Brother Ali - The Undisputed Truth

Brother Ali tells the truth. He has to. When it comes to aesthetic and commercial appeal, he does not have much to sell. I cannot see many record execs pasting the pudgy albino from Minnesota on any billboards or casting him in movies. Instead, Brother Ali speaks from a place that not many MCs reach and convey in a way that few can. The result is an album centralized on smooth beats and crisp rhymes that speak from the heart.

He makes his goal obvious right away. Upon opening the CD case I read Ali’s mission statement in bold white letters. “Our songs are supposed to be the voice of our soul.” The only way that any artist of any genre or style allows the soul to speak truthfully is through deep meditation and intense creative effort. This effort is evident all through out the album. Like the most thoughtful of writers and artists, Ali makes it obvious that each word, line, beat and sample is chosen carefully and intentionally. This album has very little empty space.

The album begins with an introduction in the yes-yes-y’all old-school party pleaser “Watcha Got.” Here, Ali acquaints us with his musically and lyrically intensity. This song lets us hear Ali’s goal as an artist. Make the best music he possibly can, and even more importantly, make the most honest music he can.

After “Watcha Got” introduces the album, Ali uses “Looking At Me Sideways” to introduce himself. Ali does not take this opportunity to make himself look glamorous or tough, but presents himself as a real person. Nothing more and nothing less. “I understand I ain’t perfect alright/ I’ve been a thugged out nerd all my life.” Musically, as it is with much of the album “Sideways” gives a smooth blend of funk-era urban jazz, upbeat soul and old-school hip hop. Most songs include a crisp guitar riff, small horn section, solid bass line, and simple snare hit or hand clap. The beats never distract, they only compliment the lyrics and flow of Ali.

Although nearly every song has at least one redeeming quality the gems of the album musically are “Pedigree”, “Walk Away” and “Ear to Ear”. The samples are timeless and strong. The rhymes are smooth, concise and personal.

Like other underground hip-hop artist Ali’s concern for social change is evident within his tracks. “Truth Is (DTAS)” has Ali saying, “More/We want more/I demand we get more.” More from the culture, from our government, from hip-hop. “Uncle Sam Goddamn” is a bluesy protest against our nation’s disgraceful past and backwards values. But, what I appreciate about his comments is the inclusion of personal choice in the solution to the problems he addresses. Yes, our social and economic systems can make things hard for people sometimes, and Ali poetically addresses that. But, within all his grievance lies the admittance that it was his determination and faith in God that helped him overcome the adversity he faced. Through his brilliant ability as a storyteller, Brother Ali conveys that life is hard but never impossible, and that anyone can accomplish their goals, not by hand outs but through ambition. He says, “We were put here to carry a great weight/the very things we hate/are here to build those muscles.”

The only time his commentary goes sour is in “Letter from the Government”. This is the only time while listening to the album that I sensed a lack of effort was completely disappointed. There are few things I love more than a clever politically and socially conscious tune, but nothing I despise more than a catchy song that simply says, “War is bad and Bush is an a**hole.” Even though the song is rooted in Ali’s Muslim faith (another theme present throughout the album) it left me wishing he had not included it in the album.

Ali discusses a lot of difficult and personal events of his life. The stories he tells are raw, real and endearing. “Freedom Ain’t Free” surprisingly is not a tribute to the troops, but rather a cool reggae rap about the end of his former life and entrance into the Islamic faith. “Here” is a quiet, inviting, and almost eerie story of personal fight against evil and the struggle to find God’s mercy In “Walking Away” and “Faheem”, he tells the story of the break up between he and his girlfriend and the care he takes for his young son. “I don’t think I loved you/ I probably never did/ But if you didn’t try to kill me/ I would have stayed for the kid” I have not heard a tale of heartbreak, tragedy, and hope of this caliber since Pedro the Lion. Ali proves that real love songs are not reserved to acoustic rock. Hip hop can convey just as much thought and emotion if not more than rock, which may be difficult to believe taking in account of our culture’s bombardment of sex laden rap.