This week, Immortal Technique said the Zimmerman trial should spur parents to action, and Madchild revealed he’s allowed back into the United States. Meanwhile, ¡Mayday!’s Believers project was reviewed and U-God spoke on his upcoming album, Keynote Speaker.
Immortal Technique Calls Zimmerman Verdict A “Wake-Up Call” For Parents
As part of the ongoing discussions following the verdict of not guilty in the George Zimmerman trial, where Zimmerman was charged with second-degree murder and manslaughter for fatally shooting 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, Immortal Technique spoke to HipHopDX about the matter.
Tech said that, in his opinion, the verdict was a wake-up call to parents more than anything. “I think it’s a parent wake-up call more than it’s a Black person wake-up call even though it is a Black person wake-up call,” said the rapper. “I’m not going to say it isn’t. I’m not going to call it a nigga wake-up call because I don’t think that we should even put the Martin family and that word in the same sentence. I say this much, that it is a wake-up call for Black people, but it’s also a wake-up call for parents. Parents, you’re going to have to have an honest discussion with your children about where they are and what they are walking through. You’re going to have to have an honest discussion about the value of people’s lives and how some people see it and where you are and to be mindful of your circumstances.”
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Ultimately, Tech concluded that citizens should take offense to more than just the singular verdict in the trial. “We’re offended because someone did something of that nature and killed someone, then why aren’t we offended when some of our own people kill each other? We should be just as offended at what’s going on in Chicago right now when they had to send in the Goddamn National Guard. We should be just as offended at what’s going on in Detroit with those killings. We should be just as offended as the majority of everything else that’s happening in terms of violence against our own people. We shouldn’t look at that as the norm, either. If we feel guilty for looking at this as the norm, shouldn’t we feel even more guilty for looking at that as the norm? Like, ‘Oh…another nigga killed. Another nigga shot another nigga. Oh, that’s just the way it is.; Really, you’re mad at the fact that one person got away with killing a Black person, but you’re not mad at your mentality of, ‘Well, a Black person killed another Black person, that’s just how it is.’ We need to change that.”
Madchild “Really Excited” To Return To The United States After Three Years
Since 2010, Canadian rapper Madchild hasn’t been allowed to step on American soil. In an interview with HipHopDX, the Swollen Members artist will soon be allowed back into the States.
“I’m really excited to finally get back into the United States for the first time in years,” said Madchild, who was denied access to the U.S. in 2010 by customs officials, due to the belief that the rapper was affiliated with the Hells Angels motorcycle club. “I have watched the Battleaxe movement grow stronger every day in America as Warriors continue to join in every state. Now I can finally share my live show with all the fans that have been patiently waiting for my return. I look forward to meeting each and every Warrior at the Warped Tour. After that, I’ll be heading out on the road for a Canadian tour with my good friends Slaine and Adlib, so this is going to be a great summer!”
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“The thing that is frustrating to me is that I am being judged for the people I associated with and for some trouble I had back when I was a minor over 16 years ago,” said Madchild of the situation. “In the last year I’ve managed to defeat my drug addiction and really worked on changing my life to become a better person. I’ve even started speaking at high schools here in Canada to talk to kids about the perils of drug addiction and hopefully use my journey to inspire the youth to avoid the pitfalls that I fell into.”
¡Mayday!’s Believers A “Genre-Bending Nod To Loyal ¡Mayday! Fans”
Strange Music collective ¡Mayday! blends various genres to create a unique musical experience for listeners.
In HipHopDX’s review of the group’s latest album, Believers, it was this facet that served the project well.
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“¡Mayday!’s genre-bending bodes well on many occasions,” states the review. “‘Shots Fired,’ ‘HighRide’ and the Irv Da Phenom-assisted ‘My Life,’ for instance, are fine examples of Pop sensibilities in the group’s polished, melodic, upbeat, catchy-as-hell hooks. While still keeping those qualities intact, ‘Tear Shit Down’ and ‘Marathon Man,’ for example, showcase a great Rock influence in the crew’s musical style. And through most of the record, these Pop and Rock tendencies don’t necessarily overshadow ¡Mayday!’s Hip Hop roots. But peep ‘On That Jack’ or ‘Shortcuts And Dead Ends’ for more of May’s Rap work, and you’re quickly reminded that this is a Strange Music release with strong Hip Hop ties.”
U-God Says Keynote Speaker Will “Stand Up On Its Own”
Wu-Tang Clan’s U-God has been on a tear since 2007’s 8 Diagrams. Now, as the Staten Island emcee readies his first album since 2009’s Dopium, titled The Keynote Speaker, Golden Arms sat down to speak on the project with HipHopDX.
U-God expressed sincere confidence in the project. “Oh, this is fire! I tried to step it up a notch every time I put out a new record, and this one is like a brand new baby, man. It has legs, and it’s going to stand up on its own,” said U-God. “It’s really deep, and it’s really good, man—more or less, I’m just happy with it. If you want good, Hood Rap rhymes, it’s on there…banging beats and Wu-sounding shit is on there. I’ve got Method Man, Deck, GZA and my man Jackpot on there. I’ve got RZA production on there; he executive produced it. I’ve got mashed potatoes and gravy, Styles P on there. It’s all in there…good money.”
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“If you liked [Golden Arms Redemption], you are definitely going to like Keynote Speaker,” he added.
Other Items Of Note:
–Wrekonize & Bernbiz Describe Balancing Solo Ambitions With MAYDAY!’s Album
–SpaceGhostPurrp Laments Trayvon Martin’s Death; Calls Himself “Zimmerman Killa”
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–Nas Honored With Hip Hop Fellowship At Harvard
