Brother Ali To Release Free Album

"Crab Cakes to Shakespeare". Ha. Nice. The great Brother Ali has a free album to offer up on February 13th. It's called The Bite Marked Heart. Here's a video from it. Song produced by Jake One. Happy Valentine's Day to all of us.

Breakin' Dawn Tour Theme Song

In the same way Brother Ali and BK-One did with Toki Wright and Evidence before kicking off the Fresh Air Tour, the two linked up with Fashawn to record this 'theme song' to their new show, The Breakin' Dawn Tour. Shit's crazy. Check it out below - "The Breakin' Dawn Boys".

http://usershare.net/8721062coj00

Brother Ali - 'Tight Rope' Studio Performance

"Tight Rope" is one of my favorite tracks from US. It covers three separate stories of people struggling with hardships in their lives. Ali's rhyme skills, vivid storytelling ability, and grown-up attitude about a specific issue that far too many people are childish and ignorant about, make this one of my favorite Hip Hop songs to come along in a while.

I really hope everyone has heard this song (and the album) by now, so here is a studio version that Brother Ali recorded (taken from the site yourstru.ly). It was great to see him perform this (and many other songs) live this past year in Columbus, OH.

Brother Ali "Tight Rope" from Yours Truly on Vimeo.

Interview With Brother Ali

Like the title says, Brother Ali sits down to talk about a lot of things like his approach to music and life in general, and how he has been positively affected by different people in his life. There ain't nothin' like hip hop music, so if you haven't heard Us yet, make sure you treat yourself right this Xmas and pick up a copy.

11 Minutes w/Brother Ali from Ruby Hornet on Vimeo.

Fresh Air Tour - Columbus, Ohio

I've been waiting for the chance to see Brother Ali live since I heard The Undisputed Truth in 2007 and started seeing footage of him performing. So, when the Fresh Air Tour was announced this summer featuring Toki Wright, Evidence (Dilated Peoples), DJ BK-One, and Ali I knew I had to go if it stopped anywhere close to Cincinnati.

Last Saturday, November 14th was the day I had been waiting for for months. I drove up to Columbus with my wife and met some friends for the show. We arrived there about an hour early, expecting to have to deal with some kind of crowd. There wasn't one. We walked into the bar/club to meet our friends, and there were maybe five other patrons there. If it wasn't for some light activity on the stage behind the half-drawn curtain and a poster inside advertising the date of the show I would've thought we were there on the wrong day. We sat there for a while and then I asked the bartender about the will-call where we were supposed to pick up our tickets for the show. It didn't look like there was one, and I was right. There wasn't. There is just a guy that shows up to sit outside and let people in - and he wasn't there yet. She later told me that he wouldn't be there until 9pm....funny, since the show is advertised as beginning at 8pm. That fact though didn't seem to matter to anyone but us, as no one else had even shown up yet.

Now I've noticed that there is a vicious cycle that tends to take place at hip hop concerts - at least the ones I've been to. The show never starts on time...ever. Because they are always behind, people now wait until late to show up. Because people are late to show up, the crowd is not filled out when the artists arrive. So, they don't want to take the stage to a scene of a half-filled venue of people just milling around and talking. It looks bad, and uninspiring. So, the show takes even longer to get going, and the cycle continues.

Shortly after 9pm, the venue owners further displayed their incompetence at hosting events, as they took out a notebook with names, a hand stamp which turned out to be an easily replicated black smudge, and asked everyone in the bar that was staying for the show to step outside and get in line to show their proof of purchase and I.D. or pay for a ticket. There were no tickets, by the way. Needless to say I am now confident of my ability not to pay these idiots next time they hold an event there. Unfortunately, this would take money away from the artits in most cases.

As we sat in the front of the building watching people outside while we waited, in walks Evidence, followed by Toki Wright, followed by Brother Ali. They stood in front of us talking to some people, so I got up from my seat and took the opportunity to meet them. I shook hands with Ali, told him I liked the new album and was excited for the show, and he thanked me for coming out. I also got to meet Evidence. So, that was cool. It's nice when these MCs you admire are approachable and gracious for your support. Everyone, but Ali actually sat at the merch table for a while before the show and during the other sets. BK-One sat there talking with people and selling records and t-shirts until it was time for him to take the stage.

Because my wife is pregnant, we took the opportunity to go up to the balcony they had in the club to view the show with out getting deep into the crowd. Normally, I would've maneuvered as close to the stage as possible and enjoyed it with the other fans. The opening act was Ill Poetic (of Cincy) and Illogic (of Columbus). I've seen these two in Cincy before - both are talented MCs, but after waiting two additional hours for things to get started, I just wanted to hear The Rhymesayers and was kind of annoyed that we'd be waiting even longer.

Once they finished, BK-One (who handled all Rhymesayers' sets) took the stage with Toki Wright. Toki had a tough job. The crowd had filled out by this point, but it wasn't nearly as packed as I thought it would be in there. Toki had to do his best to get the audience into it after a long wait with his songs which many people in attendaence might not have heard before. But, his experience as a hype man, stage presence, and delivery had everyone feeling him quick. Toki performed several songs from his album A Different Mirror (I recommend it to everyone - it's great) and got a great response. But, just as he was wrapping up his set, BK's laptop went dead, halting the show. After almost an hour of waiting, I was about ready to say 'fuck it' and ask for my money back on the way out the door.

Finally, they got things working again and Evidence took the stage with BK behind him to quickly offer an explanation and start his set. I was surprised by how quickly things got back to the same level they were at before. I'm not a big fan of Evidence myself, but there were definitely quite a few people there who were excited to see him. And, the performance he gave was great. He took total command of the crowd as he performed solo and group records including Dilated's Kanye-assisted hit "This Way". And everyone was into it. Especially the bald guy in all black a few rows back from the stage who was dancing and throwing his hands up with everyone else like he belonged in the crowd. It was Brother Ali! I definitely have a new respect for Evidence after seeing him live. I put The Platform on my iPod when I got home (an album I bought in stores years ago, and was kinda disappointed with) to give it another listen.

Next, Toki came back to the stage to introduce Ali. Ali took the stage and apologized for the hold up, before announcing that we were gonna have a party up in there not 'see a show'. He then went right into "The Preacher" from US. Ali obviously had the crowd from the start and his dominating stage presence made it all seem effortless. He was genuinely loving the experience of sharing his music with his fans. He ripped through song after song from US, as well as some notables from his older albums - "Room With A View" and "Forest Whitaker" from Shadows On The Sun, "Truth is", "Uncle Sam Goddamn", "Walking Away", "Take Me Home" from The Undisputed Truth and more.

About halfway through his set with his voice clearly strained from the 40+ shows they had done so far on the tour, Ali left the stage to BK-One who cut up a track from his brazilian-themed hip hop compilation Radio Do Canibal (another great album that I talked about in previous posts). During the performance he had a screen behind him that showed some original videos to go along with the music at times - two memorable ones were for "House Keys" and "Forest Whitaker". The latter was made up of a collection of people (including Ali and his wife) who one by one held a sign in their hands displaying one of their shortcomings, and later turning the sign over to reveal how this fault of theirs is actually a gift that helps make them who they are. Ali performed for well over an hour and gave us all what we were there to see: one of today's best MCs at the top of his game, sharing his life with us in song form. By the end there was also no question in my mind that he brought the right people along with him for this tour - especially BK-One who's passion shows on his face the whole time he is on stage. The Fresh Air Tour in Columbus, despite a few mishaps, kicked ass and is another very memorable hip hop show, uh, party, for me.

Brother Ali: Fresh Air Tour Blog Pt. 3

Ali recently put this video up on his site with footage of some of their shows, some stories, etc. Head over to BrotherAli.com to see more. Also check back here soon for a write up of the Fresh Air Tour stop in Columbus,OH last weekend. I haven't gotten around to posting about it yet.

Gift Of Gab x Del x Brother Ali

If you are a fan of Gift of Gab like I am, then you've probably heard that he has a new album dropping soon entitled Escape 2 Mars (cover pictured above) - let's hope for a new Blackalicious record soon as well. Here goes a new track off the album featuring the likes of two other favorite MCs of mine (and hopefully of most) Del Tha Funkee Homosapien and Brother Ali (both of whom have new material out this year as well). The song's called "Dreamin'". Each MC takes his own approach to the concept, which is fresh. And, the song is great all around. I'm still trying to grasp everything Gab has to say though. I got lost in his flow a few times. The link's below. Comment on it if you listen.

http://www.zshare.net/audio/6746439329f3e5de/

The truth is here, the truth is here!

To kick off this blog in the right way, and to let anyone that happens to come across it know how I feel about hip hop, it's artists, it's labels, and it's direction I thought it appropriate to begin with a verse from a man who can put it much better than I. For anyone unfamiliar with Brother Ali at this point, let me say I feel sorry for you. You're missing out on one of the greatest voices in hip hop in the last few years. Aside from a strong, commanding voice, smooth delivery, and well-structured, insightful lyrics, Ali brings something of value to hip hop that most in the mainstream are afraid to deliver - honesty. Through a life struggle that is at the same time unique and completely common, Ali delivers his truest thoughts, feelings, and stories of his life and the world he sees around him in a way that people cannot help but relate to because, well, it's the truth. He doesn't play the tough gangster, the drug kingpin, or the pimp/player (all of them millionaires many times over) to glorify himself and try to impress his impressionable audience.
While some rappers, once exposed, may fall back on the excuse that their music is no different from watching a movie - no one believes that Al Pacino is Tony Montana - the truth is that they desperately want people to believe that what they spit is their life. They need it to validate them. Not only are they uncomfortable in their own skin, they have no idea how to translate their actual life to paper in interesting ways, so they brag and boast the same old bullshit that everyone else does because it's easy. And, with little talent, low self-esteem, and a limited vocabulary it's the only way that they can make a song.
Thankfully, Brother Ali has no problem addressing these issues in hip hop. From the rappers putting out bullshit and calling anyone not praising it a hater, to the labels taking advantage of these broke wannabe stars with no knowledge or respect for hip hop to line their own pockets, Ali points out the problem and tries to encourage people to fix it.

The following is a verse from a song he recorded recently with Wale called "2nd Time Around". If you like the style, go pick up Brother Ali's The Undisputed Truth, the best album of 2007 in my opinion. Also, check for this song on The New Deal mixtape by 10 Deep & DJ Benzi, or the Brother Ali mixtape The Rope-A-Dope. Wale's The Mixtape About Nothing is another winner from 2008 as well, by the way.


rappers can’t clap me, jackers can’t gat me
original meaning of jazzy fat nasty
I don’t bite rappers lines, I bite the captain’s arm off
I don’t throw shots in the air, I throw that Molotov,
cocktail, reservoir dog my kinda arms
ya’ll scared to get that revolution poppin off
you really got the guns you claim in a track?
then my question for you is who you aiming em at?
you complaining that the rap police caught you with a gat under the seat
misdemeanored that 20 bag of weed
but little ol’ me with the few facts that I speak
the homeland security gaffled me overseas
closed my bank account and seized my guarantee
and ya’ll are sound scanning like 100 more than me
they kickin you off tour for freakin a chick or two
Verizon dissed me too, cuz I was too political
ya’ll are all safe and shit, ya’ll are not sayin shit
you just snap your fingers and dance and make your label rich
gotta pay back that advance, so they ain’t gave you shit
this is your chance to say something and you’re wastin it
people are starvin, you talkin bout ballin
can’t think of nothin more important than that jargon
100 different ways to describe diamonds sparklin
eighty percent of kids are listenin to ya’ll shit
I heard that statistic I almost cried
never wanted so bad for 2Pac to be alive
what the fuck happened to rap when
the gangsters are scared of upsetting their industry masters?
It ain’t my place to say and I hear all that
but fuck that, I live in the hood and we need ya’ll cats
so, as soon as I hear ya’ll on some real pro-black
then I will gladly go back to my EMO rap
they say the truth don’t belong to nobody, if you see it you speak it
it would be a sin to keep it a secret
so, if I need to breathe then believe that I mean it
quit tryin to be somebody’s boss and be a leader
if it wasn’t bad enough your labels are hoeing you
you can’t even scan, your fans are downloading you
there’s no connection, so they’re not supporting you
you ain’t never shed light on nothing that they going through
we ain’t buying CDs, we’re striving to live
and these artists don’t need me, they already rich
I ain’t hatin on you – rock them shines
just remember us from time to time when you drop them lines
rappers can’t clap me, jackers can’t gat me,
original meaning of jazzy fat nasty,
busy raisin babies and livin on tour
signing off Brother Ali, sincerely yours