Immortal Technique – The 3rd World
Rating: 
Review Date: July 6, 2008
Website: Immortal Technique Website
Label: Viper Records
Immortal Technique “The 3rd World” Album Review
Unless you’ve been living on a deserted island for the past seven years, you probably know who Immortal Technique is. If you don’t, look it up – because I’m not going to use my time here trying to summarize his career like most other reviewers did. I’m not going to talk about how brilliant “The 3rd World” is, how much Technique’s flow has matured, or how DJ Green Lantern serves as a good addition this time around; because if you don’t know all that by now, you’ve got a lot of catching up to do.
Instead, I’d like to review Immortal Technique’s “The 3rd World” in light of what I learned from it. What I like most about Immortal Technique, who in just three albums has solidified a position as one of my top five emcees of all time, is his intellectual approach to rhyming. Virtually every track on “The 3rd World” contains some sort of lesson, truth or reference to an event of current or historical significance – most of which I end up researching only after Technique references them.
Now I couldn’t possibly talk about everything I learned from this album – it would take a week. What I can do, however, is give you a great example of Immortal Technique’s content-stacked verses, and do my best to define the meanings. The second verse of the title track, The 3rd World, references nine things I didn’t know about – each of which I decided to study up on:
I’m from where the Catholic church(1) is some racist shit/
They helped Europe and America rape this bitch/
They pray to white Spanish Jesus – who’s face is this?/
But never talk about the black pope Gelasius(2)/
I’m from where Soviet weapons(3) still decide elections/
Militaries like the mafia you pay for protection/
Katomic sex toys is what the country sells/
And rich white businessmen make the best clientele/
I’m from where they too pussy to come film ‘Survivor’/
And they murder Coca-Cola union organizers(4)/
I’m from where the justice system esta podrido/
Fuck government, niggas politic over perico(5)/
Rebelde conocido/
Enterado vivo/
Como otro Argentino desaparecido(6)/
‘Cause RICO laws(7) don’t apply to the CIA/
And motherfuckers make sneakers for a quarter a day/
I’m from where they overthrow Democratic leaders/
Not for the people but for the Wall Street Journal readers/
From where blacks, indigenous peoples and Asians/
Were once slaves of the Caucasians/
And it’s amazing how they trained them/
To be racist against themselves in the place they was raised in/
You kept us caged in/
Destroyed our culture and said that you civilized us/
Raped our women and when we were born, you despised us/
Gentrified us, agent provocateur(8) divide us/
And crucified every revolutionary messiah/
So I’ma start a global riot/
That not even your fake anti-Communist dictators can keep quiet/
Fuck your charity medicine trying to murder me/
The immunizations you gave us were full of mercury(9)/
So now I see the 3rd World like the rap game soldier/
Nationalized the industry and taking over/
1. Catholic Church – When I tried to research the relationship between the Catholic Church and racism, I came across an overwhelmingly-shocking body of claims. Articles existed accusing the Church of playing a role in an uncountable amount of race-based atrocities, including Native American genocide, the American slave trade, the Holocaust, and the Rwandan genocide. I assume this is what Technique is referring to here.
2. Gelasius – Gelasius was the third and last pope of African origin who served from 492 until his death in 496, and is considered one of the most prolific writers in the history of Catholicism. Gelasius is believed to have established the dualistic principle that served as the basis of almost one thousand years of Western European political thought.
3. Soviet weapons – The Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union led to the biggest military buildup in world history. When the Soviet Union fell, their weapons were sold off all over the world – with the majority going to Middle Eastern countries, including Iran, Iraq, Syria and Afghanistan, as well as Africa and South America. Needless to say, most of these weapons have ended up in the wrong hands and continue to prevent freedom and peace in developing nations.
4. Murder Coca-Cola Union Organizers – In the late 1990s and early 2000s, at least eight Coca-Cola union leaders were murdered and hundreds more were bullied and tortured in Columbia, South America. Coke was apparently aware of these actions and did nothing to prevent them, and continues to discourage union activity in its overseas bottling plants.
5. Perico – Perico is a breakfast dish consisting of eggs and vegetables popular in Columbia and Venezuela.
6. Argentino desaparecido – Those Rosetta Stone lessons don’t cover slang, but from my elementary understanding, Technique’s Spanish verse can be interpreted as:
I’m from where the justice system is rotten/
Fuck government, niggas politic over breakfast/
Known rebel/
I live aware/
Like another vanishing Argentinean/
Here, Technique is referring to the long standing mystery “disappearance” of African decedents in Argentina. These “Afro-Argentines” once outnumbered whites by 5 to 1 in the country, and now make up less than 5% of the population. Some think they were killed off through war and disease, while others believe they were absorbed into the white community. Either way, no one really knows – and it is an ongoing mystery.
7. RICO Laws – The RICO Act, or Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act, is a federal law that provides extended penalties for crimes that are committed as part of a criminal organization. By using the reference in this context, Technique is accusing the CIA of being an enterprise of organized crime.
8. Agent Provocateur – An agent provocateur is an undercover law enforcement officer who entices or provokes a person to break the law, leading to that person’s arrest. By using this term, Technique could be referring to COINTELPRO, which was a series of operations conducted by the FBI in the 1950s, 60s and 70s in an attempt to destroy dissident political organizations in the United States. COINTELPRO is believed to have infiltrated and disrupted several civil rights-based organizations, including the Black Panther Party, Martin Luther King Jr.’s SCLC, the NAACP, and the Congress on Racial Equality.
9. Mercury – With the increase in vaccinations administered to children in the past three decades, we have also seen an increase in autism cases. It is believed by many that the mercury they put in vaccines is causing autism, as well as other problems in children.
If there are that many things to learn in just one verse, imagine how much you can learn by listening to Immortal Technique’s entire “The 3rd World” – not to mention his previous classics “Revolutionary Vol. 1” and “Revolutionary Vol. 2”? Maybe you should pick up a copy and find out. And in the often-repeated words of Immortal Technique: “READ. READ. READ.” Peace.
Album Track Listing:
- Death March (featuring Dj Green Lantern)
- That’s What it Is
- Golpe De Estado (featuring Veneno & Temperamento)
- Harlem Renaissance
- Lick Shots (featuring Chino XL, Crooked I)
- Apocrypha – Interlude
- The 3rd World
- Hollywood Driveby (featuring Psycho Realm & Sick Symphonies)
- Reverse Pimpology (featuring Mojo)
- Open Your Eyes
- The Payback (featuring Diabolic & RasKass)
- Adios Uncle Tom – Skit
- Stronghold Grip (featuring Poison Pen & Swave Sevah)
- Mistakes
- Parole (Evil Genius Mix)
- Crimes of the Heart (featuring Maya Azucena)
*Apocalypse Remix (featuring Akir & Pharoahe Monch)
*Watchout Remix*Rebel Arms (featuring J.Arch & Da Circle)
calvin wrote:
for #6, check out la historia oficial, academy award for best foreign film in ‘86. Im guessing vanishing is used here instead of disappeared. The junta made people disappear for various reasons, mainly to promote fear in Argentina.
or check this
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WWL9lUY_vLc
Posted on 07-Jul-08 at 1:14 am | Permalink
Nathaniel wrote:
Great point Calvin – I never even came across that. Thank you for the contribution! PEACE.
Posted on 07-Jul-08 at 6:20 am | Permalink
not so sure... wrote:
I always thought the “como otro Argentino desaparecido” line was referring to Che Guevara. He was from Argentina and the location of the remains of his body were unknown. Che was a known rebel and lived aware, just like Tech is claiming he does.
Also, perico can mean “cocaine”.
Nice way to analyze the album though.
Posted on 07-Jul-08 at 8:31 am | Permalink
BeatRoot wrote:
Intresting review… I’m reading the “shock doctrine” by Naomi Klein and the majority of the first couple hundred pages are on how the CIA and American Corporations were behind the violent Juntas in south america to promote free trade and to really keep the people poor. Just looking at his video posted and the lryics is further highlighting how Corporate America created this turmoil.
Posted on 07-Jul-08 at 8:52 am | Permalink
Nathaniel wrote:
WORD. I’m digging your discussion topics! That Che reference is another amazing possibility that didn’t even cross my mind – but that fits the lyrics perfectly. I’m thinking now that could very well be what Technique meant in that line.
Perico means cocaine? Crazy! Like I said, I don’t understand the slang, but I definitely appreciate the corrections!
Posted on 07-Jul-08 at 9:20 am | Permalink
Alyssa wrote:
Definitely getting this album. But I want to point out for #9 that there’s no scientific evidence at all that vaccinations have anything to do with autism, or that there’s mercury in vaccines. That’s one conspiracy theory that ain’t true.
Posted on 07-Jul-08 at 2:12 pm | Permalink
TheGWH wrote:
Yes, the vaccinations may be a conspiracy theory, but we can’t automatically rule it out completely. Besides, it wouldn’t be the first time they’ve “found out” that a vaccination contained harmful crap that killed and/or diseases thousands and millions of people. See Gardasil (An HPV vaccine) if you don’t believe me.
Posted on 08-Jul-08 at 12:13 am | Permalink
not so sure... wrote:
I’m always down to contribute to a discussion. Thanks for keeping it going.
Posted on 08-Jul-08 at 6:50 am | Permalink
clayton wrote:
@TheGWH Actually it has been ruled out by some scientific journals. Check it up on jstor or google.
Posted on 11-Jul-08 at 3:02 am | Permalink
uzb3k wrote:
Nice review brother, I always learn something new when I listen to Tech.
Posted on 12-Jul-08 at 4:39 am | Permalink
jose styles wrote:
this album is incredible and im so proud that immortal put Temperamento in his album thats the best latin hip hop rapper in the world and no one reaches out to him cuase he is real hip hop and not reggaeton i give mad props to el capitan he picked the right spanish rapper if he wouldved put daddy yankee i wouldved been pissed. .
Posted on 14-Jul-08 at 2:47 am | Permalink
me wrote:
Perico is slang word for coke
Posted on 16-Jul-08 at 3:33 pm | Permalink
Jay-Izzle wrote:
hey “me” – read the comments dumbass. somebody already pointed that one out.
Posted on 16-Jul-08 at 6:46 pm | Permalink
Kenneth wrote:
Not to sound rude or anything, but you did all that research and could still not spell Colombia correctly?
Posted on 19-Jul-08 at 12:15 pm | Permalink
Trav Greene wrote:
Not sure if someone corrected this yet, but I’m pretty sure the desparacidos has to do with the government kidnappings in argentina. I wish I could enlighten you more, but I forgot a lot about, I just remember watching some films and learning about it in a college spanish class a few years back.
Posted on 20-Jul-08 at 11:09 pm | Permalink
Trav Greene wrote:
And as for the catholic church…have any of you heard about the mark of cain? I’m sure most have…but the catholic church used to use that as a reason for blacks to be slaves, because their skin was dark like the mark of cain.
Posted on 20-Jul-08 at 11:11 pm | Permalink
tech wrote:
ya if you are gonna do some research cmon man perrico? you really think hes talking about food? your missing the point, theres alot more in those verses than what you picked up, but good start i guess
Posted on 21-Jul-08 at 8:25 pm | Permalink
tech wrote:
and trav is right…the missing argentineans is about the period in the seventies and eighties where thousands of people went missing in argentina due to their political views, and its widely believed that the military was responsible…cmon man
Posted on 21-Jul-08 at 8:27 pm | Permalink
Estilo wrote:
Mad props on the deciphering of the album and for the site in it’s entirety. “Tech” is under the impression that we are all familiar with Spanish slang and that “Jay-Izzle” must be on stand-by on forums to criticism others mistakes. Grow the fuck-up faggots!
Posted on 26-Jul-08 at 7:19 pm | Permalink
cannibal dox wrote:
pity the reviewer here decided to ‘dechiper’ a track rather than review the album as a hole. to tell the truth im not a complete f*cking idiot and i dont need someone to point out to me how racist the catholic church is or what Agent Provocateur means….
techs flow and lyrics are good but his beats are consierably below average in my opinion.
truth
Posted on 01-Aug-08 at 8:50 am | Permalink
EL wrote:
Calm down people, its a good overall album. Gotta give Tech some props to even make an album with DJ Green Lantern (the man made songs with Tila Tequila).
Not everyone is born a genius or goes to relevant schools. Excuse my ignorance, but this album is like a book for me; always learning new stuff.
Posted on 04-Aug-08 at 12:02 am | Permalink
halfthelaw wrote:
You get all of the spanish wrong.
(5) perico is cocaine
(6) This line is a reference to the assassination of rebels.
These lines roughly translates as:
I’m from where the justice system “is rotten”/
Fuck (?), niggas politic over “cocaine”/
“Known rebel”/
“buried alive”/
“like other Argentineans that have disappeared”
Posted on 10-Aug-08 at 9:05 pm | Permalink
Red1ad wrote:
Nathaniel, you mentioned in the review that Immortal Technique is one of your top 5 mc’s. What is your ranking of the top five mc’s of all time, and where does Technique stand on the list? Thanks.
Posted on 06-Sep-08 at 8:52 pm | Permalink
Comrade Gerry wrote:
#5 is cocaine (making a reference that the government has a priority for drug cartels over the people)
#6 is during the state terrorism in Argentina that occurred the late 60’s-70’s.
Posted on 29-Sep-08 at 4:45 pm | Permalink
Xolani wrote:
Look Ive learned alot frm tech. Bt I beg to differ with him on one issue. The catholic church being racist. 1) Im south african n it was the church that was the most consistant anti-apartheid organisation thats why the church wasnt liked. 2) Im catholic so I would knw if there are any racist policies enshrind in its doctrine bt I do agree that they are some racist catholics just as much as any otha church.
Posted on 12-Nov-08 at 7:34 pm | Permalink
cap$ wrote:
you are right on all of your definitions except for PERICO which is a slang term for cocaine…
Posted on 10-Mar-09 at 6:03 pm | Permalink
Vince wrote:
I believe with the “Como otro Argentino desaparecido” line he is talking about Che Guevara
Rebelde conocido/ KNOWN REBEL
Enterado vivo/BURIED ALIVE
Como otro Argentino desaparecido(6)/ LIKE ANOTHER DISAPPEARED ARGENTINE WAS
‘Cause RICO laws(7) don’t apply to the CIA/
I think he is talking about legal instead of RICO (MAYBE) because a CIA agent (Félix Rodríguez) was the one who hunted Che down (along with Bolivian troops) and helped execute him. Not trying to be condescending, just trying to clear that up…
Posted on 06-Apr-09 at 12:39 am | Permalink
Arturo wrote:
When he said this:
“Como otro argentino desaparecido”
I belive he means when our ppl were kidnaped by military and tortured, killed, etc.
This happened in the coup d’état.
Sorry for my english, Arty.
Posted on 06-Sep-09 at 2:21 am | Permalink
Alfrexia wrote:
The 5th Bolded word, “Perico”, refers to a spanish slang term for Cocaine, I believe.
Posted on 14-Apr-10 at 12:22 pm | Permalink
Get some get right wrote:
This is conspiracy “theory” 101, CIA drug-running, Rockefellers, Rothschilds, CFR, Trilateral Commission.. trust me, you’re just looking at the edges of this rabbit hole.
Posted on 18-Apr-10 at 11:29 pm | Permalink
rex mixe wrote:
CIA RAN DRUGS U FUCKEN IDIOT, HAVENT U READ THE RICKY ROSS STORY ANY WAYZ IMMORTAL TECHNIQUE GOTZ MAD FLOWZ SUN PEACE OUT BIATCH
Posted on 30-Apr-10 at 10:46 am | Permalink