Appetite for
instruction

>> There’s no disputing the hunger
in Brother Ali’s eyes

MIGHTY MOUTHFULS: Brother Ali

by NARCEL X

Brother Ali is starving. Not only has Ramadan got him famished, America’s got his hunger for truth echoing in his empty stomach. Hailing from Madison, Wisconsin but raised in Minnesota, the MC found his passion for music coming up alongside the Rhymesayers roster. Being surrounded by likeminded artists and friends, he paved his way into the scene with incendiary rhymes, burning stages from one continent to the next.

As hard as it is to be a white albino Muslim in the States, Ali never backs down in the face of pressure. With his latest release, The Undisputed Truth, he quenches his thirst for knowledge while nourishing his fans with undiluted honesty. Uncle Sam’s dirty dishes are piling up and this time around, Ali is bringing his food for thought straight to the belly of the beast.

Mirror: We don’t realize how our opportunities here come at the cost of the suffering of others in the world. What do you think creates this blinded outlook on life?

Brother Ali: Not only are people’s convenience and ease and luxury related to people suffering around the world, it also relates to those suffering in their own backyard. On “Uncle Sam Goddamn,” I wanted to talk about how somebody has to do the work. The less labour the middle class and upper class has to do, the more it’s passed down to poorer folks. People are very concerned with themselves, and not in tune spiritually, or in tune with humanity. If you value your humanity, that will ultimately connect you with everyone in the world. I think that lack of spirituality, principles and morals has come full circle. People don’t care about others and are in denial about how bad things are, especially in the States. If people in America think that this country is going to be number one in every way forever, they are wrong. The only thing we had that was number one was our military—now, we spread that thin!

M: What keeps your hunger up when you see the machine churning out fabricated artists?

BA: It comes from within. I would have been an MC all my life whether it was my career or not. Now, because of this independent underground scene, we do have a chance to have a career. I feel fortunate and look at the opportunities I do have. Those that are making more money than us on major labels are not necessarily as free as we are. We control our own destiny—nobody pressures us to change our music. That’s a choice that we make. I did the “Uncle Sam Goddamn” video, and we lost sponsorships for that. But these are things that are important for us and we make songs for what matters to us, and those that listen to our music.

M: Do you think your rites of passage have shown you the undisputed truth, and what is that truth?

BA: The title of the album is not me saying I know the truth, or I’m gonna tell you the truth. I know my truth. It’s a dedication to the idea of making honest music and allowing listeners to know what’s really going on in my life and sharing my reality. I hope that it connects with other people.

With Blueprint, Toki Wright and DJs BK One and
RareGroove at Coda on Sunday, Oct. 14, 9 p.m., $10