Immortal Technique - The 3rd World

Following a five year absence from making records, Immortal Technique comes out with his newest album/mixtape; "The 3rd World", produced with none other than DJ Green Lantern... but don't let the deter you, he's still hitting with hardcore-political hip-hop with an angry focus, and a militant agenda concerned with freedom of speech.



"Death March" starts with an introduction from DJ Green Lantern... directly after his introduction- the song starts straight up in "Immortal Technique" fashion, with impressively written, impressively laid-down, and extremely angry.

"That's What It Is" is a song about the roots of hip-hop, how about he started, and where it's gone. In the course of the album this song lyrically stands out, it's a call to many "rappers" who have simplified the game. People like "Soulja Boy", "Lil Wayne", "Arab", and "Hurricane Chris" are rather prime examples of the over-corporatism of rap music- How the main concern over the music has left from making a change... talking about how it was hard growing up, to songs like "Crank Dat", which is simple, mindless drab.

"Harlem Renaissance" is about the era when Harlem was exploding with culture; Music, Art, Poetry, etc... and how it's reflected as being a completely different place today, questionably because of the Government.

"Lick Shot" paints a vivid picture about the coming revolution, and how it would be perceived by certain people- shooting the President, painting the White House black, and city the being run by gangster rappers.

"Mistakes" is a song about just that, Mistakes- how we make them, how we move on, and how to live with them. The beat polluted with this one is actually very catchy, something surprising to find in an Immortal Technique album. The song tells a sort of story about how he got put in prison and how he gets out.

Immortal Technique is a very angry man. He's pissed at the world, and it's interesting to hear his perspective, and how he finds this country to be messed up.

The music is VERY thought provoking, and it's easy to get wrapped up in it, but the fact that he's more political than Jello Biafra rivals what makes a good song, and after releasing two previous records, It seems as though it's about time to put some more change into the material. The songs where he talks about how hard it was growing up, and the things he saw while growing up, they seem to be the ones that actually reflect who he is, instead of all of the material about murdering big business. 3/4 of the songs on "The 3rd World" are probably about wanting to kill the president, and cause the revolution, which is fine- those are the thought provoking songs, but after a while... you've kinda said all you can say with that.

Final Score: 7.5 out of 10 Giraffes

The Roots - Rising Down

The 2008 follow-up to the 2006 album "Game Theory", The Roots went back into the studio and recorded their newest, and (possibly) most innovative yet.


One of the first tracks "Rising Down" features the vocal abilities of Mos Def and Styles P, which Mos Def has an amazing voice, as well as being a just as amazing lyricist. You can feel the rough, deep feel of the record, and the set-up for how it's going to be with this song.

While the record progresses, that deep hum found early on "Rising Down" gets more intense, and becomes a featured noise marker, setting it up as an initial vibe that lasts throughout the record.

Separating the tracks are different musical, and beat-oriented, and even freestyled interludes.

The song "Criminal" is one of the few that stand out, because it's a very upbeat- alternative rock song, which features the vocals of Saigon and Truck North.

While it's a solid album, it gets repetitive QUICKLY, and it feels like this is their "experimental" record, which can often deter fans of their stuff, to believe that the group is attempting to appeal to an entirely new audience, and abandon their fanbase.

Final Score: 6.5 out of 10 Giraffes.

MC Chris - MC Chris is Dead

MC Chris is one of the more popular geekcore (DANGER DOOM, MC Lars, etc) rappers that has gained slightly-above-underground fame, even to starring multiple times on Aqua Teen Hunger Force. With his new release MC Chris is Dead in april, he gives the geekcore, nerdpunks something to listen to.





If you've heard MC Chris, then you'd know about his voice... and how it's ultimately annoying, but his rhymes and beats make up for it beyond belief.

When the opening track "MC Chris is Dead", starts... it starts with a haunting Indian sounding flute, then busts straight up into the beats and his high-pitched voice.

The second track "Older Crowd", sounds like a terrible, terrible techno beat, as well as what-appears-to-be a synth on his voice, which is actually rather distracting.

"Reese" is a little tune about eating candy, and how it's better than drugs.

"Pizza butt" is another VERY techno influenced song, that just distracts me from his voice... which isn't the best in the first place.

As the tracks progress- they get funnier, and funnier... but they also get more techno-sounding... which I don't find to be a good thing when you're listening to the rapping, it's not supposed to be a techno album, but for some reason it turned into one.

One of the funnier and cooler songs is "Hoodie Ninja" which sounds exactly like J-pop and it's just great, great rapping on his accord.

The beat and tune of "On*" is quite infectious, and it's also HILARIOUS.

As an album- it's... alright, but it seems just like a pop-techno-geek crossover... which pop and geek don't really go hand in hand, from the best of my knowledge.

It's all funny, funny stuff... but that can only go so far. You can see MC Chris has lyrical talent, but lacks in the beat department, as it would seem.

Final Score: 4.5 Giraffes Out Of 10