“War with the system like the streets of Oaxaca“ – Immortal Technique (Hollywood Driveby)
Okay, so it’s been a while since my last post (that’s an extreme understatement) but what better occasion to get back in the mix than a new Immortal Technique release!! On June 24, Technique dropped the highly anticipated 3rd World album /mixtape (whatever you wanna call it), a collaborative effort with DJ Green Lantern. Apparently, he is still dropping Revolutionary Vol. 3 sometime in the near future so we won’t have to wait long for his next release. After fully taking it in, I must say that it is typical Immortal Technique and those who loved his last albums will love this one. Green Lantern, aside from contributing production wise, adds some nice scratches and pull backs on a few tracks but he doesn’t do anything to ruin the flow of the album; in my opinion the mixtape format worked well in this instance. I’m not going to drop a full out review, but I will comment on one of my favorite tracks, Hollywood Driveby, which features PsycoRealm & Sick Symphonies!! This is very different sounding track with a very west-cost centric sound, but Technique makes it WORK and he even shouts out the brothers and sisters struggling in Oaxaca…Classic. Before I bounce, I gotta give big props to Chino XL because he absolutely murders his verse on Lick Shots
Anyways, I’m out. Go buy the album:
Itunes
Amazon.com
Preview Tracks:
Immortal Technique – The 3rd World
Immortal Technique – Hollywood Driveby (Feat. Psycho Realm & Sick Symphonies)
Bonus Material:
Anonymous Twist – Twisted Technique (30 min mix)
The situation currently unfolding in Colombia is a disturbing reminder of just how extensive the global war on terror actually is. Not only is there a fierce, and publicly open, war being fought in the Middle East and South Asia, but a equally fierce and brutal war is being silently fought in America’s proverbial “backyard” of Latin America under the pretense of “terrorism”. On Saturday March 1, Raul Reyes, commander and spokesperson of FARC, was assassinated during an air-attack in ECUADOR by the Colombia Army. In case you missed it the first time, it happened in Ecuador, meaning the Álvaro Uribe illegally ordered an air-strike on a neighboring sovereign nation. A lot of people do not equate terrorism to Latin America, but the U.S. has craftily used the “terrorism card” to secure its interests and influence within the region. Uribe, with the help of Plan Colombia, has created an atmosphere of terror characterized by private power, repressive forces and assassination (ironically in the name of terror itself) to create an investment friendly Colombia. Meanwhile, the U.S, sits back and watches their little investment practically pay for itself as it hopes to creates a “stabilizing” counter-weight to the emerging Left in Latin America.
For more info check out the links:
This will be the first of a series of post dedicated to the NACLA: Report on the Americas. For those of you not familiar with NACLA (North American Congress on Latin America) check out their website for more information. I’m a recent subscriber and I encourage anyone with interest in Latin America to check it out; they have special rates for students and since our $CND is doing fairly well at the moment they are offering a reduced rate subscription.
Anyways, this months issue is all about the RIGHT! Yeah, I bet you didn’t see that one coming. As you can see, their always intriguing cover art chronicles the rights “family tree” in Latin American History. This issue is all about uncovering what’s going on with the right these days as they try to emerge out of the shadows cast by left-wing heavyweights such as Chavez & Morales. It’s kinda funny actually because some of these right-wing “movements” are now claiming to be victims of state and are using similar tactics employed by the social movements over the years, such as mass demonstrations & hunger strikes, to get their message out. Yeah, it sucks when the shoe’s on the other foot doesn’t it? In addition to the efforts of the Bolivian-right to sabotage and defy Evo’s movement through various forms of extralegal violence, this issue also touches on the not-so-often talked about ultra-conservative and increasingly militarized right-winged governments in both Mexico and Colombia.
Anyways, here are some preview articles from the most recent issue:
THE CANDIDATES AND LATIN AMERICA
PUTTING DOWN ROOTS: THE LATIN AMERICAN RIGHT TODAY
NEW VS. OLD RIGHT IN PARAGUAY’S ELECTION
MEDELLÍN
DEFENDING FOOD SOVEREIGNTY
THE NEW YORK TIMES ON NAFTA AND CAFTA: NO ALTERNATIVE
Subscribe
Will the embargo end in Cuba? With the absence of Fidel, naturally that’s the first question that comes to mind (well for me anyways). It’s safe to say that the U.S. will continue its petty stubbornness and dig their feet even further in the sands of Miami. Regardless, the hostility towards Cuba, and the embargo itself, needs to end; I mean I think they made their point over the past 40 or so years and any form of legitimacy that it may of had fizzled away decades ago. Soviet China and Russia were off the hook years ago but the tiny island 90 miles south of Miami is still paying the price? One word can sum up the ongoing U.S. hostility towards Cuba — Manifest Destiny. <sarcasm>Why can’t Cuba just be more like Puerto Rico ? </sarcasm>
Anyways, I think I’m gonna make an anti-embargo tee for our spring line so stay tuned and maybe I’ll let our readers (Did I just say readers? I think I’m the only one who reads this thing) vote on the design.