Immortal Technique

Immortal Technique (real name Felipe Coronel) is a Latin-American underground rapper, left-wing activist, and a particularly active-imagination conspiracy theorist.
While he appears to consider himself a revolutionary socialist,https://www.rt.com/op-edge/chavez-capitalism-immortal-technique-762/ likely with reference to his various anti-war and anti-conservative stances, such a position is impossible to square with his overt homophobia, transphobia, misogyny, and general machismo posing — placing him nearer the tankies as far as the left side of the spectrum is concerned.
His few nuggets of genuine progressivism are further overshadowed by his overt and public endorsement of various wild theories regarding the September 11 attacks, his belief in the impending New World Order, and for being the type of person who voluntarily spends time with Alex Jones.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hUPdkxsOV8
==Musical revolutionary==
Despite his first album's title, Revolutionary Vol. 1 only contains political-themed lyrics every now and then thrown in for good measure. The most coherent exposures of his ideas can be found in two non-rap monologues, one detailing his unfavorable views on the vegetarian/vegan movementBeef and Broccoli lyrics and the other in which he laments the precarious state of minorities and immigrants in the US.The Poverty of Philosophy lyrics The rest of the album is generally battle-rap in political clothing, as he tends to throw a bone to political-minded listeners usually mentioning his displeasure with a specific injustice in the US.
However being released around the time of 9/11, which possibly turned a lot of Millennials to politics (and worse to all types of conspiracy theories), it was enough to amass a cult following, selling 40,000 copies independently.Sales of Revolutionary Vol. 1 The album is notable for hit track Dance With the Devil,Dance with the Devil lyrics where the narrator, implied to be Tech himself, recounts a hoodlum's attempt to join a gang by raping and murdering a woman as initiation, only to find out that she was his own mother, and kills himself in remorse. Technique has said that it was only meant metaphorically to highlight how gang culture negatively affects people in the Latino and Black community.Gerardo Garcia III, Immortal Technique - Revolutionary Vol. 2 (Interview after Revolutionary Vol. 2 release), 2004.
Onward from his second album, Technique's songs are far more coherent than on his first offering, where Revolutionary Vol. 2 includes Bush-bashing at its finest and sadly 9/11 trutherism at its worst. The 3rd World and The Martyr continue the direction from Vol. 2, but also take a closer look at the problems of developing countries which are negatively affected by US foreign policy.
==Reactionary revolutionary==
Despite claiming to be a revolutionary at every chance that he gets, Immortal Technique has quite the history of making counter-revolutionary statements which are in line with most of the discriminating things the typical gangsta rapper raps about, although to his credit, most of the lyrics cited here are from his first two albums, while his later albums are largely devoid of these views.
===Homophobia===
*"Immortal Technique incinerate degenerate fags"
*"I'm a Neo-Sapien but y'all are still acting like homos"Top of the Food Chain (Remix) lyrics
*"and your crew is full of more faggots than Greek mythology."Hidden Track lyrics
*"why you trying to be hardcore, you fucking homo-thug/and don't be sensitive and angry at the shit that I wrote/Cause if you can take a fucking dick, you can take a joke"Obnoxious lyrics
In an old interview, Technique was asked about the relationship between hip-hop and homosexuality and he had the following wisdom to share: "As for homophobia, hip hop never embraced faggots. One can’t deny that there are probably rappers, DJs and fans that are mo's but I think since the culture was based around proving ones manhood; acting like a fruitpop isn’t gonna get you anywhere.”Homophobia in "Conscious" Rap To his credit, Technique has evolved from these positions,Immortal Technique expounds his viewsImmortal Tech. Explains How Trauma Can Influence Homosexuality June 25, 2015, and his album The Martyr is actually devoid of homophobic slurs (if you count transphobia as separate from homophobia).
However, when pressed to comment, he does his best to talk carefully about the issue, believing that calling someone a homophobic slur in a rap song isn't usually meant to be homophobic and only to describe someone as "weak." Therefore, as he equates terms associated with homosexuality with weakness, whether they are positive or negative, he has to label historical figures like Julius Caesar as negatively-connotated "ambiguously heterosexuals" instead of just homosexuals or bisexuals, because apparently it still is too much to ask to say straight-up that there were/are non-heterosexuals with the same stereotypical masculine and strong qualities of the unambiguous heterosexuals.
Further, Technique explains his original homophobia being incited by an experience during his prison term when he overheard two inmates who wanted to rape a 19-year old inmate, whom he saved by threatening both of them.
===Toxic masculinity and misogyny===
*"You're such a bitch, somebody probably made you out of a rib"Creation & Destruction lyrics
*"You get no props in hip-hop like feminine men"
*"And don't talk about war, when niggaz know that you puss"
*"Picking up your wack ass friends that rhyme and being like 'Oh yeah, Immortal Technique, he's aight.' No nigga: Your mom is pussy, that's aight"The Message and the Money lyrics
*"that's your girl, bitch get over here, give me some brain/I'll bust off on her face, and right after the segment/She'll probably rub it in her pussy, tryna get herself pregnant"
*"And you're a played out dirty pussy devil like Margaret Thatcher"No Mercy lyrics
While discussing the growing feminine trend in hip-hop, Technique argues that he doesn't care as it's not his business what other people do privately, and contrary to others, he doesn't believe it is a concerted effort of record company CEOs to feminize the genre and make people of color be perceived as less dangerous to the public. However, it would be harder for him to take someone seriously if they were wearing a tutu in a business meeting,Immortal Technique Addresses Growing Feminine Trend in Hip Hop and to be totally clear on his actual patriarchal thoughts, he deems the increasing femininity as another "ridiculous trend" and a "weird" one at that.Immortal Technique Addresses Growing Feminine Trend in Hip Hop
===Transphobia===
*"I'll do a freak show in North Korea, burning the flag/while J. Edgar Hoover politicians dress up in drag"Leaving the Past lyrics
*"Run to the coon picnic and try to pick up a mammy/But half of y'all are faggots trying to pick up a tranny"Bin Laden (Remix) lyrics
*"And men who don't even like women control the business/That's why the women look like men and the men like bitches"Natural Beauty lyrics
Similar to his changing stance on homosexuality, Technique has also changed his views on transgender people, despite still showing a lack of understanding when asked about Caitlyn Jenner for feeling "like a woman who's attracted to women", a mere thought which was enough for him to scoff at.Immortal Tech. Explains How Trauma Can Influence Homosexuality, @ 3:29, June 25, 2015
===Promotion of rape culture===
*"But rumor has it that you're getting raped like Lil' Bow Wow"Positive Balance lyrics
*"And if you're pissed off 'cause you think that I dissed you/I rape your moms and we can make this a personal issue"
*"You not strong enough to do a song with me, I'm the truth/Like Tina Turner motherfucker, you'll get raped in a booth"Arm Yourself lyrics
==Revolutionary revolutionary==
===Political===
Technique very often mentions socialism and/or communism as a preferred political systemThe Prophecy lyricsYoung Lords lyrics and believes that these are a "natural part of human development."Alex Jones interview He is vague about which of the infinite number of socialist schools of thought he embraces. In one song, he calls for the nationalization of the industry,The 3rd World lyrics and in one of his later "speeches" on record, he seems to favor collective working.Ultimas Palabras lyrics
Obviously not a stranger to contradicting himself, as he has been a vocal anti-vegetarian on his first album, his mind has been changed on a visit to New Zealand into supporting a primitivist look on where a human being should live, namely "near a tree" while "eating fruits and vegetables" which would probably make humans smarter in the end.EXCLUSIVE: IMMORTAL TECHNIQUE - THE RAPSTATION INTERVIEW - PART ONE, October 2nd, 2013
He is also known to be a staunch anti-conservative (except for his own conservative views, see above). Despite sharing similar views to various tankies, Technique equates Joseph Stalin with Adolf Hitler and the Conquistadors in their killings of innocent people.
===Distribution of his music===
Pirating his music seems to be of no concern to him and he even actively encourages it as a way to spread his message.Reverse Pimpology lyricsBurn this lyrics So go ahead and pay your favorite piracy website a visit... on the other hand, he has released his album The Martyr free of charge, which obviously makes piracy superfluous.
===Abortion===
Technique has a weird and unhealthy obsession over abortions and fetuses, as he often makes use of both as punchlines in his songs. As for the other points he raises, he is also contradictory if he either supports the right to abortion,The Cause of Death lyrics or opposes it when it's his child getting the shaft.Internally Bleeding lyrics
==Abrahamic revolutionary==
Technique's music is chock full of spiritual messages; he has also stated that he is a man who believes in God,Alex Jones interview and he loves to state that "a man that walks with God can walk anywhere."The Martyr lyrics He seems rather ambivalent to which set of ideas he follows, as he has made positive statements about Christianity,Revolutionary lyrics Islam,Lick Shots lyrics and Judaism, sometimes even during the same statement: "I would love for Jesus to come back because I would love for him to face what is happening and to really have some sort of perspective. In that same respect, I’m sure that Prophet Muhammad would be disgusted by what some people use his name to justify."A lyrical revolution - Interview with Immortal Technique, August 8th, 2006
However, contrary to these statements and his belief in God, he holds a negative view of organized religion or religion in generalEyes in the Sky lyrics and either thinks the "word of God" would be untainted if it wasn't for "religious groupies"Sign of the Times lyrics or ponders if it is "lost in the man",One (Remix) lyrics because even if he questions religion, it doesn't mean that he's "spitting in God's face", and he accuses people of following a religion of doing exactly that.
Trying to prove that he is closer to God than his adversaries, he even asks the "Father" in one of his songs to forgive the actions of the Bush administration "for they don't know right from wrong." Ironically, he shares the ridiculous opinion of the wingnuts he opposes that we are currently in the apocalyptic stage of mankind described in the book of Revelations.
==Moonbat revolutionary==
===GMOs, AIDS, vaccination, etc.===
Technique is an anti-GMO advocate, as the government "feeds us genetically modified garbage" and asserts his flow to be "cancerous milk like Monsanto's",Treason lyrics even claiming that if he's charged by his detractors of drinking "left-wing kool-aid", that it possibly tastes as good as "right-wing Monsanto milk."Alex Jones interview. This is a stupid comparison for many reasons, as Monsanto has never sold a single drop of milk (the only edible things the company sells are GM-seeds), and if they actually did it's completely different to Jim Jones' cyanide cocktail, as nobody is religiously conditioned to drink milk from any specific dairy corporation. 
He is also certain that a cure for AIDS exists which is held back by the powers that be.Toast to the Dead lyrics As he has no single shred of evidence for the existence of a cure to AIDS which he wants released now to save people, he's ironically against vaccinations (which actually exist and save people) but according to him these are lethal for containing mercury. What makes him so sure that this holy-grail-AIDS-remedy, which existence he believes in, doesn't contain mercury as well?
If all this crankery hasn't been enough, Technique has actually seen marijuana cure racismImmortal Technique "I've seen marijuana CURE racism" Oct 2015 — however, he made sure to quickly relativize his statement to not sound like a complete unscientific moron.
===New World Order, Illuminati, Masons, MK-Ultra, etc.===
Technique believes in a vast array of conspiracy theories, including the New World Order which was born on 9/11 according to him. He also thinks his relentless act of exposing and mentioning the powers which secretly govern the world will get him killed eventually.The Point of no Return lyricsThe 4th Branch lyrics As more than a decade has passed without an attempt on his life, he has made clear that he doesn't believe in the general take on secret societies as people "wearing robes" and having "sex in a weird room", but that he actually means lobbyists and corporations and conveniently shifts the conversation to MonsantoImmortal Technique Discusses Illuminati Oct 16, 2013 or WalmartAlex Jones interview as the true embodiments of Illuminati-like entities.
But make no mistake, even if he denounces crazier interpretations of almighty organizations, he believes that "they" still have a price on his head and expects to be killed after the release of his presumably last album The Middle Passage, as it will be a "very brutal look on reality"Immortal Technique Remains Hip-Hop's Loudest Militant Rapper. But for How Long? which will apparently be too much for Illuminati-esque powers to stomach. However he plans to avoid his potential timely demise, (maybe taking a cue from Edward Snowden and residing in the tundra?) but for someone who is so paranoid and stricken by conspiracy theories, it is pretty stupid on his part to reveal these thoughts prematurely in any shape or form because now "they" have all the necessary information and the valuable time Technique has bought "them" to thwart his escape in advance.
==Horseshoe revolutionary==
Technique is one of the few lefties that Alex Jones actually tolerates, as Jones has accepted their ideological differences without going (more) insane, claiming that he agrees with 85% of what Immortal Technique stands for.Alex Jones interview Both have favorable views on conspiracy theory loon Alex Jones interview and Jones says about Technique that he's the most informed guy that he knows.Alex Jones interview You could almost believe they are friends in how cordially they talked in a "fact-driven" discussionAlex Jones interview and both near-orgasmed over a rifleAlex Jones interview while Technique was on Jones' show. Fact is that the two have protested togetherYouTube: Immortal Technique & Alex Jones @ Ground Zero 911 and Jones says that he has hung out with Technique and been to a few concerts of his.Alex Jones interview There is absolutely nothing wrong in being friends with someone who has diametrically opposing political views (even if it's a crazy man like Alex Jones), but if you want to see the Horseshoe theory in action, you don't need to look any further. Furthering the irony is with his friendship with fellow rapper and Broadway-slash-Disney veteran , whose body of work is clearly sticking it to the very same ilk conspiracists like Technique love to loathe and has performed and contributed charity singles for anti-gun violence movements.
==Charitable revolutionary==
Contrary to other conspiracy theorists out there who, let's be honest, only philosophize about their crazy ideas to enrich themselves, Technique actually uses his monetary gains from, um, 'raising awareness' for charitable concerns, presumably as a way to fight the symptoms of the Free Mason/Illuminati/New World Order entity trying to wreck the world. This is positive for the charity organizations involved, but looking at it from another angle, this might also be negative, considering other people of his ilk might damn well know that they're talking shit, whereas Technique could be a true Kool-Aid drinker.
Anyway, he has been involved in aid activities in Afghanistan, where he funded the construction of an orphanage/clinic/schoolThe Sub Zinfo: Immortal Technique Speaks On Building School In Afghanistan, Social Activism and New Album 3 May 2012 by using a portion of his "Underground Hip Hop money", an act which he considers "revolutionary."Immortal Technique Pens Letter To Afghanistan Orphanage
==See also==
*Behold a Pale Horse, which was an influence on his conspiracy theorizing
*Jedi Mind Tricks
*Tupac Shakur
==References==
Category:9/11 truthers
Category:Anti-vaccination movement
Category:Anti-war activists
Category:Communists
Category:Conspiracy theorists
Category:Crank magnetism
Category:Deists
Category:GMO
Category:Homophobes
Category:Left-wing activists
Category:Living people
Category:Machismo
Category:Musicians
Category:New York
Category:Rape culture
Category:Sexists
Category:Socialists
Category:Transphobes
Category:Tankies