Line for Line: Immortal Technique "Industrial Revolution"

Believe it or not, we really try to be positive around here. Give respect. Props. Big ups. You know, all that good stuffs. But we end up going negative a lot more often. In fact, we're always hatin'! Why? Because there is so much fake shit out there, and we hate it.

Lucky for us though, today we get to be both positive and negative. How? Well, we're highlighting a dope track that just calls out all the bullshit. Immortal Technique's "Industrial Revolution".

For those of you who don't know, Immortial Technique is a dope MC representing New York. He's known for his lack of pulling punches and his keeping it real up in the field.  This track is off of his second album "Revolutionary Vol. 2" which dropped in 2003. Which you should have bought a long time ago. Now, let me just give a bit of extra respect here: usually when an MC calls a project "Vol. 1" there is no follow up, Immortal Technique delivered a "Vol. 2". #respect.

 So let's get to the Nitty Gritty. Here is the track, brace yourself:




Now for some choice lyrics:

The bling-bling era was cute but it's about to be done
I leave ya full of clips like the moon blockin' the sun
My metaphors are dirty like herpes but harder to catch
Like an escape tunnel in prison I started from scratch

Read that shit again and let it sink in. Dude says that he started from scratch, he did. He self released his shit using money he earned from winning rap battles. Shit. 

He goes from there and rightly attacks the record companies. I'm not going to focus on the rhymes for a second, I just want to point out a jewel of truth:

 No one's as good as me, they just got better marketing schemes
I'll lead you to your own destruction like sparkin' a fiend
Cuz you got jealousy in your voice like Starscream

This is a great line, the record companies push a lot of talentless rappers who would be jealous of Immortal Technique's skills. Plus a Starscream reference. Shhhiiiiiitttt.




If verse one is good. Verse two is straight science...like few would dare to spit, here it is:

"I want fifty three million dollars for my calloused hands
Like the Bush administration gave to the Taliban
And fuck packing grams nigga, learn to speak and behave
You wanna spend twenty years as a government slave
Two million people in prison keep the government paid
Stuck in a six by eight cell alive in the grave
I was made by Revolution to speak to the masses
Deep in the club toast the truth, reach for you glasses
I'll burn an orphanage just to bring heat to you bastards
Innocent deep in a casket, Colombian fashion
Intoxicated off the flow like thugs passion
You motherfuckers will never get me to stop blastin'
You're better off asking Ariel Sharon for compassion
You're better off begging for twenty points from a label
You're better off battling cancer under telephone cables
Technique chemically unstable, set to explode
Foretold by the dead sea scrolls written in code
So if your message ain't shit, fuck the records you sold
Cuz if you go platinum, it's got nothing to do with luck
It just means that a million people are stupid as fuck
Stuck in the underground in general and rose to the limit
Without distribution managers, a deal, or a gimmick
Revolutionary Volume 2, murder the critics
And leave your fucking body rotting for the roaches and crickets"

Allow me to call out one line which should be the motto of hip hop:

So if your message ain't shit, fuck the records you sold / Cuz if you go platinum, it's got nothing to do with luck / It just means that a million people are stupid as fuck

In Conclusion: If you ain't know about Immortal Technique, now you do. Get wise.

Industrial Revolution Score 10/10