I wrote a very long Journal entry on my travels to Latin
America and the Reaction to the President’s healthcare plan but I feel like
there is one or two parts left to finish so I will wait a few days. I have not
been here to post things too often because I felt that as a Revolutionary there
was more to do than just put my thoughts on-line and I would rather be out
there in the world being a part of it. But informing you of it would help that
cause whatever it is so I will try stay in the loop more, I just hate the idea
of being considered one of those rappers who blogs more than they release
music. To those of you who have devoted your time and energy to the causes I
have fought for I am eternally grateful and indebted. I hope that we continue
to work together as a unit, a rebel army that has a reach that can travel the
planet in a heartbeat.
The 14th of August is coming up, and I look
forward to seeing some of you at The Knitting Factory, if you haven’t gotten
your tickets already, they’re going fast. This last benefit show will help to
continue funding the orphanage Omeid and I created in Kabul. I dedicated a
great deal of time out of my life to this and when I saw the kids so overjoyed
and bewildered by the idea that someone cared enough to give them a chance to
live and learn I felt humbled beyond belief, I felt stronger than ever. As if a
bullet or a death threat didn’t matter. The support base of the Rebel Army has
grown so much that together I feel we can meet any challenge. Some would call
that confidence, some would call it insanity, but I call it finding inner
peace, and I don’t give a fuck what other people think about it.
The era of being a Louis XVI musician is at it’s death
knell, artists are failing left and right because they still have this idea
that regular ordinary “non-celebrity” people exist to worship and serve them in
some weird semi religious capacity. Who the fuck do you think you are and how
long did you think that was gonna last you spoiled bitch. Have you cowards
finally begun to understand that people are tired of that? I’m glad some of you
rappers are Recession proof, but your fans aren’t asshole and that’s why they
aren’t buying your records. Even the diehard underground fans feel the squeeze
of salary slashing, job cutbacks, and the local economy in shambles. Cities in
Michigan, Illinois, North Carolina, Kentucky, California, have literally seen
their economic infrastructure decimated over the past year. I am not a leader
in the Underground Hip Hop community by divine right, but rather because my
word is unquestionable, my ideas work and I have the power in the street to
make moves and command the respect of ideological opposites.
Being independent you can’t exist without earning a more up
close and personal amount of support and criticism whether fair or completely
unfounded. I love having my personal space and I have definitely checked people
seriously for invading it. But besides the handful of incidents, most people
just wish to share ideas and when I have the time I am more than willing to
politick and as long as this person is respectful answer questions (not straw
man arguments), and learn from people of all races, religions, economic
situations and walks of life. I hope to run a forum in the upcoming months when
www.ImmortalTechnique.com
launches (finally) on lifting the Cuban Embargo, Socialized Medicine Vs.
America’s Plan, Latin American Revolution: The Next Step, and Sikes/Piko:The
Middle Eastern Blueprint.” I hope that you will all join me.
....
People have also been asking me to do a few tour dates
before I get back to work so since times are really hard for the supporters of
my music so I have decided to announce a “Recession Tour” in September after I
finish a couple of dates with Jedi Mind Tricks. The first two shows in Philly
and Baltimore (18th/19th) were not by my design so the
price is higher but everything else on the tour is about $12adv - $15 day of
show. Discount deals will be available on Merch and all that…
The dates are posted on the front page of
www.myspace.com/immortaltechnique
....
....
Sunday- Sept.20th: Charlottesville,
VA
Tuesday- Sept.22nd: Carrboro,
NC
Wednesday- Sept.23rd: Asheville,
NC
Thursday- Sept.24th: Lexington,
KY
Saturday- Sept.26th: Chicago,
IL
Sunday- Sept.27th: Bloomington,
IN
Monday- Sept.28th: Ann
Arbor, MI
Tuesday- Sept.29th: Cleveland,
OH
Wednesday- Sept.30th: Pittsburgh,
PA
Friday/Sat Oct. 2nd /3rd: New
York City
....
....
Following me on this trip are Poison Pen whose new album
“The Money Shot” is in stores right now! J.Arch who is working on his next
mixtape, and my old friend Diabolic, whose murderous debut CD “A Liar & A
Thief” is being finished up right now. Please support these brothers when you
see them. We are all taking a paycut and rockin’ shows for a fraction of what
we would get in order to make people know that Hard Core Street Hop is alive
and well. Commercial Rap is crumbling and the industry is falling apart but we
are staying strong and thriving, because of the support base that wants to hear
real music, real lyrics, and tough beats.
I believe that by the time I am out there the article I
wrote for the Source will be in stores. You know I have always had a decent
relationship with them, even when people were telling me they were a washed up
dying entity I never chimed in for points. I think they still have potential
for a comeback in the market. As an independent they gave me Unsigned Hype back
in the day and even Hip Hop quotable off the strength of my lyrics and grind
alone. But this article that is coming out was never proof read, which is what
we agreed to, I don’t know what was left out or cut or recut to make it the
product it is. So I might release the whole unedited version myself. Also the ½
I gave them has already been divided into 2 parts, which means this is going to
be a 3 or 4 part series if they actually seek to continue it. Afghanistan isn’t
an easy thing to sum up, it can’t be compressed into the time limit of your
average juvenile drama soaked worldstar video. Also the photo credits that
should have gone to C.Stuart (because I didn’t take pictures of myself) were
absent and on top of it somehow someone over there wrote on the byline that I
was born in Colombia instead of Peru. I’m not mad because I was told these
things are being corrected. So I just came here to pass along the message they
passed onto me. I’m not here to throw a tantrum because a mistake was a made I
am still very grateful to The Source for providing a medium for the message, I
just want to keep people who support the music and the movement informed about
what’s happening.
My work on the documentary that has taken so many years to
compile is almost done. I am home from Peru after looking over the lands that I
invested in and I am proud of what I have accomplished. My family is proud of
me too, they are happy to see me come home instead of just becoming an
“Assimilated Latino” that forgets about his culture and place of origin. Once
“Urban Warfare” is done with filming I can return to working on “The Middle
Passage” and “Revolutionary Vol.3”. I have a bunch of songs done but more ideas
come to me everyday. I’m going to go back to working on some more music and
possibly will leak some in the next coming weeks if I can get it down when I
return from LA. Big up my dude GK (www.prisonpenn.com), Rami my Lebanese brother
who stays hitting me up with interesting articles, and all the people who keep
up with the newsletters.
Much Respect,
Immortal
Technique