Thug Life Army

Immortal Technique is a hip hop artist, rap artist and political activist. On many of his tracks, he references the strife of poverty in the slums of America and he points blame at politicians.

Thru his rap he brings the truth to the forefront of those in hip-hop culture and he is held in great respect in the hip-hop culture for his truthfulness and approach to let the truth out on many subjects.

The following is written by the Latino hip-hop underground legend Immortal Technique. Help if you can; or as  says “I hope you will help us rebel, and if not then get the f*ck out the way nigga.”

A Revolution has Begun in South Central.

Before you write and tell me you wish you could help but you don''t live in LA, just email in it's just that simple. You can help, you can fight

In our quest to understand the cause and effects of Revolution we must look at the different perspectives that people see Revolution in. From a standpoint of the people who live in America, I have always seen a rebellious spirit against the hypocrisy that this government and its companies display. However, I have never seen the commitment necessary for a Revolution that most like to envision. The guns, the guerilla campaign, the war torn countryside, most people are inconvenienced to the point of feeling the full blast of futility during a few hours of a blackout. For most people who have lived in El Salvador, Peru, Jamaica, Ireland, Lebanon, Palestine, Afghanistan, Colombia, Haiti, Guatemala, Mexico, and other places Revolution comes at a real price, the price of life, and the death of those you know... real pain. It is not always a good thing; it is often synonymous with the death of the innocent and the starvation and homelessness that follows.

So the question remains, what is true Revolution? Can it only have one traditional form, or does it need to be tailored to every social and economic scenario when dealing with a new culture, government and system of oppression. As we watch the spread of cancer in America, it reflects the spirit of an empire that is eating away at itself. A nation built upon slavery and genocide who promised freedom to those who died for it and yet allowed the corruption of government to consume it to the point where it is a shell of its original idea. With no more land to conquer there is a turn to hatred of all those who have become what they are as a result of what imperialism has spread. Not just America, who does not deserve all of the blame because it has birthed ideas about human rights out of the ashes. Unfortunately those ideas are betrayed now by the same ones who claim to defend freedom. In the accusation of original sin we often forget than original innocence too is a trait of mankind and I know that God lives in the hearts of people across this nation. Unfortunately though so does hatred, and hatred is the emptiness that seems to fill us, but swallows our soul satisfying our hunger is a manner which leaves us lost. With that said I have searched throughout the land for many causes to lend my support to. I have found individuals, from here and from other countries who I knew I could work with. Even if I didn''t like these people personally, I was undoubtedly committed to the cause and to the struggle. I learned through the hardship of failure that my ego had to be put aside if I was to lead an army anywhere.

I found many fights to have, with ignorance and with the starving who turned to cannibalizing their own people. I grew up since I released Vol.2 and over the years I opened my eyes to many rebellions across America and across the world. I have made a considerable amount of allies that span across the globe.  Warriors and workers, teachers, doctors, lawyers, rappers, children who became soldiers, and gang niggaz who came into the knowledge of what the system was designed to do. Students who learned that the most important thing they could learn from school was not the curriculum, but rather HOW to learn and apply what they wanted to know in life, to life itself and make a change in their own destiny. There are so few people in this world of 7 billion that do what they love for a living that I could probably fit them all on a few blocks in Harlem.

That said, I know now that there is a specific group of people who need my help or rather our help. People who represent who we are as a people, we cannot rely on a racist channel like Univision to broadcast some truth about our Latino people when the rampant majority of images they depict of Latinos the white Spanish Europeans. The indigenous spirit is seen as some wild animal that lives in our most native people. We are always shown as the first people Columbus ran into and our culture is painted as uncivilized. Since the blue eyes of a fake Jesus could not stare for too long into the face of a broken raped woman that birthed our race 500 years ago they have turned to a new form of subliminal messages. We must not rely on major corporate controlled media outlets, although we must use them when we can. I am asking all independent media and all people who would fight, all those who would have been warriors, soldiers and workers in the past when we actually owned our land to be that in spirit now. The people of South Central Los Angeles, the people who provide the community with healthy food, not that fast food shit that causes cancer  notice that trend is popular in the hood now, and your children are next.) These South Central Farmers are being forced off their land by the city. They are being forced off the land given to them by the city by a Ralph Horowitz who recently sued the 14 families who will end up on skid row homeless if they are removed. These people created a paradise of food production and living space out of a space that Mr. Horowitz and others wanted to turn into a factory to burn garbage. For the past 13 years, 350 families have tended the 14 acre farm located on 41st and Long Beach Ave (1 block west of Alameda). They grow their own cabbage, potatoes, tomatoes, chipillin, alachi, quelite, helping to keep our culture and medicine alive. Aside from being a place where people come on Sundays to buy nutritious food for the family, the largest urban farm in America also forms an oasis in a part of the city that is stricken with severe water and air pollution. Go and see it for yourself. The democrat mayor who has achieved some positive things in his term has decided to turn a blind eye to this issue. He hopes it boils over he does not wish to confront the land owners and large businessmen who use their personal contacts to turn a working farm into a warehouse or a burning junkyard. Revolution is not like some movie where there is some glorious jungle fight scene, where the ideas are romanticized. This is a real Revolution, something where people mobilize to confront the system. When I return to LA I will grant any media, small or large an interview the day after the big show on April 8th, provided they come to the press conference and offer their assistance in exposing this crime against our people. Further details will be available at the concert.

If you cannot march or get out of work, at least use the phone or email now that you have read this. Contact these people and ask them to keep the South Central Farmers on their rightful land. This isn''t some elegant rebellion where the uniforms and the guns are drawn this is a rebellion of the people and all so called Revolutionaries in the area should donate whatever time they can. Or at least let your voice be heard

So let them hear it. Show them Immortal Technique doesn''t have fans, he has supporters, and not just people who support music but understand this is bigger than Hip Hop could ever be my people. The time is drawing closer and closer. Let them hear you. Force them to listen they cannot escape universal truth.

Mayor Villaraigosa:

Email: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it      Phone: (213)978-0600

Council Representative Jan Perry:

Email  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it    Phone:  (213)473-7009

Please contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it   for more information about meeting up and about the campaigns and schedules

Contact Brenda at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it   to coordinate days ×.

For info regarding the scheduled events, please contact Rosa @ (310)867-0696

I will return to LA soon my brothers and sister, my soldiers and my people. I will return with more responsibility than I ever imagined I would have on this tour. Thank you for being supportive and believing in this movement and our people's right to exist and retain our culture more than me as a rapper. The tour dates will be posted tomorrow.

The farmers are continuing their 24 hour vigil to protect the farm which started in July of 2006.  Please bring supplies of food, water, flashlights, batteries, firewood, sleeping bags, blankets, tarps, tents and anything else we may need in the days to come. For information on the South Central Farmers and their legal struggle visit www.southcentralfarmers.com

You may contact us through our website or contact Fernando @ (909)605-3136

This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it   Tell him that Immortal Technique sent you to help him out and he''ll let you know what we need to do to make this happen.

Peace & Respect,

Immortal Technique

President of Viper Records

PS.

We need all people, not just Latinos, but Blacks, Whites, Jews, Muslims, true Christians, Asians and all others that understand oppression. People ask me why I championed Islam and championed Palestine in my works on Vol.2. I answer that I never wrote anything to champion Islam or Palestine. I wrote that shit to champion the truth. I saw a people suffering from the effects of racism, hatred, war profiteering, and stepped up and spit in the face of those people who looked down upon them. I saw a people who suffered the same model of colonialism my people did. I will always fight for you. I hope that you will fight for my people, because they live in an occupied homeland that belongs to them but is threatened by a military backed government. I hope you will help us rebel, and if not then get the fuck out the way nigga.

*Photo Credit – Cary O. Stuart