Immortal Technique Speaks Out on Police Brutality
by Immortal Technique
Please forgive the mass mail. It is not often that I find it so unequivocally necessary to
write everyone on my personal mailing lists and express the words that we often think and wish we could
vocalize but that remain inaudible.
Recently, someone inquired about what they thought were a series of blogs that I released on myspace and on
other websites. At first I was confused until it dawned on me that I have never explained to anyone how I keep a
journal, almost a book's worth I would say, of personal stories that detail events in my life. These
stories are written without the anger, pain, sadness or bitterness that often clouded my vision at the
time that these things happen. I usually only release the politically charged ones to the public, because I
am not in the habit of sharing personal stories about my life, unless it is with my inner circle that gets a
chance to read some of the entries at times… However, the events of the past week have provided a reason for me to
bring up a story about my youth. I pray that those who I am just as close to in mind, heart, spirit and
Revolutionary cause may be able to understand and hopefully identify with.
I grew up in Harlem during a time when the Apollo had underground Rap acts performing there every weekend,
when Morningside park wasn't a place where you wanted to be without a weapon, and where they used to
fight pitbulls on the steps after dark. I can remember when to the West, Grant's Tomb used to throw huge Jazz
festivals, and they would incorporate upcoming Hip Hop acts as well. This was all during the era of
struggling Black businesses, the sunset of redline district ratings, and what would become known as
the golden age of Hip Hop. New York City was not the police state that it is now, and while some see the city's past as a
lawless criminal haven, there was a balance in the fact that there was more culture rather than a contrived
tourist attraction that nets corporations money, but that threatens to remove much of the current
population. All that said, I think it would naïve to think that just because all this is true, that the old New
York was better. Because I couldn't say that to someone who lost their child to gang violence, drug addiction,
murder, or a bevy of other issues that used to claim so many more lives than they do now. However the problems
haven't gone away. They've simply been masked in many areas and increasing the prison population
hasn't resolved the fundamental problems of social imbalance that are the root cause of many of these
issues.
I was very young and unable to articulate what I can now but I remember everything. As God has blessed me with one of
the best memories out of the people I know. To remember things in detail is difficult for some people but when
thoughts are ingrained into my mind, they can be recou
by Immor
PleaseRecen
I grew up in Harle
I was very young