A man who uses his talents for the good, somebody who wants more from life than money and fame, somebody who wants to make a change, that somebody is UK’s own, Lowkey, one of the most gifted artists with his mind in the right place, here is his new single, the captivating, Something Wonderful:

Something Wonderful is quitely simply a beautiful song, it speaks for itself in volumes, it is an honest record (something you can always expect from Lowkey), it is a positive record and most of all it has a meaning, his ever-growing fanbase will love this as will new listeners. An ode to the female, Lowkey has come into more prominence recently and has not stopped to enjoy the accomplishments but rather work harder in order to acheive his goal, as a person he is humble and honest, I can only support and offer praise for such a person, especially when the music being created is so powerful and even comforting.

Having already topped the Amazon download charts, with Long Live Palestine, surpassing the likes of Jay-Z, Eminem and the Black Eyed Peas in doing so, he has shown that you can still have a career and a following despite a lack of help from the media and corporates.

Continue to support the rightous rapper, as he continues to deliver quality and honest music.

Lowkey - Something Wonderful ..available for purchase on February 14th

Follow Lowkey on twitter @LowkeyUK

(Above: The title says it all: “Professor Griff drops knowledge.”)

By Joel Francis
The Daily Record

Onstage, Professor Griff, minister of information for the veteran rap group Public Enemy, rarely smiles. Griff rarely takes center stage, but sets the tone of the show by marshalling the S1Ws, Public Enemy’s uniformed faux-security force, through their militant dance steps.

Offstage, Griff may not be mistaken for Flavor Flav, the group’s much-lampooned comedic foil-turned-reality TV star, but he is far from the grim-faced drill sergeant he appears. In fact, right now he is laughing.

“At first, I was DJ Griff,” the founding member says through a chuckle. “I laugh because people don’t see me like that. Then it morphed into minister of information, because I was always studious. I took it upon myself to be an avid reader and study. That’s how I got the name Professor.”

Griff, nee Richard Griffin, describes the early days of Public Enemy and discusses his political views and philosophies in his new book, “Analytixz.”

“Readers already know the media’s version of who Griff is. This lets me tell aspects of my story without writing an autobiography,” Griff says. “The ugly truth and the controversies are there. I don’t like it, but I can’t write it with a pink cover and make everything cute.”

The lengthy first chapter covers the most controversial part of Griff’s career, when he was kicked out of Public Enemy for being quoted making anti-Semitic statements in the Washington Times.

“The first chapter was the most difficult,” Griff says. “It was the only time I had to stop tape, because it brought back a time I didn’t want to re-experience.”

Although that rough experience is the lynchpin of the book, another hardship brought the manuscript to fruition.

“’Analytixz’ came together in 90 days because I lost the other three books I was working on when my house burnt to the ground,” Griff says. “It comes from a place of hurt and pain, but I wanted to fulfill my promise to put out a book.”

Griff laughs again remembering how Run-DMC’s DJ Jam Master Jay and Def Jam label co-founder Rick Rubin’s original plan for Public Enemy.

“When Jam Master Jay saw (Public Enemy MC) Chuck (D) at Adelphi University, he and Rick Rubin wanted to sign him as Chuckie D,” Griff says through a snicker. “Chuck and I are still laughing about that one. Basically, Chuck brought Flav along, and everyone else came from me.”

“Everyone else” is the groundbreaking production unit known as the Bomb Squad and the group’s DJ, Terminator X.

“Members of the Bomb Squad had a group called Spectrum City, which included me,” Griff says. “We brought Chuck on board to be part of our mobile DJ unit.”

Public Enemy is nearing its 25^th anniversary, but Griff, Chuck and company are still intent on bringing the noise. After leaving Def Jam, the band is financing their new album through SellABand. By purchasing $25 shares, fans can help the band reach its goal of $250,000 and get everything from a mention in the liner notes, to profit sharing and input on the final product.

“It’s interesting to see how things are unfolding,” Griff says. “People say, Public Enemy, you guys were popular, it should be no problem to raise that money, but they’re on the outside of it.”

While many rap acts from the ‘80s are dismissed as old school, Public Enemy has worked hard to stay at the vanguard. The band pioneered the digital distribution model with their album “There’s A Poison Goin’ On” 10 years ago, and introduced a play-listed based album on 2002’s “Revolverution.”

“Me and Chuck are 49,” Griff says of his bandmate, who was born on the same day in the same hospital. “It’s not over. We still have to put our period at the end of the sentence.”

What’s on Griff’s iPod?

“If I lent you my iPod for one day, you’d probably say ‘What the hell?’ The first thing you’d notice is I have a large music collection – easy listening, rock, soulful stuff. When it comes to my hip hop playlist, you’ll see Rage Against the Machine, the Roots, Immortal Technique, Wize Intelligent, Dead Prez, KRS-One – because I’m still learning from him – and the new Can-I-Bus. There’s no Nelly, no Snoop Dogg and nothing produced by Jermaine Dupri.

“The most surprising thing on my iPod is (long pause) Asher Roth, which is on there probably because me and my son share a computer. I play that song when people come in the car with me and they say, Griff, what do you know about a white Jewish boy? I listen to everything, man.”

Keep Reading:

Review: Public Enemy, Rage, the Roots and more at Rock the Bells (2007)

Review: The Roots (2008)

More Hip Hop on The Daily Record

When the time comes, I’ll open that door/ So you can safely walk in and drop to the floor/ It’s disgusting/ what lies on the inside; too many problems and a heart that lies/I’m cold/with nothing to give/ matured with the mentality of a seven year old kid/ love it/ with nothing to offer you should want to know me for the feelings I’ll alter/I’m gunna change you/ on the inside and out/ play with your emotions and make you shout, make you cry/ make you touch base with all that you know, limit you, ’cause I won’t let you go

And when you try to dry your eyes I’ll be there to help tears slide down the cheeks I once called mine and watch you…

<chorus>

Listen/ I put a note on the stairs/ so when you get home/ I won’t be there/ I hit the streets/ I’m not coming back. IF you’re lucky I’ll get stuck in the cracks/swallowed whole/It’s ugly/ the scene in which we live in/ugliest when I’m not givin/love/the love you deserve but rather the driest taste of dirt/ You need to sit there/ on the bench, on the sidelines/ watch as my selfishness begins to climbs high/ and observe/ why I don’t love me/ why I’m considered ugliest of ugly

If you listen to these words I will keep you from the hurt. When you wake, I’m no more…just a dream…

<chorus>

<Breakdown>

<Chorus/Outro>

It’s extremely tough to determine a clear top tier group of any artists in any genre.  What is the reason for this?  Well, in reality music quality is all perspective.  One’s view of who is “good” and “bad” is nothing more then personal preference.  In some situations it might appear exceedingly obvious that one artist is better then another.  For example a credited mainstream musician verses a middle school singer.  However, to say that mainstream artist is “better” would merely be an opinion.  There is no proof is determining a hierarchy of musicians.  In a sport such as basketball separating “the greats” from “the not so greats” is an easier process.  Obviously Michael Jordan is a better player then some no name guard who rarely played.  One could argue that best selling albums and musical awards of an individual artist can be used as a means to separate talent.  Although this is true, factual feats do not provide a strong enough bass in determining “the best”.  So without further ado, Smooth Thought will present its list of the top ten solo Hip Hop artists of all time.

For starters, here is a list of the top ten best selling Hip Hop albums of all time in the United States, excluding R&B. It will be interesting to see how the artists who produced these albums fit into Smooth Thought’s top list.  (Artist followed by album)

1.  Boyz II Men – II

2.  Kid Rock – Devil Without A Cause

3.  OutKast – Speakerboxxx/The Love Below

4.  MC Hammer – Please Hammer Don’t Hurt ‘Em

5.  The Notorious B.I.G. – Life After Death

6.  Eminem – The Eminem Show

7.  Tupac Shakur – All Eyez On Me

8.  Will Smith- Big Willie Style

9.  Tupac Shakur- Greatest Hits

10.  Lauryn Hill – The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill

Here is a short list of those who just missed the cut. (In descending order)

Aesop Rock, Common, Lupe Fiasco, Kanye West, Mos Def

10. Immortal Technique

Immortal Technique is linguistically the most skilled Hip Hop artist.  His use of words transcends any notion that could otherwise phase his position as a great.  His focus on politics and other relevant issues is refreshing in a Hip Hop world predominately centered on sex, drugs, and violence.  He has great story telling ability and simultaneously possesses a smooth flow.  There is not much not to love about Immortal Technique.  As the colloquial saying goes, He keeps it real.

9. AZ

AZ will forever be painted in the backdrop of Nas’ legacy.  The talented MC never truly found his way into the mainstream venue nor did he find his way into the hearts of most Hip Hop listeners.  He is an incredible talent however, and his overlooked nature factors into his greatness.  AZ has produced quality hits, albums, and complications throughout his career. He is known most notably for his appearance in Nas’ first album, but his best work lies within his solo career.  AZ combines “hard core gangster” with a unique smoothness.  He is well deserving of a top ten spot.

8. Big L

If the Hip Hop world doled out a comedic award, Big L would not be an unexpected recipient.  Big L captures his audience with his humor and extremely unique tone.  He  might have the most distinguishable voice in Hip Hop to those who know of him.  Although Big L’s persona was centered on the “gangster streets” which within he resided, it didn’t stop him from being lyrically creative and intelligent.  His career was sadly cut short in the late 90’s when he was murdered.  It’s debatable whether this contributed to or against his success.  What is known is that his lyrical ability and humor is second to none.  Big L is an original New York rap legend.

7. J Dilla

J Dilla’s life was also unexpectedly cut short after a well-fought battle with Lupus.  Although he died almost 4 years ago, his beats continue to resonate and set the standard for today’s aspiring producers. Jay Dee produced several critically acclaimed albums, which led to his nomination for a Grammy.  He is considered in many eyes to be the best producer and beat maker ever.  J Dilla was a truly gifted individual who understood how to make phenomenal music.  His beats are intricately woven, almost mastered to perfection.  Not enough can be said about the greatness of this Detroit legend.

6. Eminem

Eminem has significantly worsened under the test of time.  He has become more pop star then rap star and seemingly hundred percent cash oriented.  This just proves how great he once was.  Although his last several albums have been horrid, his first four were pure gems, good enough to allow him into the discussion of top ten solo artists.  Eminem burst onto the global scene in the late 90’s and has not looked back since.  He will forever be categorized as “the white rapper”.  Before his days of butt pop, Eminem spit fire.  His evident anger fueled beautifully malicious raps often involving his personal life.  His “I don’t give a fuck” attitude allowed him to consistently create genuine works of art that could often be humorous.  Eminem, regardless of recent poor decisions in creationism, is in a category by himself.

5. Jay-Z

When discussing financial success in the Hip Hop world, Jay-Z’s name immediately comes to mind.  Although he hasn’t always been the best musician, he has always proven to be a top inventor in his field.  Jay-Z has been the main contributor to the direction of mainstream Hip Hop in the 2000’s era.  There’s something to be said for that.  Even in the previous decade he saw initial success with the release of his first album, Reasonable Doubt.  Many consider this to still be his best work.  Jay-Z has had the rare fortune of being able to produce quality material in the face of a mainstream audience.  His albums are appealing to both the masses and Hip Hop listeners who don’t usually enjoy the mainstream taste.  Jay-Z is no lyrical talent, but his overall style with a combination of excellent production has allowed him legendary success.

4. Nas

Nas’ legacy is derived from his solo debut, Illmatic.  Illmatic took the Hip Hop world by storm and to this day is considered one of the greatest albums of all time.  It was a tough act to follow.  Nas never found the ideal footing into the Hip Hop market he desired and was constantly placed in the backdrop of Jay-Z’s success.  All this was for the better.  Over the last two decades Nas has dished out a long-winded collection of classics.  Although no album will ever match Illmatic, Nas’ more recent endeavors speak volumes to his motivation and talent.  His material, although less well known then his rival Jay-Z’s, is better.  Nas has a deep understanding of what a solid Hip Hop song should be and it shows.  His flow, lyrical ability, and message combine to propel him into a top five Hip Hop artist.

3. Talib Kweli

To be blunt, Talib Kweli is without a doubt the most talented Hip Hop artist ever to live.  Unfortunately for him two guys, one named Christopher Wallace and the other named Tupac Shakur, decided to pick the same profession.  Talib has the uncanny ability to produce perfection.  Seemingly every song that the man makes is purified and mistake ridden.  Kweli delivers the smoothest style any artist has to offer.  His lyrics are often riddled with word play and deeper meaning.  Talib touches on political occurrences and other issues he deems important.  Although his songs serve a greater purpose, the audience is not given the feeling it’s being boggled down by political propaganda.  Kweli’s songs flow purely though one’s eardrums like a soft bending creek.  The beats incorporated with his songs never lack intensity nor do they drain his soft voice.  His persona maintains the same smooth ability his music possesses.  He has upheld a decently well renowned career, while preserving his genuine style.  There is no question Talib Kweli is already one of the greatest artists of all time.

2. Tupac Shakur

Tupac has to be considered as one of the greats in Hip Hop.  Although other artists might be more deserving of this position if the requirements were based purely on talent, Shakur contributed more to Hip Hop then any other artist.  Without his rivalry with Biggie Smalls and more importantly the music that he created, there is no telling where Hip Hop would be at this point.  Tupac is the original.  Although he didn’t invent rap, he invented what we now recognize as rap.  His style was far ahead of it’s time.  One must remember that the early 90’s did not provide as much technical support as is available now.  One must also remember he pioneered the Hip Hop game.  An original will always be more deserving than his or her successors.  That is Tupac’s story.  His music was good, his message was great, and what he represented is what has pushed him into the discussion of “Hip Hop God”.

1. The Notorious B.I.G.

Biggie Smalls reigns King.  There is no denying he is a revolutionary genius.  Unlike Tupac however, Biggie provided something better.  The Notorious B.I.G. provided phenomenal music.  To this day Biggie’s unique flow remains unmatched.  He had it all.  He could be humorous and completely serious.  He could talk about genuine issues and he could talk about “getting money”.  What brought his persona full circle was the rawness in it all.  Everything about him reeked of “real”.  Biggie was no fake.  His style was purely heavenly cake.  Now add a pioneer to this mixture, and you get one tasty bake.

Thanks for the read.

Comments appreciated!

PS

Tune in next week for Smooth Thought’s top ten Hip Hop groups of all time.

Listen up guys!
*EVENT RESCHEDULED*
*MORE INFO COMING SOON*

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Styles P, Immortal Technique, Cormega,
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(Reflections on the Haitian Revolution & present condition)

Since the recent tragedy that has befallen the proud and persevering nation of Haiti, there has been an outpouring of support followed by a few disturbing falsities being spread about the history of the island and its people. I wrote the following to shed some light on events during and around the Haitian Revolution. Please remember memorizing and reiterating should never pass for learning. Deciphering the significance of individuals and events is what truly teaches us not just about history, but also about ourselves.

There is a wide spectrum of beliefs behind what has caused Haiti to suffer ceaselessly over the years. Some see the problem as being mostly political, bad governance, modern day colonialism, or the perceived necessity to make an example to the world of what a successful slave revolution will get you. There are even those on the fringe who cling to an ancient superstition that the island was freed by a mythological pact with Satan. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f5TE99sAbwM In order to shed light on the issue I am forced to go back in time. Obviously not to the beginning of occupational history, but far enough to give a realistic perspective on Haiti and it’s struggle.

We join a story centuries in the making. It is the year 1794 and the scent of musket powder blows over all of Europe. The French Revolution may have changed the face of the world, but its unintended consequences that influenced its colonies would come to overshadow France’s own glory. It was during this year, on the 4th of February, that France’s First Republic Convention (under pressure from massive slave revolts) decided it had to transcend the stumbling efforts of the ‘enlightened monarchs’ of Europe and abolish slavery. Yet in the customary fashion of our own Declaration of Independence’s “We hold these truths to be self evident that all men are created equal,” the gesture, much like these words, became a glaring example of self-righteous insincerity. Equality, the fraternal twin brother of Independence, was aborted at the fetal stage of development and the Revolution came to betray itself.

Known then as “Saint Domingue” (French for Santo Domingo), the colony that we now call Haiti, yielded great fortune to those who possessed her. It was rich with sugar, cotton, tobacco, cocoa and other valued resources. So much so that the European Superpowers of that day fought bitterly against each other to control the island and her inhabitants. After all, the African slaves living on Saint Domingue were the proverbial engines that ran the machine. From among them appeared a man who was born a slave but who would become free and lead all his countrymen toward that same destiny. He was a glitch in the matrix, an act of nature, and a mistake to be corrected in the eyes of the island’s autocratic semi-feudal society. His name was Francois-Dominique Toussaint soon to be heralded, “L’Overture.”

As a former servant and carriage driver, he had abstained from participating directly in previous uprisings stemming from the refusal of slave masters to honor “The Declaration of the Rights of Man and of the Citizen.” He had waited patiently and then allied himself with other rebel leaders who had risen to the task of overthrowing colonial rule. His ideas were innovative and his guerrilla tactics highly disciplined. No wonder then that he rose through the ranks of the rebellious forces so quickly.

Before fighting alongside the French against other colonial powers, Toussaint had been in league with the Spanish, who along with Great Britain were at war with France. The Spanish were used as a support system for his designs when white colonials refused to endorse the full rights of citizenship to free blacks given by the French edict of 1792. In other words, for Toussaint they were there to serve his vision rather than him serving theirs. Having so many different nations vying for a piece of the pie proved a difficult task to navigate. To his credit, Toussaint had managed to out-maneuver them all, cleverly using their own tactics of pitting one against another. But when Spain and England did not follow through with their promises to free slaves, he discarded his allegiance to them.

After grueling and hard-fought campaigns against the Spanish and British, he took control of the French Colony. Toussaint promoted reconciliation among the races, which wasn’t any easier then than it would be now. He also engaged and renegotiated better terms of trade with Britain and the new American Republic alike. Catholicism was adopted as the national religion and slavery was abolished. The news traveled around the world like lightning- the African Slaves were undergoing the course of reversing 300 years of domination.

As news of the Independence of Haiti was circulating, the reaction was mixed. Toussaint’s actions openly received the approval of Alexander Hamilton, who saw Europe’s weakening in the West as an opening for America’s bid for commercial supremacy. He even aided in the drafting of the precursor to the island’s first constitution in 1801. However, when Thomas Jefferson came to power, American support was reined in. Jefferson openly own slaves and had even fathered children with the now famous girl he owned, Sally Hemmings. But much more than his personal stake in legitimized servitude, it was the perceived international threat that most likely shaped his opinion. The surrounding colonies and his new Republic being destabilized by the idea of a successful slave revolt obviously frightened him. His assertion being that their freedom would suddenly cripple the economy built around them. He is quoted as saying that it was necessary at all costs to “confine the plague to the island.” I guess “My emancipation / don’t fit your equation.”

By 1801, Toussaint was in full control of Saint Domingue. In a moment of perhaps self-preserving foresight and/or genuine altruism, he advanced onto the Spanish side of the island. His army defeated the remaining white colonial powers and freed all the slaves, showing the people of color the first glimpses of freedom they’d known practically since the time of Columbus. He rejected the ancient custom that dated back to the Middle Ages, of sending his children as hostages to his ‘Suzerain’ as a symbol of fidelity. He further declared his intentions in a famous letter addressing Napoleon himself. It was titled: “From the First of Blacks to the First of the Whites.” In it he pledged his loyalty to France. He stated firmly that slavery would be utterly annihilated; that he (Toussaint) would remain governor indefinitely (a suggestion from Hamilton and then Sec. of State Pickering). Furthermore Saint Domingue would be a free and independent state. The correspondence must have come as a shock to then Consul Napoleon. It was probably the sheer audacity of a former slave proposing terms of independence, albeit in the most polite and articulate manner, that struck him. This man was obviously more dangerous than he could have ever imagined. Toussaint and his people represented something that had to be proved false no matter the cost.

See the very existence of their independence showed the entire human race a side of history that we are only now truly rediscovering. European society had relied mainly on creating divisions and the spread of epidemics, not simply superior military prowess, to overcome the indigenous populations of Africa and the Americas. The Haitian Revolution exposed the façade of European invincibility, and it tore away at their justification for invasion on the grounds of Christianization. The mythology of racial superiority began to take the shape of an ancient death mask from classical antiquity.

Napoleon would hear no more and dispatched his brother-in-law Gen. Charles LeClerc, to the island with a huge force of infantry troops and warships. His stated intention was to secure the new state. At first confrontation ensued, but they arrived at a truce once Toussaint had been promised that the French would not attempt to reinstate slavery. However, the moment he let his guard down he was almost immediately betrayed. Toussaint and his entire family were arrested. Restoring the island to France’s control, LeClerc had Toussaint sent to prison in France. But this was just the beginning. He quietly moved to begin the process of re-enslavement. “Since terror is the sole resource left me, I employ it…destroy all the mountain negroes, men and women, sparing only children under twelve years of age,” read his report to Napoleon.

The French now shifted their focus to using the former so-called “Mulatto” people who Toussaint had defeated in previous military campaigns to maintain control of the island. They, the “Mulattos,” had been at odds with elements of the Revolution earlier, although they had suffered almost equally from the torments of slavery. The very concept of the “Mulatto”, that still to this day plagues the African, Latin American, Caribbean, and so Called West Indian world, merits an explanation all to itself.

The Latin ‘mulus,’ became the Old Spanish or Old Castillian ‘mula,’ finally evolving into the Spanish and Portuguese “Mulatto,” that symbolized the reverse anthropomorphic semblance of a human being. A mule is the physical combination of a horse and a donkey. This part is simple enough. But the symbolic nature of this has a racial connotation that tears apart our society even today. The horse symbolizes the White European, elegant, regal and highly valued. And the donkey embodies what they thought the purpose of an African/Indigenous slave should be; a beast of burden to be worked until the day that ‘it’ dies.

The combination of a horse and a donkey creates a species that rarely if ever is capable of reproducing. The male is always born sterile, and the female is exceptionally similar in this way. Hence the idea that nothing good can come from them. This concept then became permeated in the portrayal of the “tragic mulatto” in 19th century American literature, leading into classic Hollywood cinema. It is a theme symbolized by the downfall of a “Mulatto” or “Quadroon”/”Octoroon” attempting to pass for white. It also focused on the conflict of those trapped between two races. Those who despised and pitied their darker half and their own skin color, while needing the approval of whites to validate themselves. In most of the stories peace is only found for the said main character in death. The very definition of its existence solidified the role of White and Black in the American caste system, whose remnants we all still presently reside in. It also laid out the role of Blacks to themselves, without many of them even to this day understanding the loaded straw man argument about race posed within the terminology.

It was the Haitian Revolution that challenged the very idea of slavery and the existence of a lesser man. It put the “enlightenment” of Europeans on trial, and forced America to confront what she was becoming as opposed to what she was supposed to be. The usage of concepts like the “Mulatto” were necessary for late 18th century white society to put institutionalized racism on life support for another 150 years, and create a violent split in the psychology of Mother Earth’s first children.

They had used a traditional stratagem inherited from the Romans/Byzantines of understanding an empire’s limited capacity for multi-dimensional warfare on a global scale, and employed the service of a smaller state to outflank its opponents in conflict. Only this time it was not using the Visigoths to fight the Huns (Battle of Chalon, 451 A.D.) or the Cumans to fight the Pechenegs (Levonium, 1091 A.D.). Napoleon and those that served his court were innovators of the worst kind. They perfected what other colonial powers beforehand had only begun. They created virtual new age “foederati” for their designs by ripping a subsection out of the very people they sought to subjugate. In return for cooperation, the French promised the desperate “Mulattos” more rights and more privileges in what they painted as a new Saint Domingue. Effectively this action created a safe haven for racism that is even now nestled like a neonate Viper storing the poison of generation after generation. The idea built itself within the conscious and subconscious mind of an enslaved people, to keep them in bondage psychologically even if they found themselves physically free. This is evident not only in the continued degeneration of Black and “Mulatto” relations well into the mid 1800’s under Jean Pierre Boyer, but in present Black & Latino society’s obsession with skin color.

In other words, the French colonization efforts efficiently solidified adding dimensions to racism and the notion of racial superiority by creating a different “race” in our own minds. It was wicked and brilliant in its service to the cause of reducing man to property as it was to being duplicitous to the so-called ‘Mulatto’ himself. For in the end he was closer to his Master in his eyes only. To the French he was still little more than an animal, subject to an active and de-facto ‘Code Noir’.

(The cruel logic of the seemingly schizophrenic reflections in King Louis XIV’s Code Noir of 1641, is regarded as a predecessor to the U.S. Black Codes, which shaped the legal standing of former African slaves in the post civil war Era. It covers everything from the immediate persecution and expulsion of Jews, to laws concerning a slave’s position, methods of torture and capital punishment that could be implemented.)

Click to read the Code Noir http://chnm.gmu.edu/revolution/d/335/

Tricknowledge, is a late 20th century Harlem terminology for an old cosmopolitan strategy. It is used to describe an imperial power not having the physical force to conquer a people, and therefore resorting to the art of deception to achieve victory. Calculating lies are used to manipulate the target into compromising positions before it is attacked. Yet even with all of her elegantly worded deception, sweet-accented mandates, and counter-mandates, France would only hold the beautiful island prisoner for a few more fleeting moments of history. Once the Revolution was set into motion there was no opposing inertia capable of stopping it. Toussaint may have been taken under arms to France, where he lived incarcerated in a frozen fortress near Bensancon (eventually succumbing to pneumonia although some suspected poison), but the Revolution rolled on. In fact, right before Toussaint’s death, a perhaps karmic parting gift of yellow fever swept Saint Domingue weakening the French garrison and even claiming the life of Charles LeClerc.

Napoleon’s Saint Domingue police state barely lasted a year, until it became blatantly evident that slavery was to be reinstated just as it had been on Guadeloupe. In the end, after watching the brutal conflict and horrific mistreatment of his own people, it was one of Toussaint’s young Generals, Jean Jaques Dessalines (who had ironically allied himself with LeClerc when Toussaint was captured), who decided to emerge as the leader that would avenge his people. Truthfully though, and perhaps more important to his own soulful vanity, he really sought to avenge himself. To hear him described by the contemporary European authors of his time, he sounds like the very manifestation of chaotic violence. But every scar has a story, and Dessalines had many scars. In fact a large percentage of his body was covered in painful grooves, partially healed lacerations and whip marks that made some of his skin look like it had melted over itself. He had received some of these in very visible places, and even the most sensitive areas of a man, for his perceived ‘insolence’ as a slave.

It is said General Dessalines would look upon his scars in the mirror and cry out in rage before battles. Then crashing into his enemies he fought with the valiant nature of a man seeking freedom, and persistent fury of a heart that would only be quenched by vengeance. His aim became to ensure the small Revolution’s continued success at any military cost. He was determined to maintain it by implementing the same campaigns of terror that the slave owners had recently utilized on him and his people. And this is what terrified white Europeans to the core of their being. Provoking most landowners and slave masters to flee. Some of them though, daring to look, must have surely seen a piece of themselves in him and been rattled. This is thought to be what initially led to the invention of stories about his pact with the devil and deals with voodoo spirits, as these then served the impertinent need to differentiate his actions from theirs.

To better understand how the slaves were treated and what exactly he sought to repay his former masters for, I chose this famous quote from Henri Christophe’s personal secretary. He, who was once a slave, describes in sick details the daily torture inflicted on the enslaved Africans of Saint-Domingue by the French.

“Have they not hung up men with heads downward, drowned them in sacks, crucified them on planks, buried them alive, crushed them in mortars? Have they not forced them to eat shit? And, having flayed them with the lash, have they not cast them alive to be devoured by worms, or onto anthills, or lashed them to stakes in the swamp to be devoured by mosquitoes? Have they not thrown them into boiling cauldrons of cane syrup? Have they not put men and women inside barrels studded with spikes and rolled them down mountainsides into the abyss? Have they not consigned these miserable blacks to man eating-dogs until the latter, sated by human flesh, left the mangled victims to be finished off with bayonet and poniard?”

His preferred mechanism for punishing European colonials, many of whom were former slave masters, was indeed ruthless. He implemented “Black Rage” as both his foreign and domestic policy, which meant the absolute destruction of the white colonists, soldiers, and civilians. Before him others had angrily suggested this sort of retribution but none had the gall to carry it out. After all, ideologues may design a Revolution and dismantle an empire verbally, but ideas are powerless without the hand that wields them mercilessly. In the end a combination of this, and allowing remaining whites to live without owning any property and having little say in government, was the result.

I make no attempt here to justify the actions of Jean-Jaques Dessalines, but a person cannot be made a slave unless they are terrorized and de-humanized. Unless they are mentally, spiritually and in many cases physically castrated, unless their women are raped before them and children are sold and tore from the womb in front of their eyes. He did in essence what he was taught to do by those that shaped his world.

His collective punishment & scorched earth policy frightened the remaining white colonials to such a degree that most migrated en masse to the other side of the island or to the mainland. General Dessalines fought many battles and eventually claimed the independence of Haiti on January 1, 1804. During this time period he had ravaged the Eastern side of the island and having swept away all opposition, made himself Emperor in 1804. His absolute rule inspired anger and resentment, and only 2 years after his coronation he was assassinated. The country divided itself between North and South until power was consolidated again. The legend of Dessalines came to life upon his death. Stories grew out of the resentment of the white exiles that had once owned his people and now happily welcomed his demise. Even the “Mulatto” section of Haiti that never received his trusting and felt shunned by him. His immediate demonization followed in these circles, without a thought or a backtracking moment in history to consider what circumstances caused him to be. No context that showed the nature of the slow, functional genocide of his people.

Just silence. And that silence without context continues even today while people suffer one of the worst natural catastrophes that has ever be known to mankind.

Not a word from proud France who defied the American War machine over Iraq, but has kept silent over these two centuries when concerning the 150 million gold francs it extorted from Haiti in 1838. The number was later lowered to 90 million gold francs but the factual story behind the extortion goes as such. Under the guise of a cessation of hostilities (a promise to curb re-invasion), repaying indemnities and for the loss of “property” (slaves) during the Revolution, France demanded payment. And of course since Haiti had no such sum in their treasury at the time, French bankers eagerly paid the first 30 million gold francs at exorbitant almost mafia-inspired interest rates. So high that it was not until 1947 that Haiti was actually able to repay THAT particular “loan.” By the mid to late twentieth century the IMF’s policy of changing it’s agricultural focus and conditional foreign aid had since indebted the island nation beyond ruin. In the wake of this current tragedy, I believe France should immediately repay the blood money it stole years ago no matter its legal apprehensions of reparations. This isn’t about reparations for slavery, it’s about the over 20 billion dollars in the modern equivalent paid to a reinstated tyrannical king. It is not the pinnacle of restoring Haiti, but the beginning of repair.

I would be remiss to not pause here and point out that this was written as a moderately detailed historical account of events in and around the Haitian Revolution. It is not the entire history of the island and does not go in depth into the modern self-defeating racial and political schism between Haiti and the Dominican Republican during the mid 20th century. I purposely steered clear of recent events concerning Jean Bertrand Aristide because it deserves an article on it’s own. I also cannot and will not lay the blame solely on Europeans for the condition of Haiti. The French themselves cannot be demonized anymore than the Spanish, English, Portuguese or Belgians, etc. for their role in colonization. Although to rule out foreign intervention for Haiti’s condition would be ignoring a huge amount of independent variables that affect the equation. While military backed World Bank policy has always kept the island as an economic vassal, the mismanagement of resources and corrupt leaders also bled the nation dry.

At some point we have to accept the personal responsibility for repairing the framework of society ourselves, and not relying on the people that ruined our indigenous civilizations to fix them all the time. Brutally repressive dictators, such as Duvalier, who were allowed to exist by the U.S. because of their stance against Communism, must be put into their proper context as well. They are not simply a Western invention, but rather the natural order of bequeathing absolute power to an agent of “stability,” an experiment that could easily be repeated in our own Republic. And so we as a nation cannot claim ignorance in our understanding of this political formula anymore, whether at home or abroad. The sad truth is that we as a public entity or a people may understand this relationship and dissect it now, but our own government has recognized it since the founding of the nation.

We may sometimes point to these historical figures and attribute superstitious characteristics to them in order to either justify or vilify their position. My main problem is when it starts becoming obvious that our own government uses complete and utter falsities to promote a military objective. The following is an account written by a Soldier who participated in the ousting of then President Aristide, it sheds light on the deliberate dissemination of such information:

http://www.ibiblio.org/prism/May96/haiti.html

If he (Dessalines) really made a pact to deliver his nation to absolute evil then why only the leader of the one successful slave revolt on the hemisphere? Why just him and not every other military commander throughout history that faced insurmountable odds? And when is that sort of such vindictive and violent force ever justified? See, that my friends is at the very core of what Haiti and it’s historic Revolution truly represent. That undiluted tactic of delivering oneself from slavery and oppression through physical force. The French Revolutionaries beheaded their King and did not pay his family restitution. The American Revolution gave Britain no reparations and in fact collected the land of it’s Indigenous allies after England ceded it without so much as a word to the Native American’s still living there. Yet only in modern history have enslaved people of color been trained to think suffering through the worst of what an oppressor can punish them with is the only way to gain legitimacy or victory.

Are we “tragically Mulatto?”

Are we as Black and Indigenous people only noble and righteous in an emasculated form of confrontation against such a fate? Are we only correct in our undertaking of a non-violent approach to confronting Imperialism or Fascism? More of white America praises Martin Luther King Jr. as peacefully resistant and the preferable alternative to Malcolm X’s truth without modesty. More would rather hear the scholarly Fredrick Douglass than experiencing the fear-invoking Dessalines. I do not seek to discredit the legacy of either Douglass or King. We are all indebted to the vital parts of the struggle for freedom that they played historically. But why are Europe and American spared the same constant criticism by present day historians. Would we turn the other cheek to Hitler? What would a non-violent march and a hunger strike against the Confederate South have accomplished? Without colonial militias, Native American Warriors, and the French & Spanish Armadas, wouldn’t the U.S. Constitution have ended up as British toilet paper? As a matter of fact, if Gandhi’s tactics had been used in the American Revolution, wouldn’t he have been lying in a ditch in Virginia some 234 years ago? Without the purchased attention of a global media outlet, is shaming the world even possible? And even if we managed to procure one, how could a profit margin be replaced by a soul, when that’s the one thing that a multi-national news corporation will never have?

I believe a balance is always necessary, and that might never makes right. It just makes right now. Having the power to take land, force payment or enslave others doesn’t make your cause justified. In fact I would argue that an oppressor who lies to his slaves about their ten thousand year old history, and presents them as a fraction of a human being to all, is in truth more savage than that which he has reduced his fellow man to. Strength and power are the tools that can reinforce a document, a government, a people and a nation. Without them there is only the word, and unfortunately we are not as evolved as we would like to believe because we do not respect words, not even the words of God when we write them in our own image. We are taught to only respect fear and violence.

I am not arrogant enough to claim to have all the answers, but I come rather humbly myself to pose these questions so that you may discover the answer. May we repay the slave master by acting like the slave master? Or have we already gone this route before? Perhaps in our forgotten history we have already employed these strategies amongst ourselves. Can it be that we treated each other this way when Rome was yet to be conceived and Greek civilization was still an adolescent student of Egypt? Why is violent Revolution coupled with diplomatic conflict settlement only the recourse of the Super powers alone? Why is it presented to us as fruit from the tree of knowledge in the Garden of Eden? Perhaps it was our oppressor’s pact with the devil that made it so. These are question that are easy to answer only if a personal bias already exists within us, they are harder to answer when they speak to all of humanity, and what it reflects about the future of our species.

The earthquake itself did not discriminate by skin color when deciding who would die in the collapsing buildings. It cared nothing for their religion, family connections, or politics. Corrupt diplomats have perished within the same epicenter as innocent hard-working families, and dedicated public servants. The old and the young perish together subtracted from both sides of the equation. Our evolution is the rediscovery of the past, not an invention of a mythical future. Will we always be a small, petty people as a complete and single human race that we do not look beyond what is obvious in our faces as opposed to what is obvious in the actions that our hearts strive us towards?

As I look at the proud, resilient and suffering nation of Haiti. I have heard every sort of theory for this tragedy, an act of God, HAARP, and even superstition backed by the hands of social senility wielding faith. In the end I am left to ponder what role did the world’s super powers play in burying Haiti before the Earthquake, and what sort of role will we now play in digging her, and our own collective human soul, out of the rubble?

Beyond this though, I think we should begin to seriously change the way that we look at each other around the world. We are a global community, a single race of people who might one day all become Haitians.

To all my brothers & sisters: Those that I know personally, and those I do not, who have lost family and are suffering…

My Condolences along with Revolutionary Love & Respect,

Immortal
Technique

Felipe Coronel

http://www.standwithhaiti.org/haiti
http://hashaiti.org/
http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/
http://www.yele.org

Immortal Technique:

Viper Records / Immortal Technique Assistant:

Originally this position was going to be a simple one. An intern in the office, filling orders, delivering mail and messages, getting coffee and answering phones and emails. This is something that you will have to do at some point anyway because if you’re above doing “tedious” and “meaningless” work like that then you don’t belong anywhere in a real workplace. Anything that I have gotten in this world, I got with working on meticulous details and carrying out difficult jobs that other people wouldn’t do, or were too lazy to do. However with hard work came the rewards, knowledge, and the practical skills that I have now. Something you will have the opportunity to learn.

I will give you the respect that you deserve as long as you respect yourself and the responsibility you have. All this said. I realize the simple things that I require an intern to do will not suffice for this position.

Ideally what I would like is to have a person in every region in the United States. A person in every state in the Union eventually, but for now we will start with one city, the Mecca of Hip Hop culture, New York.

I am looking for…

Someone who know how to follows directions.

Someone with Creative and Innovative ideas of their own.

Patience.

Someone who speaks more than one language. (Spanish is a plus)

Typing and basic computer skills, in both Mac and PC.

Lives in the 5 boroughs.

Preferably between the ages of 18-25. (Over 18)

An open mind about politics.

Willing to learn on the job.

I would prefer a person that doesn’t want to be a rapper (for the NYC intern) as this sometimes causes a conflict of interest.

Math skills.

Punctuality. (Timing is everything.)

Consistency.

Able to be on call 7 days a week. Random times.

And most importantly…

Unflinching loyalty.

What I really need is a person who wishes to better understand history, Revolutionary culture and someone who would be dedicated to helping not just the company, but myself. There are people that will apply from all over the country and maybe even the world, and that is good to know. We will get to you eventually, even the agent provocateurs out there. But this is not a contest, so I’m not going to announce the intern’s identity and I actually would prefer that if the person is contacted by me or my staff for a follow up interview, that they not mention it. The work I do requires discipline, confidentiality, and perseverance. It’s not for showboating. Shows and touring is work, being in the studio is work, doing community action is work, putting together music and selling records is work. This is not a game.

All parties interested should contact the following email address.

viperrecordsinterns@gmail.com
Peace & Respect,
Immortal Technique

Sounds thrilling!!!!!! Is your loyalty so unflinching that you’ll duct tape thirteen pounds of high-grade Northern Lights nugs to your person on the tour bus?

Viva La Revolucion!!!!

Peace,
Employee

Smart promo. Seriously.

Peace,
Employee

As a writer I always keep my ears open for music that will inspire me, educate me, as well as entertain me. Though the following albums are not ranked solely on that criteria, it is a large contributing factor to my choices here. These albums were overall groundbreaking as well as meaningful.

Best track:

4. Kanye West – 808s & Heartbreak

Why: Kanye’s 2004 debut The College Dropout added a fresh sound to hip-hop. On 808s he challenges what the hip-hop genre (and music ) can be – for better or worse. The album marks new territory with the Auto Tune voice processor and an 80’s era drum machine, while also incorporating mood-setting sounds such as tribal drum beats and choir monks. The instrumental innovation, backed up by Kanye’s anguished lyrics,  make the album a masterpiece of both technical composition and artistry.

Best track:

3. The Flaming Lips – Yoshimi Battles the Pink Robots
Why: An electronic opera light years ahead of our time. How far ahead? Ahead enough that I still don’t know what it’s about and apparently neither does anyone else. Regardless, Yoshimi is complex and creative. It’s also very, very poignant. At least I think it is.

Best track:

2. Eminem – The Marshall Mathers LP

Why: Like Maya Angelou on steroids, Em uses near-perfect rhyme scheme and wordplay to verbally assault everyone from his mom, to his wife, to his fans, to every dopey celebrity in Hollywood. Also, I was in middle school when this came out and at the time I’d never heard anything so hardcore.

Best track:

1. The White Stripes- White Blood Cells

Why: Every generation has its landmark rock album (Led Zeppelin I, GNR’s Appetite for Destruction, Nirvana’s Nevermind). On their mainstream début, the Stripes rocked harder and smarter than any other band, indie or otherwise. And in a decade that often saw technology replace traditional instruments, Meg and Jack White proved that a simple drum set and guitar could still speak volumes.

Best track:

Immortal Technique:

FLY

Video: Mr. T Teaches Us How to Rap

Click below to check out the new podcast.

December 31, 2009 Podcast

Track Listing

1. Brother Ali- Tight Rope (From the album: US)

2. J-Dilla Feat. Black Thought- Reality TV (From the album: Just Stay Paid)

3. J. Period & Nneka- The Uncomfortable Truth (From the album: The Madness)

4. Reflection Eternal Feat. Jay Electronic, J. Cole and Mos Def- Just Begun

5. Ms. Dynamite- Brother (From the album: A Little Deeper)

6.  Rhymefest Feat. Doo Wop, Scram Jones and Nature-Memory Lane (From the album Rhymefest & Scram Jones presents The Manual)

7. Blakroc Feat. Pharoahe Monch & RZA- Dollaz & Sense (From the album: Blakroc)

8. Skillz- Baby Phat ‘09 (From the album: Mick Boogie & Terry Urban present: Le Da Soul- 20 Years of De La Soul)

9. Sha Stimuli Feat. Khaliq- My Girl (From the album: My Soul to Keep)

10. Reflection Eternal Feat. Les Nubians- Love Language (From the album: Train of Thought)

11. Immortal Technique- The Point of No Return (From the album: Revolutionary Vol. 2)

12. Miri Ben-Ari Feat. Pharoahe Monch- New World Symphony (From the album: The Pulling Strings Mixtape)

13. Public Enemy- Power to the People (From the album: Feat of a Black Planet)

14. Skillz- 2009 Rap Up

Have a great New Years Everybody!

Before I update about Christmas and Boxing Day I have something I wish to discuss.

Last night James and I went to Kyle’s for a drink and a shisha and a gathering. Zac said that he had a good song that I should listen to. As soon as he put it on Kyle was like ‘No dude! This song is the biggest mood killer!’
And he couldn’t have been more right..
Zac was then like ‘Nah Nah it’s good!’ and kept telling me to listen to the lyrics.

The artist was Immortal Technigue who is incredible. I’d never listen to him before. Not only was he amazingly discriptive and graphic in his story; it was so intense. To the point where I thought I was actually going to have to walk away. I didn’t. I sat through the whole song. Which according to alot of people (which is widely debated) based on a true story.

The lyrics were provocative, confrontational and quite scary. Each verse sunk into a deeper fiery depth.

I can honestly say I don’t think I could listen to it again, it’s certainly an amazing song and very well written but it moves me beyond words. To the point where I was shaken and sickened by the possibility of the truth behind what I had just listened to.

Most of his songs focus on social injustice, poverty, rascim and religion. He is also an activist and travelled to the Middle East to help build an orphanage with a Non-Profit Human Rights Organisation called Omeid International.

With the decade coming to a close, it’s time to highlight the best records in hip-hop. I’ll be running down my choices for the 10 Best Albums of each year until we finally arrive at the Best of ‘09 to close things out. I’ll be covering a lot of material so feel free to comment on my picks, as I’m always down for a debate. Click the album covers or names to purchase your copies of albums that will be remembered throughout hip-hop history. Let’s go!

Best Hip-Hop Albums of 2000

1. Ghostface – Supreme Clientele

2. Eminem – The Marshall Mathers LP

3. Outkast - Stankonia

4. Common – Like Water For Chocolate

5. Big L – The Big Picture

6. Reflection Eternal (Talib Kweli & Hi-Tek) - Train of Thought

7. Jurassic 5 – Quality Control

8. Dead Prez – Let’s Get Free

9. Wu-Tang Clan – The W

10. Jedi Mind Tricks – Violent By Design

Honorable Mentions: Big Punisher – Yeeeah Baby, De La Soul – Art Official Intelligence: Mosaic Thump, M.O.P. – Warriorz, Slum Village – The Fantastic Vol. 2

Best Hip-Hop Albums of 2001

1. Jay-Z – Blueprint

2. Nas - Stillmatic

3. Masta Ace – Disposable Arts

4. J-Live – The Best Part

5. Immortal Technique – Revolutionary Vol. 1

6. Ghostface – Bulletproof Wallets

7. Cannibal Ox - The Cold Vein

8. 2Pac – Until The End Of Time

9. Aesop Rock – Labor Days

10. Cormega – The Realness

Honorable Mentions: , 7L & Esoteric – Soul Purpose, Pete Rock - PeteStrumentals, Redman – Malpractice

Stay tuned for my Best Hip-Hop Albums of 2002-3 list coming soon..