You Never Know
Immortal Technique is one of those artists that you stumble on by accident. Possibly you are digging into your Hip-Hop collection, and his name comes up as a suggestion, or you hear of him through a friend. The song “You Never Know” was introduced to me by my brother. During this time, he was really into the underground music scene. While listening to Technique, you can tell he has his style; you can feel the passion through the speakers. There aren’t many artists that can take you somewhere you have never been to. This song is a hot love story; you can almost experience inner-city life. There are rumors that the love story is true, but I haven’t found concrete evidence. The song “You Never Know” for me represents the story by Charles Bukowski, “The Most Beautiful Women in Town.” Similarly, Immortal is dating a girl out of his league in the song. It is evident that he appreciates her beauty, but he respects her for her intellect and the woman she is. Immortal doesn’t want to use her. As Bukowski cares about Cass, both guys can’t explain their feelings for these women, and nothing prepares them for the tragedy at the end. Circumstances cause Immortal to spend some time away from his lady friend, only to return and learn about her death. Like in “The Most Beautiful Women..” Bukowski doesn’t get to express his burning feelings toward Cass. They are struck with heartbreak when they least expect it because they don’t realize their feelings until it is too late. Unfortunately, the leading ladies are closed off to love and true intimacy. Their pain keeps them from ultimately experiencing all love has to offer. Neither can bare the idea of true transparency leading up until their deaths.
Beauty is in The Eye of The Beholder
Choosing my MVP for this class wasn’t obvious. I was conflicted between “Bus Stop” and “The Most Beautiful Women in Town.” I ultimately decided to choose Charles Bukowski. I appreciated how the title seemed to change form after reading the story. Initially, assuming the story will have a happy ending is easy, but it wasn’t comforting. The story’s end is left open to interpretation. There was a huge grey area, and I wanted to interpret that. There also wasn’t a lot of depth in the characters. In my opinion, they didn’t share much about themselves, but it was obvious that they were both tormented by the world for opposite reasons. Bukowski was drinking his pain away; meanwhile, Cass seemed haunted by her beauty. There was plenty left unsaid. I believe Cass committed suicide because she was afraid of being loved. Each time she and Bukowski have the potential to get closer, she does something to sabotage herself. I think it triggered her to feel cared for or seen. Cass was troubled, but Bukowski appreciated her and befriended her, which was more than she expected. The story wasn’t happy; it was real, which is another reason why it ended up my MVP. Sadly, it also reminded me of a lot of women I know. Nowadays, many women don’t learn how to value themselves—placing too much emphasis on their looks, leading them to get used by many men. The story felt familiar, making me uneasy, so I wanted to explore that more in-depth.
Lucky to be Ugly
In Bukowsi’s “The Most Beautiful Women in Town,” Cass and Bukoski have just seen each other again at the bar after six months. Her appearance startled him because she had two pins driven down into her face. Bukowski told her they were making him very unhappy and asked if she would pull them out. Right after, I hear Immortal’s “You never know” playing in the background. Bukowski’s cool demeanor towards her and her well-being inspired the song’s introduction because right after they leave the bar, he begins to have this internal dialogue about Cass. He takes a moment to reflect on how beautiful Cass is and his affection towards her has grown. Immortal’s lyrics say, “Her eyes are brown and beautiful, yet empty and sad. I used to talk to her occasionally, and she was glad" (Editors). Immortal appreciates her beauty and features, yet he can look past them. He can see deeper into who she is and takes the time to notice the state of her soul. He can also recognize that their encounters uplift her spirits. Cass desired to be loved this way, so she butchered her beauty. Cass tells Bukowski as they leave the bar together, “Beauty is nothing; beauty won’t stay. You don’t know how lucky you are to be ugly because if people like you, you know it’s for something else” (Bukowski). Cass isn’t admitting that people have used her for beauty or only wanted her for that reason, but she is saying that she doesn’t trust or know that people appreciate her for anything else.
Love Unexpected
Immortal’s song “You Never Know” has many instances of foreshadowing. However, reviewing the lyrics allowed me to notice more instances when Immortal preluded to a larger message. Immortal tells a story throughout the song of inner-city love. He was a thug who ran around with people caught stealing and committing crimes; meanwhile, she was intellectual and couldn’t be bothered to give these players the time of day. It made the other women on the block envious of her because they were sloppy. The song’s chorus goes, “Don’t you know that time waits for no man. My fate, it’s all planned. I’m blessed just to know you. I’ve loved, and I’ve lost just to hold you all night” (Technique). Before we learn that Immortal will be imprisoned for some time, he discloses that time will not be on his side. Things will inevitably change. We aren’t aware of how yet or what he refers to, but he shares that he believes it is all predestined when he states that “his fate is all planned.” The lyrics foreshadow when Immortal says he has loved and lost the ability to hold her all night. Without realizing that his lover will die, Immortal tells us that he cannot hold his lover all night. Very much like Bukowski’s “The Most Beautiful Women in Town.” Bukowski couldn’t imagine Cass being gone; he imagined her walking back into the bar after he received the news of her suicide. They both took a chance at love but ultimately lost out on future opportunities. The lines leave a message of gratitude even though, towards the end, Immortal seems angry about having fallen in love. He is expressing the pain and beauty he felt from loving and knowing this woman. In my opinion, the larger picture describes that we should make the most of our time with those we love because we can never be too sure about what fate has planned.
More than Underground
Making a name for himself as an underground rapper, Felipe Andres Coronel better known as Immortal Technique expresses “a mixture of socialist commentary on issues as class hierarchy, poverty, religion, government, and institutional racism”(Vogue) in much of his music. Immortal was born in Peru, but he and his family emigrated in 1980 to Harlem. During his youth, he was arrested several times. Shortly after his enrollment at Pennsylvania State University, he was again arrested and was there when he was honing his rapping skills. During his incarceration, Immortal would write down what he had lived and seen. Immortal Technique is known for its street-style songs. He became known as an underground rapper because he didn’t have the pop friendly image that major labels wanted. It was this relentless pursuit to stay true to his style that he continued with what worked for him. The ferocious battle M.C. also devotes his time to visiting prisons to speak to youth and work with rights activists. With the profits from his last album, it has been written, “In 2008, he teamed up with non-profit human rights organization Omeid International to help build an orphanage in Kabul, Afghanistan” (Vogue). Though he may not have reached much fame through his albums, Immortal’s soundtracks have appeared in video games and several movies. There has also been a documentary about his life and career which was released in 2011. Although Immortal doesn’t have a role in the short story The Most Beautiful Women in Town, I think his writing skills tell a similar story of love and heartbreak. The song I chose is based on a true story and heartbreakingly speaks for itself. Ultimately, we learn that Immortal’s love has died like Bukowski’s.
Love and Loss
Losing someone we love can affect our reality. We can begin to see the world as a dark place; an unfair bitterness can take hold of our hearts if left unchecked. Bukowski and Immortal are two men from different timelines, different backgrounds, and ethnicities; however, they both can take a seemingly hopeless situation and channel those sparks that life gives to create or elevate the story of existence. But, unfortunately, it means we can’t avoid heartbreak or disappointment. These men weren’t out to fall in love; they weren’t out dating or even pursuing these women, yet they ended up in these unusual relationships. I saw two men on the streets, trying to understand and articulate why life gave them these less-than-ideal circumstances. Yet, these women, who they viewed as flawless, had much deeper issues and resolutions about life. There is this feeling that maybe something could have been done or said that would have changed the circumstances, but I don’t think that is true. There was pure energy in the encounters they experienced, and It felt as though they wanted the reader to experience the lows just as much as the highs. The writing experience was a bit emotional; it caused me to reminisce on loved ones lost. Although my loved one wasn’t a lover, it reminded me to savor moments with those I care for because sometimes life can give us unforeseen circumstances. The process also reminded me to remain open when encountering new people because you never know how their stories can influence or even change your life. I didn’t expect the writing or thought process to be so deep or involve such introspective thinking. I enjoyed it and appreciated the challenge of comparing these two very different storytellers.
Work Cited:
Bukowski, Charles. “The Most Beautiful Women in Town. City Lights Books. Published 1983.
Editors, Immortal Technique Biography. Accessed 16 May, 2023. https://www.thefamouspeople.com/profiles/immortal-technique-11802.php.
Vogue. “Immortal Technique Biography.” 25 Sept 2013. https://thevogue.com/artists/immortal-technique/#bio.
Technique, Immortal. “You Never Know” Revolutionary Vol. 2. Viper Records, 2003.
Technique, Immortal. “You Never know, Immortal Technique ft Jean Grae.” YouTube, uploaded by Immortal Technique, 8 Oct 2019, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dd4b3dhTmkU.