HipHopUG.com interviews Immortal Technique regarding his latest free project The Martyr and tour.
Immortal Technique is a Latino rapper and political activist born in Lima, Peru and raised in Harlem, New York. Most of his lyrics focus on political issues. The views expressed in his lyrics are largely a mixture of commentary on issues such as politics, poverty, religion, social class, socio-philosophy, and racism. He is notable for his aggressive hardcore knowledgeable lyricism, fiery passion, ferocious complex battle-like rhymes, and prestige speeches.
Immortal Technique bio on HHUG
Immortal Technique bio on HHUG
HHUG: On October 27 2011, you released The Martyr as a free digital download. How has the reception been so far?
IT: 500,000 downloads that we can trace, I think that it was received rather well wouldn't you say?
HHUG: The track "Rich Man's World (1%)" has generated a peculiar buzz about it. Not only does it embody a relevant and current topic (Occupy Movements), but many have praised on your delivery and flow appeal for the song. How would you describe your delivery and flow progressing in upcoming projects?
IT: I think that if you listen to the overall body of work that I have, everything has been progressing in terms of beats, rhymes, flow, breath control and delivery. Revolutionary Vol.1 was written mostly without beats while I was incarcerated and now I feel like the process has changed so much since then that I have become a stronger artist, a more well balanced person, and a more complete human being. I have taken what started as just making music and turned it into a Revolutionary movement. And for those that read this cynically, my work in Afghanistan, Haiti, and prison programs here and funding shelters is the proof beyond anything I could ever say.
HHUG: You are recently completed a tour for The Martyr. Can you elaborate a bit on how the touring been so far?
IT: The first half of this tour was just completed with a resounding success. Packed and sold out venues and an amazing crew of Rebel Army members that accompanied me all over a huge span of this nation. I never expected such a powerful response so this is above and beyond what was originally planned.
HHUG: What have been some highlights and lowlights of this tour so far?
IT: The highlights were to reach so many new people that were coming out hearing the music for the first time, so many young people there that had never been to a Hip Hop show before. Also, because of the situation in Arizona instead of doing a show with the venue owners that have no care for the immigrant families we did one in the middle of the hood. It was amazing. Touching to see so many activists and people from the community there to support. There were a couple of low points like being stuck in North Carolina with a flat and dealing with a snowstorm that cut off the major highways for people to come to Philadelphia, a city that normally sellouts but this time ended up being half full but you can't control things like that so it comes with the territory.
HHUG: The Midwest portion of the U.S. was not included in the tour. Are there any specific reasons for that?
IT: Since the scheduling was so tight I figured that it would be necessary to divide the tour up into sections, There will be a Northeast, and a Midwest strong of dates in 2012 because it's necessary for me to reconnect with the legions of people that support the music and the message out there. For example I am going out to Australia in early January, and then at some point coming to the UK for a show in 2012. It would have just been a nightmare to schedule all together.
HHUG: How has performing at various cities in this tour influenced your schedule to support respective Occupy Movements?
IT: I think the fact that we made it to about 20 different Occupy sites gave me a very well rounded view of what was going on in these different cities. This album wasn't made as a direct response to the Occupy Movement after all, even the song "Rich Man's World" was 2/3 done for about 3 years until I finally finished the last verse and put the ad-libs on it that gave it the very poignant last verse that exposed what was going on in terms of banks and how intrinsically connected people are to the system that governs their world.
HHUG: Sonically, you have production highlights from J. Dilla, DJ Green Lantern, The Molemen, but a producer we do not hear from often is SouthPaw, whom provides more than half of the production in this project. How do you see SouthPaw's progression develop since your early days from Revolutionary Vol. 1?
IT: Revolutionary Vol. 1 was recorded all over the place, however when we did Revolutionary Vol. 2 it became clear to me that I worked with him best as an engineer and we eventually built and then rebuilt Viper Studios together. I've known that dude for a long time and I think that he has been as driving force in terms of production. His beats are so sick, and yet he's very humble and maintains a low profile, not many other production credits for underground artists which I wish he would change but then again I get all the monsters so I'm not complaining. But let me just say for the record, with no bias, he is criminally slept on.
HHUG: Who are your top 5 favorite artists and why?
IT: Rakim, KRS-One, Mozart, James Brown, & Sade because she made a song that reminds me of someone that is gone now. Listening to it puts me in a somber mood but I remember them with happiness.
HHUG: Any closing comments/statements you will like to make?
IT: www.ViperRecords.com download The Martyr for free and give it to everyone you know.
IT: 500,000 downloads that we can trace, I think that it was received rather well wouldn't you say?
HHUG: The track "Rich Man's World (1%)" has generated a peculiar buzz about it. Not only does it embody a relevant and current topic (Occupy Movements), but many have praised on your delivery and flow appeal for the song. How would you describe your delivery and flow progressing in upcoming projects?
IT: I think that if you listen to the overall body of work that I have, everything has been progressing in terms of beats, rhymes, flow, breath control and delivery. Revolutionary Vol.1 was written mostly without beats while I was incarcerated and now I feel like the process has changed so much since then that I have become a stronger artist, a more well balanced person, and a more complete human being. I have taken what started as just making music and turned it into a Revolutionary movement. And for those that read this cynically, my work in Afghanistan, Haiti, and prison programs here and funding shelters is the proof beyond anything I could ever say.
HHUG: You are recently completed a tour for The Martyr. Can you elaborate a bit on how the touring been so far?
IT: The first half of this tour was just completed with a resounding success. Packed and sold out venues and an amazing crew of Rebel Army members that accompanied me all over a huge span of this nation. I never expected such a powerful response so this is above and beyond what was originally planned.
HHUG: What have been some highlights and lowlights of this tour so far?
IT: The highlights were to reach so many new people that were coming out hearing the music for the first time, so many young people there that had never been to a Hip Hop show before. Also, because of the situation in Arizona instead of doing a show with the venue owners that have no care for the immigrant families we did one in the middle of the hood. It was amazing. Touching to see so many activists and people from the community there to support. There were a couple of low points like being stuck in North Carolina with a flat and dealing with a snowstorm that cut off the major highways for people to come to Philadelphia, a city that normally sellouts but this time ended up being half full but you can't control things like that so it comes with the territory.
HHUG: The Midwest portion of the U.S. was not included in the tour. Are there any specific reasons for that?
IT: Since the scheduling was so tight I figured that it would be necessary to divide the tour up into sections, There will be a Northeast, and a Midwest strong of dates in 2012 because it's necessary for me to reconnect with the legions of people that support the music and the message out there. For example I am going out to Australia in early January, and then at some point coming to the UK for a show in 2012. It would have just been a nightmare to schedule all together.
HHUG: How has performing at various cities in this tour influenced your schedule to support respective Occupy Movements?
IT: I think the fact that we made it to about 20 different Occupy sites gave me a very well rounded view of what was going on in these different cities. This album wasn't made as a direct response to the Occupy Movement after all, even the song "Rich Man's World" was 2/3 done for about 3 years until I finally finished the last verse and put the ad-libs on it that gave it the very poignant last verse that exposed what was going on in terms of banks and how intrinsically connected people are to the system that governs their world.
HHUG: Sonically, you have production highlights from J. Dilla, DJ Green Lantern, The Molemen, but a producer we do not hear from often is SouthPaw, whom provides more than half of the production in this project. How do you see SouthPaw's progression develop since your early days from Revolutionary Vol. 1?
IT: Revolutionary Vol. 1 was recorded all over the place, however when we did Revolutionary Vol. 2 it became clear to me that I worked with him best as an engineer and we eventually built and then rebuilt Viper Studios together. I've known that dude for a long time and I think that he has been as driving force in terms of production. His beats are so sick, and yet he's very humble and maintains a low profile, not many other production credits for underground artists which I wish he would change but then again I get all the monsters so I'm not complaining. But let me just say for the record, with no bias, he is criminally slept on.
HHUG: Who are your top 5 favorite artists and why?
IT: Rakim, KRS-One, Mozart, James Brown, & Sade because she made a song that reminds me of someone that is gone now. Listening to it puts me in a somber mood but I remember them with happiness.
HHUG: Any closing comments/statements you will like to make?
IT: www.ViperRecords.com download The Martyr for free and give it to everyone you know.
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