by SCOTT C

While the relentless rhymes of Brother Ali continue to turn and bob heads, this dedicated MC maintains a very modest frontline. As part of the Rhymesayers extended family, the underground legs on this cat have seen many, many stages across the U.S., Canada and the world. The Mirror spoke to him over the phone from his Minnesota home.

Mirror: Did you check the presidential debates the other night?

Brother Ali: Naw, but I saw the highlights.

M: Do you think the future of the United States of America is hanging in the balance?

BA: Well, I'm not really an expert on this type of thing, but I don't feel like Bush or Kerry is too much different than the other. I'm not gonna vote for either one of them. It's not about who can make things better, it's about who can make things worse. If you want to make a change you can see, fuck with local politics.

M: How much of your music is made from sheer frustration?

BA: I definitely have a lot of songs that deal with frustration. What I like about music is how it can take something that you're feeling and turn it into something you can hold on to, so any emotion that you can do that with is great.

M: I know what you're saying, but my frustration seems to stem from just how much disposable music there seems to be out there in relation to lasting art.

BA: I don't keep track of it. I have people that I know who have great taste in music. If they can get remotely excited about something, whatever the genre, I'll check it out. I don't pay attention to every 12-inch and album that comes out anymore, because it's not worth it. That's actually my biggest fear.

M: What, exactly?

BA: Being forgettable. I'd rather be wack then mediocre, you know what I mean? Nothing is worse than being mediocre to me.

With J-Live, Skratch Bastid, Applied Science and Euphrates at Foufounes Électriques on Wednesday, Oct. 13, 9pm, $10

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