Immortal Technique is the direct offspring of Public Enemy, and what they first started during the late 80’s, he’s taken and enhanced it by 300%. His political statements come through stronger than any other artists I can recall. While being ultra left and extreme in his views compared to the general population in the States, Technique’s style doesn’t get any harder and if anything, he’s here to tell people the ugly truth, at least the way he sees it. Whether it be with heart-breaking stories, obnoxious lyricism or political facts, you can be sure you will get provoked, repulsed, moved and along with it all, you’ll nod your head to the beat.

What we are dealing with on “Revolutionary Vol. 2″ is an MC with a hunger for your attention, and as soon as he has it he’ll make sure that you won’t get distracted by anything other than the words that are being spewed from his mouth with anger, despair and passion. With a captivating flow and delivery, you are introduced to the world of Immortal Technique on “The Point of no Return,” the horror-like beat pulses in the back while he bends words into each other atop of it. “Peruvian Cocaine” is an incredibly well crafted story about the journey drugs take from South America to the streets of Harlem. Featuring six other rappers, each one describing every step that cocaine takes to get into the veins of the addict, it’s a display of how Hip Hop can touch on subjects in a degree that can be extremely powerful. On track 4, a deep tale of the realities in “Harlem Streets” is explored over water splashes and beautiful acoustic guitar play. As a direct opposite of the last track, “Obnoxious” is exactly what the title indicates, but in a strangely delightful way.

Whether we are told about “Industrial Revolution,” “the 4th Branch” or “Freedom of Speech” it’s always with an on-point flow and a clear voice. Never holding back with the political messages, he touches deeply on various subjects and whether you agree with him or not, it’s undeniable how his passion for finding the truth in everything is, often facing you with facts that are hard to look past, like on “The Cause of Death.”. Here he’s constantly slapping you in the face with well-rooted conspiracy theories, and it’s clear that his mission is to provoke you to read into whatever he’s uttering and encouraging you to take his words and think them through, just like how he ends by saying:

“Government ties is really why the government lies,
read it yourself instead of asking the government why,
cause then the cause of death will cause the propaganda to die”

Despite being constructed by fairly unknown producers, the beats on “Revolutionary Vol. 2,” fits Technique well. “Leaving the Past” and “You Never Know” are like “Harlem Streets” lifted up by slow touching guitar riffs and Jean Grae shows up on the chorus of “You Never Know,” a heartbreaking story about lost love and you would have to have a stone instead of a heart not to get chocked up at the end.

This is a very bold and uncompromising release. Many might not like it due to the political views it holds, but nevertheless “Revolutionary Vol. 2″ shows an extremely passionate MC who has some of the sharpest lyrics out there, who comes out stronger and harder than any other political charged artist. But as he says himself: “I’m not controversial, I’m just speakin’ the facts”.

by Oskar