Revolutionary Vol. 1
Encyclopedia
Revolutionary Vol. 1 is the debut album by rapper Immortal Technique
in 2001, and re-pressed in 2004. The first edition had no distribution and no bar code; it was sold by the artist on the streets and at his shows. The album re-press was manufactured with a bar code and is being distributed worldwide by Viper Records. Immortal Technique claimed in an interview to have sold more than 45,000 copies.
, and in order to prove how "evil" he is, he must rape an innocent woman. Jacobs completes this task after covering the woman's face with her shirt, and is unaware of the identity of the woman until he takes the cover from her face. He is shocked to find that the woman in question is actually his mother, which leads him to commit suicide. "I made myself more of a part of it when I wrote the song, and it eventually became an urban legend
, and what's sick is that people thought it was about rape [when] it was really about how we are killing ourselves and destroying the most valuable resource that the Latino
/Black community has, our women." The song has acquired something of a cult hit
status in recent years.
Additionally, the album contains a song entitled "No Me Importa" (Spanish for "I Don't Care"). This is notably Immortal Technique's first song in Spanish
, as he grew up in Peru
and learned to speak the language.
Immortal Technique
Felipe Andres Coronel , better known by the stage name Immortal Technique, is an American rapper of Afro-Peruvian descent as well as an urban activist. He was born in Lima, Peru and raised in Harlem, New York. Most of his lyrics focus on controversial issues in global politics...
in 2001, and re-pressed in 2004. The first edition had no distribution and no bar code; it was sold by the artist on the streets and at his shows. The album re-press was manufactured with a bar code and is being distributed worldwide by Viper Records. Immortal Technique claimed in an interview to have sold more than 45,000 copies.
Songwriting
The album is best known for the song "Dance With the Devil", a narrative in which Immortal Technique describes the story of a young man named Billy Jacobs who attempts to join a gangGang
A gang is a group of people who, through the organization, formation, and establishment of an assemblage, share a common identity. In current usage it typically denotes a criminal organization or else a criminal affiliation. In early usage, the word gang referred to a group of workmen...
, and in order to prove how "evil" he is, he must rape an innocent woman. Jacobs completes this task after covering the woman's face with her shirt, and is unaware of the identity of the woman until he takes the cover from her face. He is shocked to find that the woman in question is actually his mother, which leads him to commit suicide. "I made myself more of a part of it when I wrote the song, and it eventually became an urban legend
Urban legend
An urban legend, urban myth, urban tale, or contemporary legend, is a form of modern folklore consisting of stories that may or may not have been believed by their tellers to be true...
, and what's sick is that people thought it was about rape [when] it was really about how we are killing ourselves and destroying the most valuable resource that the Latino
Latino
The demonyms Latino and Latina , are defined in English language dictionaries as:* "a person of Latin-American descent."* "A Latin American."* "A person of Hispanic, especially Latin-American, descent, often one living in the United States."...
/Black community has, our women." The song has acquired something of a cult hit
Cult following
A cult following is a group of fans who are highly dedicated to a specific area of pop culture. A film, book, band, or video game, among other things, will be said to have a cult following when it has a small but very passionate fan base...
status in recent years.
Additionally, the album contains a song entitled "No Me Importa" (Spanish for "I Don't Care"). This is notably Immortal Technique's first song in Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
, as he grew up in Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
and learned to speak the language.
Track listing
- "Creation & Destruction"
- "Dominant Species"
- "Positive Balance" (feat. Big Zoo)
- "The Getaway"
- "Beef & Broccoli"
- "No Me Importa"
- "Top of the Food Chain" (remix) (feat. Poison Pen)
- "The Poverty of Philosophy"
- "Revolutionary"
- "Spend Some Time" (remix)
- "Dance with the Devil" (feat. DiabolicDiabolic (rap artist)Sean George, better known by his stage name Diabolic, is an American rapper from Huntington Station, Long Island, New York. He started receiving fame on the hidden track after Immortal Technique's song 'Dance With The Devil' on Immortal Technique's debut album, Revolutionary Vol. 1...
) - "The Prophecy"
- "Understand Why"
- "No Mercy"
- "The Illest" (feat Jean GraeJean GraeJean Grae , born November 26, 1976 is an American hip hop artist who hails from South Africa. She rose to prominence in the underground hip-hop scene in New York City, and has since built an international fanbase.- Early life :...
& Pumpkinhead) - "Speak Your Mind" (Hidden Track) (feat. DiabolicDiabolicDiabolic is an American death metal band from Tampa, Florida, founded in 1998 by drummer Aantar Lee Coates and guitarist Brian Malone.-Biography:...
) - "Caught in a Hustle" (iTunes bonus track)
Production
- Marley Marl, J-Force – track 1
- Rheturik – track 2
- 44 Caliber – track 3, 6, 11, 12, 14, 15
- SouthPaw and AkirAkirAkir is an African-American hip hop artist, producer and songwriter known for his complex lyrics and social-political content. His name is an acronym for Always Keep It Real. He is also the co-founder of One Enterprises.- Biography :...
– track 4 - Jean GraeJean GraeJean Grae , born November 26, 1976 is an American hip hop artist who hails from South Africa. She rose to prominence in the underground hip-hop scene in New York City, and has since built an international fanbase.- Early life :...
– track 5, 9 - Stelf Index – track 7
- SouthPaw – track 8
- G. Bennet – track 10
- A. Cohen – track 13
- Immortal Technique – track 16
Samples
- "Creation & Destruction" samples the song Long Kiss Goodnight from the album Life After DeathLife After DeathLife After Death is the second and final studio album by American rapper The Notorious B.I.G., released March 25, 1997 on Bad Boy Records. A double album, it was released posthumously following his death on March 9, 1997 and serves as his final studio album...
by The Notorious B.I.G.The Notorious B.I.G.Christopher George Latore Wallace , best known as The Notorious B.I.G., was an American rapper. He was also known as Biggie Smalls , Big Poppa, and The Black Frank White .Wallace was raised in the Brooklyn borough... - "Dance With the Devil" samples Survival of the FittestSurvival of the Fittest (song)"Survival of the Fittest" is the second single from Mobb Deep's The Infamous album. The song was the duo's second hit single from the album, following "Shook Ones Pt. II". The track peaked at #69 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts and hit the Top 10 on the Hot Rap Singles chart. The song is similar to...
by Mobb DeepMobb DeepMobb Deep is an American hip hop duo from Queensbridge, Queens, New York, U.S., that consists of Havoc and Prodigy. The duo is "one of the most critically acclaimed hardcore East Coast hip-hop groups." The group is best known for its dark, hardcore delivery, as exemplified by the single "Shook Ones...
and Love Story by Henry ManciniHenry ManciniHenry Mancini was an American composer, conductor and arranger, best remembered for his film and television scores. He won a record number of Grammy Awards , plus a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award posthumously in 1995...
.