaphrodite by candlelight” Parasites and “po-lice”; clever, no? And instead of simply mentioning hypocrisy, Jehst would rather make a clever rhyme and say that Macho guys turn hermaphrodite by candlelight (meaning private lives of course), not that he has anything against hermaphrodytes in particular, just anyone who pretends to be what they are not inside, I guess he just dislikes hypocrites from all walks of life.
“Bangin’ my head like Lynard Skynyrd I’m havin nightmares I’m naked in my groundfloor flat Grippin a baseball bat With the backdoor open to night-time predators” The image of Jehst being naked in some flat with a baseball bat looking this way and that made me chuckle, but on a serious note that is one way to reflect the hectic and unpredictable life that some may endure (or enjoy, it depends). A quick search revealed that Lynard Skynyrd is a famous rock band that was formed in the 1960s. Being a rock band they are likely to be banging their heads, so using them as a metaphor is suitable…lovely! (Jehst may also be a fan of this band, would be interesting to find out).
“Revelation of the devil’s messed up messengers Sin is effortless Yet effecting us In fact infecting us with disease Beast inspecting Expecting us to mess up Muck up Leave you bruck up You ll get beaten the fuck up and cuffed” More beasts, devils and sins! Mind, it doesn’t mean that he is a devout christian. Like other artists he recognises the potency of using such metaphors. This part sounds almost like some prick watching you until you make a mistake just so they have the pleasure to beat you and cuff you. Kind of like the quota system prevalent in Police in the USA, check it out.
“Livin in this rotten metropolis” What did I say in the beginning of this? The city is represented negatively, and here it is,more obvious this time.
“Sittin tight like Taliban in Tora Bora“ Yeah, erm, they do have the tendency to be controversial these aritsts! This is the equivalent of someone slapping you so you pay attention, well it was like that for me. Tora Bora is an area in Afghanistan which basically is a cave complex. A battle took there in 2001 shortly after 9/11. The CIA (Central (lack) of Intelligence Agnecy) thought that Osama Bin Laden may have been there, but he wasn’t (surprise!). Anyway that important part is that it was a long and hard battle…
“Sick as the kids that killed Damilola Taylor And Jamie Bulger“ Two horrific murders used as a metaphor to describe the nature of war. I remember reading about the Jamie Bulger case before (may they rest in peace). It really shocked readers/viewers/listeners all around Britain, making this connection of shock to wars that are happening countries away is a really good tactic.
“Our pens become government scapegoats But no guns bust at my stage show” A lot of people do blame mainstream/commercial rap for a lot of society’s problems because…well if you watch a video it will be obvious. Encouragement of violence, selfish materialism, drug use and even abuse can make strong impressions on young children. But Jehst excludes himself from this, there are no guns at his stage show unlike those wannabe Gs flashing their toys.
with his own vocal cords!):
. “Police state” or “Big brother” state is another word used for one of the countries that has a high concentration of CCTV cameras. Teenage protestors and rioting (I can relate that to the recent anti-fees campaign) can either be showing his support for youth movements, or jesting and making fun of the youth stereotype in the media; take yer pick.
