What’s happenin’ yall! Welcome to my new site. Thanks for stopping by. Make yourself at home.
One of my favorite parts of making music is the connection I have with the people who listen. There’s something really powerful about the conversations I’ve had with folks at my shows and I want to use this space to bring those conversations together. I’ll be posting everything from new music to videos from the road, news pieces etc. I want US to be able to discuss them openly. I invite you all to tell me your stories, ask questions, raise conversation topics and stay connected.
We’re here to chop it up about what’s going on in the world. To share thoughts and ideas. I would hope we’re able to keep our posts in good taste, but it is the Internet. So I have a few basic ground rules.
1. We’re all about conversation here so intelligent, respectful debate is encouraged. But I’m not gonna have folks bickering and dissin’ each other. Keep those gloves up!
2. Meaningful conversation is rooted in respect and everyone’s welcome. If I see something that seems racist, misogynistic etc, I’ll probably delete it. Show a little class and we’ll be good.
3. This isn’t the place to promote your music. I respect your grind but that’s not what this site is about. “I never did that s**t when I wanted to get on” -Guru
Take a look around, start posting and make sure to check back often.
-Ali
Brother Ali, I love the “there is no you or me, only Us” comment. About 7 months ago I connected with a street performer in Venice Beach who said the same thing. This meant so much to me as a photographer that I did a video tutorial about “US”. Here’s the link check it out: http://blog.acjohnsonphoto.com/video-tutorial-value-systems-and-street-photography. Keep on keepin’ on. Alec
The site looks great sir. Waiting to hear the new LP!
Sounds good, great way to stay in contact with fans over the global.. Hope this will work out!
Cool idea for the site, I’ll be checking back regularly. Will try to catch the Stockholm show on Sep 18. Also looking forward to the album, the preview video is amazing.
salaam akhi…
loving the website and definitely loving the “there’s no you and me, there’s just us.” i hope you don’t mind but i’m thinking of making that the theme of my non-profit organization (i-appreciate.org) which is set up to help survivors of domestic violence…
keep up the good work and keep making that inspirational and uplifting music…
glook!
Lovin’ the site. When you gonna drop another single on us?
Love the site and love the fact that you care about your fans.
There is the rare occasion you find someone who truly embodies the very essence of hip-hop as a whole. Brother Ali is one of those artists to me. He, along side a very select group of artist and artists that are known as founders of our culture and music are keeping our culture in its purest form out into the masses for the generations to hear, appreciate and fall back in love with hip-hop.
I work in the hip-hop industry but I remain connected to what made me get into the industry in the first place, loving hip-hop unconditionally.
Last year during a moment of confusing and frustration for my work and my surroundings I questions for a split second if the legacy of hip-hop would survive after so many issues in our culture and in our music industry. And then I heard Jake One ft. Freeway and Brother Ali. I knew at that very moment that no matter what we go through no matter what we talk about or the outside world dissect of our culture and music, that hip hop will forever be unquestionably alive and well. The very being of hip-hop may have a younger face; new lyrics, new sounds and new avenues but the hip-hop torch had been passed on in this artist named Brother Ali.
From hearing that song, and finding out more about Brother Ali, his music and his message, I no longer felt this emptiness in my heart for hip-hop. I no longer had to go to the videos of the “golden era” of hip-hop to get my fix. He also guided me to appreciate hip-hop as a whole through a video he did; it CHANGED my life as well as my business.
I have found myself in a position to guide others and I have reference the same video to many others, especially artists, who have come to me with the same feeling I felt last year.
It was a video of Brother Ali talking in the Rhymesayers office. He had starting out talking about the White Van Music release by JakeOne and then He talked about how we really are all hip-hop. How 50 cents wants the same beats as Little Brother, how we all (in our age bracket) use to listen to all different kinds of music depending on what we were going through or how we were feeling. I learned at that moment it was ok for me to love my variety of hip hop and that listening to other kinds of hip hop didn’t make me any less of a hip hop fan, it just made me more diverse as a fan. it also made me check myself and know that I have NO RIGHT to tell anyone what is hip-hop to them.
I can not express into words how grateful I am to hip-hop and for artists like Brother Ali who keeo me truely grounded at times.
To me hip-hop is not a right, it is a PRIVILEGE, I try to live everyday no matter what I do that exact way. I am humbled to be able to work in my line of work, wake up every day to hip hop and experience things like the music of Brother Ali and so many others.
Much respect and THANK YOU.
keep up the soulful music
I remember my first RS show I saw Slug, You, and Eyedea… Man I was 13. Keep doing your thing
A favorite of mine.
Thanks for everything. – Phil
The truth about whats on my mind is that I can never make up my mind. Lets start with the fact that I have lived my life to the fullest and I am very proud of that. I am married now with a perfect man and a perfect son. I work really hard. I have lived my whole life thinking about what else I could be doing. When I was 5 I wanted to be like Madonna and live in a big city, by the time I was 12 I had manipulated my surroundings and made all my wishes come true. Then when I was 15 I wanted to be so cool, by the time I was 25 I had a line of friends to reach all the way across the ocean. I wanted to fall in love now I am married and happy, but something is always calling me to do something else and I never know when to go or when to stay. Life is calling me, and its going by so fast I feel like I am always running to catch up to the next adventure. I really am more settled when I am not settled. I love your music because it takes me to so many places and levels, its so ambitious. My mind is wandering though. Should I open a school, should I try photography, should I leave for awhile and go explore the world somewhere else? Stay or go? There is so much in this world. Thanks for being one of the best parts of it~♥♥♥♥♥Anna
this is a ill site, thats all im sayin for now!
I just want to say thanks for the original, soul-filled, honest music.
Hey I have been seeing a cd preorder for “us” for a few weeks now, but I was wondering if there will be a vinyl preorder anytime soon?
Brother, do us Canadians a favour and come to Toronto on the Fresh Air Tour !
Sup Ali,
I appreciate the spirit you place in our music. You don’t see it very much in today’s music. The grind for the dollar has left most artist focused entirely on the “bling” factor. We all grind as we must no doubt about it but u have yet let your grinding drive out shine your spirit. Thank U and God bless!!!
Much love from the southside of the city, looking foward to what this site has in store in the future.
Much love from IN, everywhere I go you’re on repeat and I have opened so many people up to your music. Love what you’re doing, and love the massive amounts of soul that is within everything that you do. I lived in MN but didn’t get the opportunity to see you live until recently when you toured with Slug and Ant. Being able to meet you at the Indy show was a dream come true, especially after a performance as moving as yours. Thanks for everything. Keep on doing what you’re doing, Lord knows you are doing it right.
Ali,
First off, I am a fan of your music (especially over Ant’s beats). But, I am a Marine veteran of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars. I respect your opinions on the war, but why are you always talking as if Marines/soldiers are over there intentionally killing innocent people? That has been an extremely rare in recent years. Thanks for the music.
AJ
Hey man, thank you so much for your music. All i used to listen to was just rock/metal. My roommates would listen to underground and i would not give it a chance. I guess one of my roommates put some of your songs on my ipod. So i was at work and your song “Original King” came on. I was freaking blown away with that song, i must of replayed it like 10 times man. After that i got your CD’s and i freaking loved it. It just opened a whole new window of music to listen to man. I went to your SLO show in CA, and you freaking rocked the show…like always. Keep up the great work brother, can’t wait for “Us”. Peace
brother ali what up homie , I’ve seen and met you a couple of times, And I don’t expect u to remember. well heres whats on my mind. obama . I voted 4 him but now I wish I didn’t .I watched this 2 hour movie on youtube call the OBMA DECEPTION. it talks about how all presidents including obama are just puppets for a secret government. I know what you are thinking just another conspiracy nut. No this shit is real. their agenda is one world government . there are two companies that rule over the president thay are called the bilderberg group,and the trilateral commission. witch is made up of some of the worlds richest and most powerfull people . they rig the elections by putting presidents in the whitehouse. Then make them look like they walk on water. that will last just after they get reelected. now they have to make him look like he is the worst president ever just to line their ducks up for the next election to put in their new puppet” I mean president look not enough room to finish so please watch THE OBAMA DECEPTION on youtube.and tell me what u think. forever your fan Bobby Sharp
dear brother ali, when i got champion in the deck, whew, life is dangerous. i’ll be walking down the street, and whenever picket fence comes on the headphones, i about breakdown crying and weeping, so i dont play that song unless i’m in a dark room. your lyrics have helped me through many a times my brother and you’ve been my best friend somedays.
I am a follower of Christ and i know we probably don’t always see eye to eye on certain things, but i got to say, i feel pretty damn- darn close to the good lord when, say, forrest whitaker is bumpin. i could go on, but i’ll just say asalum alekum, i appreciate the art you and rhymesayers put out there and your already in the history books. the hood needs you my man!
peace
caleb
souf seattle,wa
Just got the new versus you released…”Us” Lovin’ it already now let me get back to dissecting and digesting it all….respect!!!!