Born in a military hospital in South America, Immortal Technique was brought to the United States in the early 80's while a civil war was breaking out in his native Peru. The US supported puppet democracy and Guerilla factions were locked in a bitter struggle, which ended like most do in Latin America. Although he had escaped the belligerent poverty and social turmoil of life in the 3rd world, he was now residing in Harlem, which had its own share of drama. Growing up on the streets of New York, the young man became enamored with Hip Hop culture, writing graffiti and starting to rhyme at an early age.

In this personal interview about his life and his political views “Tech”, gives us an image of a committed artist and conscious person living in these convulsive times.

Q: Tell me about your own experience as a Peruvian immigrant growing in Harlem and how that influenced your music?

Latin America was always the target for CIA intervention, secret wars in the jungle, and puppet democracies. This was never as much about defeating communism as it was about keeping the ruling class with corporate connection in power to keep the gross profits of natural resources flowing to the heart of capitalism. The civil war in Peru destroyed the economy and the people lived in fear of both sides. The military in Peru and other places use terrorism against people who don't agree with the politics of the government. My father found work, and an opportunity to go to school so he took my moms and me with him. We lived in various places in Harlem, during the 80's when NYC was real crazy. But we survived and growing up like that made me strong, I write about what I lived, not just what I saw. I went back to visit Peru and I took note that whatever poverty exists here in America, it is really incomparable to the misery that people living in the 3rd world experience in their daily lives...

Q: At what age did you become a Hip Hop artist?

I could always rhyme but I got very involved when I got out of prison in 1999 and started winning some local MC battles in NYC. I had always known about Hip Hop I used to rhyme to instrumentals and break beats DJ's used to spin back in the early 80's. I never imitated anyone I just made up my own rhymes, like freestyle, and then I would them down. But when I started winning all those battles, I thought that I would learn the business of Hip Hop, which is what made me as successful as I am now. I am glad to make this change in life, as a young adolescent I was doing irrelevant things, robbing people, stealing cars, and breaking into houses...Hip Hop changed my life and my Revolutionary mind state made me want to fight for something real.

Q: The revolutionary ideals of the indigenous people in Latin America influenced your music? How do you think is the life of this people right now and do you think their human right are being respected?

The "Latin Explosion" was bullshit; Latino people still don't even control any industries in their own homelands that aren't sanctioned directly by this country. Spanish TV in America is racist and doesn't show that Latin America is 75% Indigenous and or mixed and Black. If we went by the media standard of the corporations that control media you'd think Latin America was a bunch of countries full of white people with blond hair and European features who speak Spanish. So just the fact that I'm Peruvian and Black and I'm making moves within the Underground in Hip Hop and I've sold about 50,000 records independently is a start. But in order to really affect change I cant just be satisfied with that, I have to continue to tour and to bring up other artist that are just as talented to show the true face of Latino America and to really speak about the streets, not just commercial crack stories about "the hood." You want to talk about the hood? Let's talk about how CUNY used to be free until more Black and Latino people in NYC started going to college, how we don't have healthcare about how police are racist, and don't live in our communities, how we didn't have money for schools and AIDS research in the late 80's and early 90's but we had a few billions of dollars to funnel through the CIA to Afghanistan. This isn't radical left wing politics, I'm not a Marxist, I just believe in speaking the truth about my people and their situation, a situation that unfortunately some of my own people are blind to. That's why I'm here.

Q: The big music’s company do not want artist like you, they prefer more “pop friendly” artist. That is because of their lack of social and political conscience or the political and social ignorance of the people that consume the Hip Hop today?

It's not that I'm radical, look up any political point that I've ever made in a song and there will be a basis of historical truth that will detail any subject matter. It's not that they are afraid of radical words, they like extreme bullshit, what they don't like is substance. They wish us to water down our lyrics, and it's not to reach the hood, it's not to reach Black and Latino people, its because the new market for Hip Hop is middle American white people who may not understand complicated language and slang, I mean they voted for Bush how intelligent could they possibly be. Take the legends of Hip Hop rappers that the ghetto emulates the most, are who...Biggie, Tupac, Big Pun. These people had mastered the English language, had strong concepts, a complex, and advanced vocabulary. We understood everything they were saying. And in terms of politics, I think every rapper has an opinion on what goes on in the world, the label just doesn't trust that enough to stray from the formula. That will change, but since it's in the record industry it wont be a change inspired by the hope of spreading the truth, it'll be "politically sounding" Hip Hop, non specific, bullshit.

Q: What is “Viper Records” and what can expect another independent artist from that company?

A record deal is usually nothing but a bad loan with horrible interest rates, you decide nothing about the marketing budget and the input for your project is handed down by record executives who have no knowledge of the culture and only see business. Being involved in the company that is mine for all intents and purposes is more than business, I take music very seriously and I also take the culture very seriously. I'm not a purist, but I definitely done run Viper Records like every other company out there. Right now we are focused on releasing the next Immortal Technique project and then releasing two other artists. I don't wish to over extent myself and sign lots of artist just to use them as tax write offs like other labels do.

Q: Future plans for IT? Is it any film’s collaboration in the future?

I did some more tracks for independent movie soundtracks, but right now I'm real focused and turning down offers so that I can devote all my time to this next album. But besides music I work with a Hip Hop Union that does political education and actually provides artists with healthcare coverage, this is the website... www.kickgame.com its called GAME Union.

Q: Which one will be your third album?

It will be called "The Middle Passage". Coming out on Viper Records/BabyGrande distributed by Koch and it will drop in the middle of 2005.



Photos: Cary O. Stuart.

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