Monday 9.10 - Brother Ali

Brother Ali “Us” from Us – ‘09

• Genre: Hip-hop / Rap
• Important Humans: Jason Newman (b. 1978)
• Origins: Minneapolis (Minnesota and Wisconsin)
• Years Active: ‘98-present
• Important Facts:
  • Suffers from Albinism
    • Genetic disorder – lack of pigment in skin, eyes, and hair
    • Legally blind
  • Often speaks of media’s myopic focus on his disability
    • “felt most at home with African-Americans”
    • Both Jason and African-Americans are minorities in his hometown
  • Converted to Islam; has been a Muslim for 13 years
  • Much of discography produced by Ant from Atmosphere
  • “Us” was originally titled “Street Preacher”
  • On Rolling Stone’s Artists to Watch List
  • Featured multiple times in The Source
  • Performed on the Late, Late Show, Conan, and with The Roots on Fallon
  • Heavily influenced by the “golden age” of rap in the ‘80s
    • KRS-One, Rakim, etc…
  • Frequently collaborates with MURS and other underground hip-hop artists