"You don't want to read about it fool, you want to feel it." - Brother Ali
Brother Ali has done something amazing on his latest album, The Undisputed Truth. He managed to record a full-length hip-hop album without the aid of blunts, bitches, rims, Nike Air-Force One's, jewelry, DP or a grill (the one in your mouth, not the one in your backyard).
Simply stated, Brother Ali's unique delivery, combined with his timeless lyrical gems and carefully constructed production by Ant G, makes The Undisputed Truth one of the strongest hip-hop albums released in 2007.
The albino MC, Brother Ali isn't exactly humble about his rhythm skills either, as he states in his opening verse, "Ali the new name in which greatness is known." Somewhere the HOV is pleased. But like HOV, this dude actually has the skills to backup his swagger.
And what separates Ali from other rappers is his keen ability to make the truth fascinating. Its much easier to rap about cars and blunts than it is to navigate through a failed marriage and a messy divorce (with humor and perspective) like Ali does in "Walking Away." His ode to life and his son in the song"Ear to Ear" is both refreshing and brilliantly crafted.
Brother Ali doesn't want you to believe he's the man. He already knows he's the man. The record, therefore, is the tribulations of a full-realized individual, someone who's suffered through a nightmarish childhood and failed marriage and has used these experiences to empower himself. Ali shares how he turned his deepest low's into his greatest strengths, "the very things you hate are here to build those muscles" through poignant and carefully selected words. Every detail was taken into account on this record- his tone and pitch are captivating and fuse perfectly with Ant G's meticulous production.
There are a few misses, mostly the Brother's politics. In "Uncle Sam Goddamn," he claims the US is the "land of the thief and home of the slave." He asserts that slavery (which he also claims was only "two generations away") left a stigma in the minds of black community which still exist, and cannot be overcome, to this day. But overall his politics are goodnatured- mostly he just wants to live a life that is as unimpeded by Uncle Sam as possible. Obviously we can relate.
Unfortunately the elements which make The Undisputed Truth distinct and vibrant are the very same reasons why it will not be a major commercial success (at least not in 2007). Most people who listen to hip-hop would rather listen to songs about the "magic stick" than to lyrics which forces one to pause and address our own shortcomings. Quality is often misjudged by the masses anyway, as Ali puts it, "Ya'll ain't never try putting ribbons in the sky/You would hit your head on the roof of the box you live inside."
