For all the righteous anger and vitriol Victor Mariachi exhibits on “With a Vengeance,” there’s never a moment when he allows his emotions to overshadow his message. What opens as a terse “public announcement” quickly transitions into a scathing indictment of political corruption, racial inequality, and cultural theft. It’s a track that’s as rugged as it is cerebral, one that allows for moments of violent confrontation while also speaking to the empowerment of black and brown communities.
“With a Vengeance” is the second single from Mariachi’s forthcoming first full-length, Weapons of Our Ancestors, a collaborative project with producer [izo] whose gritty, hard-nosed beats help set the stage for the rapper’s confrontational rhymes. Joining Mariachi on the cut is fellow Gwinnett County rapper Blaze who more than lives up to his moniker with an explosive verse aimed at torching every aspect of the American political system. The pair first met as students at Creekland Middle School in Lawrenceville and have long discussed teaming up on a track before finally connecting on this raised-fist protest anthem of resistance and reclamation.
“The central message in ‘With a Vengeance’ is to give a voice to a generation of kids who are tired of seeing their parents work hard and own nothing,” Mariachi says. “It’s about claiming everything back for our ancestors who are black and brown. ‘With a Vengeance’ represents us, the generation of revenge and reparations from those who stole what was rightfully ours. It’s a song to represent that frustration and to deal with that anger.”
Weapons of Our Ancestors is out Sept. 29.
More Info
Bandcamp: victormariachi.bandcamp.com
Instagram: @victormariachi
SoundCloud: @victor-mariachi
Twitter: @VictorMariachiX