“The Legacy of Bin Laden” by Immortal Technique
The rapper takes an insightful look at what the news of Osama Bin Laden’s death means for the U.S. now and from a historical perspective in this critical breakdown…
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Conclusion
I once wrote a song produced by DJ Green Lantern called “Bin Laden,” in which the chorus had already been set and ready to go. I filled this song with a sense of under-reported facts and the real feelings of people who were afraid to speak their minds. I stated in Revolutionary Vol. 2 that I didn’t believe Bush did it because he wasn’t that smart.
I don’t think that the ex-President purposefully planned the entire scheme himself. But I have always had various doubts about a regime that promised to release the photos of the plane that hit the pentagon and gave me one still shot of something that resembled the head of a garden hose superimposed over the actual picture. They couldn’t even tell the truth about the air we were breathing because God knows what the hell was really in those buildings besides asbestos.
The entire premise of the war with Iraq was not true. Whether it was a purposeful lie or a mistake of intelligence, I leave to you, but the bottom line was that it was another red flag. It began to remind me of a child who tells a lie and to cover up that lie he tells, and another one and another one, until the lie becomes so big that it begins to eclipse the truth.
The beautiful thing about the art form that we created was it’s resounding ability to capture on going events and present them in a rhythmic format that others can appreciate. I suggest though that people seeking to include this in their rhymes search beneath the surface instead of snatching a quick punch line. Because this has cost thousands of American lives, ruined people all over the world, and it’s part of the reason this country is going bankrupt, and your children aren’t going to have any Social Security; so, really, brother, the joke’s on you. So before you consider how this will probably play in getting Obama re-elected or some other conspiracy theory, consider that.
Final Goodbyes
I leave you now with this brief story.
After the Russians were ousted from power in Afghanistan, several Mujahideen leaders debated what their next step would be. Two major schools of thought arose. Some, like Abdullah Yusuf Azzam, wished to internalize their success, and to put all of their resources towards rebuilding Afghanistan as a pure Islamic utopia that would provide for it’s suffering population. Others, like Ayman Al-Zawahiri, thought this was just the vision of idiots and dreamers, that their enemy was not just Russia but now America, Europe and secular Islamic states as well. Their opinions clashed but, at this time, Azzam, who had befriended Bin Laden, remained close to his ideological foe, thinking that Zawahiri could not challenge his authority. But it was challenged, and at a crucial time of decision-making about Afghanistan’s future, Azzam was assassinated. If Bin Laden is dead, then his death is another chapter in a book that remains to be finished.
But if he’s alive, then I hope someone can translate this for him. Usama, your television death may have brought on applause, but I know that it was an empty celebration. Empty because you died a long time ago when you were young and Azzam’s car exploded with his sons in it, you helped betray and kill your old teacher in exchange for the approval of old man Zawahiri who held your leash afterwards. You died when Shah Massoud died. You died when you ordered the massacre of the Hazara women and children in the muddy fields outside Mazar-e-Sharif. And if there is a hell, then you confined yourself there when you killed your first Muslim child and lied to yourself that he was collateral damage for Jihad.
But don’t worry, you’re not alone, there are many men like you left in the world, and some of them even used to be your friends. After all, this is America, and we only kill our friends.
wow. long read. but the ending gave me chills
Those were my exact words! Chills! So worth it.
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Strong read but you know people will instantly shove aside without even reading the whole thing.
There was a brief moment last night as I was watching the news, where Immortal Technique popped into my head. I was wondering to myself what he may have been thinking as he watched the news. Im glad you guys posted this & actually reached out to him. This guy is wise beyond his years, and even though I may not always agree with him, it’s always interesting to hear what he has to say… No to mention his music is dope as fuck!
I almost find it surprising that he didn’t start throwing a bunch of crazy conspiracies around but rather just gave us a little history about this whole thing… The 5th section called “What to believe” is a great way of doing it! He simply asked questions, without coming off as a fucking psycho conspiracy theorist, and even made it a point that people often mix up the 2. Personally, I believe the government on this one, & I also congratulate Obama on going through with it…. If you guys actually read how it went down, the you know that was one of the best chess moves in history!!! Obama proved himself again!
Agreed. What did you read about Obama’s “chess move?” Do you think you could post some info on it because one of my friends says that he had nothing to do with the process. I’d like some ammo to shut him up. Thanks
Are you serious? Osama died back in December of 2001. Do your homework. Quit sucking the governments tit.
damn that is hands down the realest shit i ever read
Tim Osman may be “dead”, but nothing will get better. It’ll only get worse.
In history class we had a discussion about Bin Laden’s “death”.I asked my teacher how do we really know that he is dead? I started to ask him a bunch of questions about Bin Laden’s body being dumped into the sea and asking where is the proof. He looked at me & told me I was starting to sound like a conspiracy theorist just because I ask questions and don’t believe everything the news tells me. My friends are just like my teacher. Sometimes I feel like the only young person that gives a damn about being told the truth. But the article was Amazing & the conclusion was great.
Keep asking questions. I’m a senior in high school, about to graduate, and I’ve slowly transformed into the person that I am today. The pace was sped up over the past year or so, I’ve become much more knowledgeable about many different things… (and hey, Immortal Technique, Lowkey, etc. are great teachers via music :D) Anyway, yes, continue asking questions. I know how it feels to be ridiculed simply for asking questions..one of my friends asked me “why do you care so much about world issues?” :-/ I was kind of speechless. Meh…you just have to press on and keep asking those questions, continue trying to educate others, and continue spreading information and knowledge. You’re not alone in this.
Thanks. It feels good to know that another young person feels the same way.
a recent study suggested that 1 out of 2 conspiracy theorists is gay, which one of you is it?
me :) and proud of it
I’m a Junior in high school and when we discussed this in class, I as well started asking questions, and not to my surprise, the rest of my class looked at me as if I was dumb. Thankfully, my teacher isn’t too tied down by the governent and system and has his own beliefs and actually agrees with me on some of the “conspiracies” I bring up in class. But for the students at my school, I’m POSITIVE I’m the only student at school that actually concerns myself with history and such outside of what we’re told in the classroom. It amazes me how oblivious the majority of people are to the facts.
But I agree, keep questioning and sticking to your beliefs, don’t let any criticism put you down or make you step down.
And btw (allhiphop>xxlmag), I’m gay too, and proud as well :)
ha
lulz
You are one of us dude…People are like sheep.They believe everything and it suits them that way.its the way they grew up.Theyve only learned how to study for school and etc and never investigate about the world and the real truth
Guertia, this is the fuckery i have to deal with evrery day. keep your head up and don’t evet let anyone shake you from the truth.
To both of the young brothers asking questions… don’t ever stop! When it was my time in high school, me and my friends were the ones asking questions about death squads in El Salvador trained by U.S. soldiers and CIA tools at the School of the Americas, and a pending U.S. invasion of Central America. We were questioning the morally bankrupt and intellectually crippled foreign policy of the nascent Reagan administration and his gang of cowboys in the basement of the West Wing… not that much has changed in the last 30 some years… If I have any regrets, it’s that my generation wasn’t strong enough or smart enough to stop this shit in its tracks. So it’s up to you now… Don’t ever stop questioning; in our Republic it’s our only weapon, keep it strapped with the safety off…
Haha same here I ask questions but I already knew the answer to it. Always like hearing the opinions of others. The thing I hate the most is the people who here music like Immortal Technique but don’t have clue what the song is about. Hope Immortal Technique writes a book or something like that.
You ask questions that you already know the answer to? That means you aren’t asking the right questions.
They’re called rhetorical questions. The answer to the question is obvious they’re just designed to make people think or to showcase a thought process.
Ask questions! Keep asking questions!
I feel excatly the same way you feel.me and my friend are the only people who are willing to ask this questions. i asked my teacher to play a song by tecnique since she played a patriotic song in class. She said no.
The rest of the students are very empty minded and like tecnique said it in this, they used what the news says as their talking points.
Its a shame that people are not imformed and refuse to inform themselves.
but your not the only one, theres more people out there hungry for the truth than you think.(:
It’s funny – the Republicans reiterated this exact argument (re-phrased a bit though) about Obama’s birth before he released his birth certificate.
Oh, the irony.
@ gwen… i know how you feel, at just 22 years old all of my peers are distracted by nonsense. If i were to judge the future based upon the youth i would say we dont have one. look to older people for wisdom, they dont just speculate on some things but in many cases have experienced it, and when a peer comes to you with something thought provocing, try to facilitate that thought process regardless of the implications that may arise. it is better to ask questions and be wrong, then to assume you are correct and be quiet.
much respect and love to this man… great read
Thank you for this.
this “war on terror” is far from over. thousands/millions will be slaughtered as blood thirsty men from both sides refuse to see eye to eye that they are both the enemy.
those celebrating osama’s “death” refuse to understand that, even though osama is/was a horrible man – and murdered men in the name of jihad or himself – he didn’t deserve a celebration. millions will spring up in his place.
i agree with you immortal tech – what we know as “conspiracy theorists” is just scratching the surface.
This kind of thing really shows how incredibly different separate artists can be. Some artists talk about shooting cops. Some artists constantly battle other MCs for money. Immortal Technique makes great music and writes a lengthy essay regarding his views on the supposed death of a terrorist and how he feels it will affect the world as a whole. Both of these artists may use the same medium(hip hop) from time to time, but they have two completely separate approaches. One is angry and only expresses his anger through music and violence. The other, Technique, examines worldly affairs and contributes many facts and opinions through literature. I believe that any artists, regardless of their medium, could learn something from this man. I believe that everyone can learn something from everyone. People just need to start relying on their selves more. The fact that a news station like fox exists and thrives is only a reflection on the intelligence of this nation as a whole. Peace!
You’re telling me Immortal technique isn’t in the violent rapper list? That is pretty stupid.
If you think Tech is on the violent rapper list then you just don’t understand. You’re taking what he says out of context and truly don’t grasp what he is doing. To call somebody stupid over something you can’t contemplate is pretty ignorant.
Immortal tech is passionate, rather than violant
you seem like the kind of guy who hasn’t heard “The Poverty of Philosophy” yet
No. I think that he is definitely violent. That is what makes him so real.