It's a well documented obsession that I have with Brother Ali, but one that I stand by without a shred of self-consciousness. I see literally NOTHING to not like about the guy. He's overcome a bunch of hurdles in his life - blindness, poverty, albinism - and come out the other side with a positive attitude, a good message, and a phenomenal way of spreading it. Street preacher indeed.
To top off all the good message vibes, he has a flow like few others. He absolutely rips verses all over the place, with lyrics that aren't just about how he's good at rapping. What's this? Content? What a novel idea.
One of the things I love most about Ali is how his style has evolved over the years. Listen to his first great album, Shadows On The Sun, and you'll hear a rapper fighting an uphill battle - against his detractors, his situation, himself. He's fiery and confrontational, his flow has some bite to it. Now flip to his newer stuff; listen to Truth Is Here EP or this new single, "Us," and you'll find a more mature, wizened, and calmer Ali. Where the feel-good rhymes used to be cool moments inside a firestorm (see "Forest Whitaker") they are slowly taking over, letting the negativity disappear underneath the positive vibes.
Ant's production contributes greatly here, and Ali's willingness to leave himself a little exposed is the icing on the cake. If Brother Ali's upcoming album is anything like this single, I cannot wait to bump it on repeat.
Check the video for the single below - dope and real. Mmm this song makes me feel all gooey inside.
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