Brother Ali: thecheappop interview
A Timely and Timeless Artist: Brother Ali Takes Center Stage
By Nell Alk
Hip Hop artist Brother Ali is Midwest born and bred. By 15, he relocated to the Twin Cities, where he currently resides — that is — when he isn’t touring. The rapper has performed far and wide, participating in renowned music festivals the globe-over. He has rap battled and dominated and rap battled and been defeated, but nothing knocks this hero off course. Perhaps this unwavering attitude stems from his youth; an albino white kid and legally blind, Ali was often the target of cruel kids with nothing better to do but make fun. Having internalized this criticism, Ali transforms what might have been the key ingredient for failure into sheer success.
It doesn’t hurt that his songs boast killer beats, combining a mainstream must with unparalleled (and anything but mainstream) language. Ali’s talent is palpable and to overlook the underlying meaning within his songs would be a travesty, a major means of missing out on “that something” that really makes Ali stand out, not only as a musician, but also as an individual.
In his songs, Ali addresses the issues of politics and religion (he is a practicing Muslim, by the way), as well as more personal stuff, such as his young son and his ex-wife. While these subjects may at first appear mundane, the topics pursued by every other artist out there, think again. I had the good fortune of interviewing him recently…
How is the tour going so far?
Going great, umm, you know the last U.S. tour was right after my album was coming out, The Undisputed Truth, so the material was really new for everybody; it was new to us to perform it and new to the audiences. This time, everyone has had a chance to sit with the music for a while. So, now when I perform people know the words and understand it a little better.
Who were primary influences in music when you were younger?
The main few that I always say are KRS-One and Rakim.
What’s it like to be part of the Minneapolis music scene? Surely it is far different from New York or LA?
That’s a great question. The thing about Minneapolis, because we are so far from those scenes and even from Chicago, the people influence the way we live. We don’t have this extravagant nightlife, we don’t have Hollywood like L.A., we don’t have the things New York has, we really just have us people and the way we interact in the Midwest is really the way we are.
I have close friends in New York and LA. People are just a lot more authentic in the Midwest. All the music that comes out of the Midwest – Eminem, Kanye West, Common – all are talking about their personal lives. Me and Slug and others do the same. I think that, umm, this is the number one way that it [the Midwest] shaped our focus as musicians.
Actually, I am from the Midwest as well. Green Bay.
Did you hear that Brett Favre retired yesterday?
I did. Was a little surprised. Do you follow football?
Umm, not really. I was trying to see who won the primary in Texas. I was on the New York Times website last night trying to find out. Hillary won a whole bunch of shit.
If I can ask, where do you stand politically? I mean, I have a good idea, I know your song “Uncle Sam Goddamn,” but, say, for whom will you vote in the next election?
I almost always vote for Independents. Last time I voted for…who’s that worthless guy who ran against George Bush? John Edwards. No, wait, John Kerry. I just really didn’t want George bush to still be the president.
Even with Barack Obama, I do not have this huge conviction that he can make a ton of change. It’s almost a symbolic role, it’s almost like the Queen of England or some shit. I don’t think anyone will make that drastic of a change. What it would mean symbolically for him to be president would be huge. He doesn’t come from the same background, doesn’t have the same history as every other politician. So, if he could be the president it would give a little bit of hope. Also, my son really loves him. My son sees himself in Barack Obama.
How old is your son now?
Seven.
I mean he’s [Barack Obama] definitely charismatic. Reminds me of John F. Kennedy in that way; great smile, good T.V. presence, inspiring. Anyway, moving on, when can we maybe expect another album?
I did a new LP that will come out really soon. It’s got ten songs. It’ll be that CD of new music and then also a
I also just took my longest break from touring, which was three months. I’m usually on the road, usually never home that long. But we were recording.
Who are the guest performers on your EP?
Slug from Atmosphere and a rapper from our label called I Self Devine.
Awesome. I just have to say that I love your song “Here.”* What’s it about specifically?
That’s a song about how I got married basically when I was a kid to someone I didn’t know that well, and I was married for ten years. It was an arranged marriage. I never really experienced love. I didn’t need to be all that vulnerable at that time, you know what I mean? Even in high school I never had any serious girlfriends, never really had to have my guard down that way. So, that’s a song about falling in love for the first time. You’re not supposed to do that when you’re 13. I was really caught off-guard by it.
Quite the explanation. I know you’ll be in New York on the 27th. I will actually be there. Are you stoked, do you like coming to New York?
I love New York.
Ever play at Bowery Ballroom before?
One time. With a band called The Hold Steady.
Faheem performs hip-hop songs; could you tell me more about that?
Well, he’s always been around and I’ve been doin’ this his whole life so he just sees it a lot. He kind of naturally takes to music.
Do you think that’s the direction he might take?
I don’t know.I would imagine some kind of performing.
This concluded my Brother Ali interview. We had only a short time to talk, but I sincerely enjoyed speaking with him and am honored to have had this opportunity. And, I am sure Brother Ali fans everywhere hope his son will one day follow in his father’s footsteps, addressing the pressing issues of the moment and becoming a timely and timeless talent in the future. Just like his dad, the Hip-Hop phenomenon from Minneapolis.
And if you’re aching to find out Ali’s mustache stance, click here: http://thecheappop.com/2008/03/06/best-mustache-ever-withbrother-ali/
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