Brother Ali

Brother Ali's bruising delivery and acidic punch lines hide his tortured soul. Leadoff track "Whatcha Got" is all blood and bluster, with Ali declaring "the champ is back" over an Amp beat that wouldn't have sounded out of place on Fear of a Black Planet. Later, the bear shrinks into a cub as he's confronted with a schizo wife and a depressing world view. In his own words, Ali is "a thugged-out nerd," the sort of guy who eats "organic vegetables mixed with fast food" and claims he's somewhere between Howard Zinn and Howard Stern.

On his second LP, this Minneapolis MC commands thick details and righteous anger, getting
crucial help from Ant (of Minneapolis rap duo Atmosphere), whose beats are alternately
gritty and soulful but always vibrant. “Uncle Sam Goddamn” and the warm, thumping
“Take Me Home” are instant pleasures. But just as strong are “Faheem,” where Ali
explains d-i-v-o-r-c-e to his little boy, and “Lookin’ At Me Sideways,” where... More >