Immortal Technique has voiced a desire to keep control over his production, and has stated in his music that record companies, not artists themselves, profit the most from mass production and marketing of music. He claimed in an interview to have sold close to 200,000 units of his three official releases.
Biography
Early life
Coronel is African-Peruvian and was born in 1978 in a military hospital in Lima. His family emigrated in 1980 to Harlem to escape the ongoing internal conflict in Peru. During his teenage years he was arrested multiple times due in part to what he has said was "selfish and childish" behavior. He attended Hunter College High School on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. Shortly after enrolling in Pennsylvania State University, he was arrested and charged with assault-related offenses due to his involvement in an altercation between fellow students, the charges stemming from this incident led to him being incarcerated for a year. After being paroled, he took political science classes at Baruch College in New York City for two semesters at the behest of his father, who allowed Coronel to live with him on the condition that he go to school. Honing his rapping skills in jail, and unable to find decent wage-paying employment after his release, Coronel began working on the restaurants of New York while bad mouthing MCs whenever the opportunity arose. This, coupled with his victories in numerous freestyle rap competitions of the New York underground hip hop scene such as Rocksteady Anniversary, Braggin Rites and others, led to his reputation as a ferocious Battle MC.
Revolutionary Vol.1 and Vol.2
In 2001 , Immortal Technique released his first album Revolutionary Vol. 1 without the help of a record label or distribution, instead using money earned from his rap battle triumphs. Revolutionary Vol. 1 also contained the underground classic Dance With The Devil. In November 2002, he was listed by The Source in its "Unsigned Hype" column, highlighting artists that are not signed to a record label. The following year, in September 2003, he received the coveted "Hip Hop Quotable" in The Source for a song entitled "Industrial Revolution" from his second album. Immortal Technique is the only rapper in history to have a "Hip Hop Quotable" while being unsigned. He released his second album Revolutionary Vol. 2 in 2003. In 2004, Viper Records and, in 2005, Babygrande Records re-released Immortal Technique's debut, Revolutionary Vol. 1, to make it available to a wider audience. "Point of No Return" from Revolutionary Vol 2 was used as the entrance theme for Rashad Evans during the UFC 88 Main Event between Chuck Liddell and Rashad Evans.
The 3rd World and The Middle Passage
Between 2005 and 2007 Immortal Technique began working on The Middle Passage and The 3rd World, the two albums that would serve a follow up to Revolutionary Vol. 2 and complete the series. He was also featured on several movie soundtracks and video game soundtracks, all the while touring relentlessly and becoming heavily involved in visiting prisons to speak to youth and working with immigrant rights activists and raising tens of thousands of dollars for children’s hospitals overseas. He invested his money not in items that are usually associated with fame but rather in large pieces of farmland in Latin America. He created a writing grant program for high school students as well.
Dominant Species
Immortal Technique Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Everyone who's living on this planet will be dead
So it's inconsequential really
All the shit that you talk
All the bullshit that you stand for
It's more important what, what your ready to build
What you're ready to pass down to your children
What you're ready to create
When you challenge a mother fucker like me
Remember, I'm the dominant species
I'm stuck inside the future and life is chaotic
The government is psychotically racist and robotic
The matrix of entrapment is socio-economic
Erotic conspiracy theory becomes reality
Life is war, and every day's a battle to me
I'm on the brink of insanity, between extreme intelligence and split personalities
But I elevate to the point of reversing gravity
Revolutionary conceptuality spitting out of me
Even the dead people in my family tell me they proud of me
Stupidity's not allowed by me
'cause I don't got time to play
I'm the black whole lyricist that'll take your shine away
Darkness at any time of day
I'm the Technique and your nobody so what you trying to say
Stellar density becomes your physical alignment
One point eight billion tons per square inch confinement
Yo, yo, yo, I drop knowledge so heavy it leaves the world unbalanced
Exterminate the spiritual force of all that challenge
I'm the lyrical apocalypse that crumbles the granite
Replacing you as the dominant species on the planet
Yo, yo, lyrically I'm infinite like possibilities
But you don't have the capability like infertility
'Cause opening your mouth to question my validity
Is like trying to contradict the theory of relativity
When I spit is the epitome of heavy artillery
My enemies are obsessed with me like the bitch in Misery
But break out like father running form responsibility
Every time I step and abuse the mic with versatility
I balance humility, with brutal instinct
I'll make your whole cypher look like those crackers from N'Sync
And I don't care about your link, or your luxury car
I shed light with more magnitude than all of the stars
My breyon talk pick thick
So don't ever talk shit
And remember something nigga, while you rave and rant
A roach can live for nine days without its head but you can't
Yo, yo, yo, I drop knowledge so heavy it leaves the world unbalanced
Exterminate the spiritual force of all that challenge
I'm the lyrical apocalypse that crumbles the granite
Replacing you as the dominant species on the planet
I'm explicit like video tapes of conjugal visits
Some niggaz are too stupid to understand it like astrophysics
Technique is exquisite
I'll make your thoughts a victory
Get pessimistic with the quickness
If you think that I will just become another statistic with anything but success
When I bless the mic as I spit this
Specifically prolific with coprocessor coma type sickness
My style is like a ten year old child with a slit wrist, too much reality
For the fucking hit list
I got a Black Panther mentality with a spick fist
So you can get dissed
Even if you're locally gold, vocally bold, or globally
Multi-platinum sold
I'm emotionally cold, disciplined, and ready to kill
Like spirits in the same room with you, I'm giving you chills
I drop knowledge while these mother fuckers clumsily spill
And I drop it so heavy, it leaves the world unbalanced
Exterminate the spiritual force of all that challenge
I'm the lyrically apocalypse that crumbles the granite
Replacing you as the dominant species on the planet
The lyrics to Immortal Technique's song Dominant Species assert the rapper's dominance in the world of hip-hop and beyond. However, the song's message extends beyond individual conquests. The lyrics suggest that, in the grand scheme of things, our own lives and actions are inconsequential. Instead, what truly matters is what we build, create, and pass down to future generations. Immortal Technique challenges his listeners to consider their legacies and make them substantial.
The song's second verse is particularly notable for its vivid and often disturbing imagery. Immortal Technique describes his own mental state as being on the brink of insanity, held together only by his immense intelligence and revolutionary mindset. He compares his lyrical prowess to "heavy artillery" and suggests that he is capable of replacing all others as the "dominant species" on the planet. These lines emphasize the rapper's confidence and assertiveness, as well as his willingness to blaze his own path no matter the cost.
Overall, Dominant Species is a powerful and thought-provoking song that touches on universal themes of power, legacy, and the human condition. Immortal Technique's unique style and worldview shine through, making the song a standout in his extensive catalog.
Line by Line Meaning
Yo, in a hundred years form now
The fact that everyone living today will eventually die makes our words and actions insignificant in the grand scheme of things.
Everyone who's living on this planet will be dead
No one is immortal; everyone will eventually succumb to the inevitability of death.
So it's inconsequential really
Since we are all going to die, it doesn't matter what we say or do.
All the shit that you talk
All the meaningless words and empty promises that people make.
All the bullshit that you stand for
All the lies and pretenses that people uphold to maintain their image.
It's more important what, what your ready to build
What truly matters is what we create, build, and pass down to future generations.
What you're ready to pass down to your children
What we leave behind for our children and future generations is more significant than anything else we do in life.
What you're ready to create
Our ability to create something meaningful that contributes to society is our ultimate legacy.
You better fucking remember that
It is crucial to realize the importance of the legacy we leave behind for our children and the world.
When you challenge a mother fucker like me
When someone challenges the artist or anyone else with similar beliefs.
Remember, I'm the dominant species
The singer sees himself as superior and dominant to those who do not share his beliefs or principles.
Yo, yo, yo, I drop knowledge so heavy it leaves the world unbalanced
The artist drops knowledge and truth so powerful that it shakes the foundation of people's beliefs, leaving them unbalanced and questioning.
Exterminate the spiritual force of all that challenge
The singer aims to eliminate any opposition to his ideas and beliefs, even if they are spiritual or religious in nature.
I'm the lyrical apocalypse that crumbles the granite
The singer sees himself as a powerful and destructive force that can tear down even the strongest and most resilient obstacles, like granite.
Replacing you as the dominant species on the planet
The singer believes that his ideas and beliefs will eventually replace those of the current dominant species (humans) on the planet.
I'm stuck inside the future and life is chaotic
The artist feels trapped in a chaotic and uncertain world, where the future is unknown and unpredictable.
The government is psychotically racist and robotic
The artist sees the government as both racist and robotic, controlled by a system that dehumanizes and oppresses people.
The matrix of entrapment is socio-economic
The system of oppression and control is based on socio-economic factors, where people are trapped in a cycle of poverty and powerlessness.
Erotic conspiracy theory becomes reality
The ideas and theories that were once thought of as conspiracy are now becoming a painful reality for the singer.
Life is war, and every day's a battle to me
The artist sees life as a continuous battle, where every day is a struggle to survive and thrive.
I'm on the brink of insanity, between extreme intelligence and split personalities
The artist feels that he is on the edge of insanity, balancing between his intelligence and his conflicting personalities.
But I elevate to the point of reversing gravity
Despite the struggles and chaos, the artist finds a way to elevate himself and achieve extraordinary things.
Revolutionary conceptuality spitting out of me
The singer has an abundance of revolutionary ideas and concepts that he wants to share and communicate to the world.
Even the dead people in my family tell me they proud of me
The artist takes comfort in the fact that even his deceased family members would be proud of his achievements and ideas.
Stupidity's not allowed by me
The singer has no tolerance for stupidity or ignorance.
'cause I don't got time to play
The singer has no time for games or frivolous activities.
I'm the black whole lyricist that'll take your shine away
The singer sees himself as a powerful force that can overshadow and diminish the achievements of others.
Darkness at any time of day
The artist sees darkness and negativity all around him, even during the daytime.
I'm the Technique and your nobody so what you trying to say
The artist sees himself as someone significant, while others who challenge him are nobody in comparison.
Stellar density becomes your physical alignment
The singer's words and ideas have such density and weight that they can physically align their listeners with his beliefs.
One point eight billion tons per square inch confinement
The singer's ideas and beliefs are so powerful that they can be compared to 1.8 billion tons of confinement or pressure.
Lyrically I'm infinite like possibilities
The artist sees himself as having an infinite potential when it comes to his lyrical abilities and creativity.
But you don't have the capability like infertility
Others do not have the same innate talent or ability as the artist; it is comparable to infertility.
'Cause opening your mouth to question my validity
Challenging the artist's validity or credibility is seen as a useless and futile endeavor.
Is like trying to contradict the theory of relativity
Challenging the singer's validity is as difficult as trying to contradict one of the most fundamental laws of physics.
When I spit is the epitome of heavy artillery
The artist's words and lyrics are as powerful and destructive as heavy artillery in a war.
My enemies are obsessed with me like the bitch in Misery
The singer's enemies are so obsessed and relentless in their attacks that they resemble the character from the novel and film 'Misery'.
But break out like father running form responsibility
Despite the challenges and struggles, the singer is able to break free and escape from them like a father running away from responsibility.
Every time I step and abuse the mic with versatility
The singer is able to utilize his versatility and creativity when performing, making him unstoppable and powerful.
I balance humility, with brutal instinct
The artist has a balance of humility and brutal instinct, able to maintain his sense of self while still being aggressive and bold with his ideas.
I'll make your whole cypher look like those crackers from N'Sync
The artist is so powerful and skilled that he can make even his opponents seem inferior, like the boy band 'N Sync'.
And I don't care about your link, or your luxury car
The singer does not care about others' material possessions or connections, only their ideas and beliefs.
I shed light with more magnitude than all of the stars
The singer's ideas and beliefs are so powerful that they can shine brighter than all the stars in the universe.
My breyon talk pick thick
The artist's speech and ideas are potent and thick, leaving a lasting impact on his listeners.
So don't ever talk shit
Others should never speak negatively or disrespectfully towards the artist.
And remember something nigga, while you rave and rant
The artist is reminding others to remember his power and significance while they are complaining or boasting about their own achievements.
A roach can live for nine days without its head but you can't
The singer is implying that humans are weaker than roaches, who can survive without their head for nine days, whereas humans cannot survive when their head is removed.
Lyrics © O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Felipe Coronel
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind