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Joined: 15 Dec 2003
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| Tell a Friend Posted: Mon Jul 10, 2006 12:47 pm Post subject: Album review: Shadows On The Sun Brother Ali |
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Shadows On The Sun Brother Ali
Emerging form the deep, dark abyss of underground hip hop, Brother Ali, a member of the Rhymesayers Crew, is probably the most unconventional rapper you will ever come across. An Islamic, tee-total albino who does not bear the usual characteristics of a gun toting, mink wearing commercial rapper, Ali’s content is as striking as his profile. His lyrics range from acerbic venomous tirades on his adversaries and the decadence of society evident in ‘Room With A View’ and ‘Bitchslap’ to the wonderfully comical and occasionally intellectually meditative which prevails in ‘Shadows On The Sun.’
Ali is like a spokesperson for any disgruntled human being fed up with social conventions and the slimy tripe that life dishes out to them. There is a search for a degree of wisdom and self discovery which has a remarkably uplifting effect that many can relate to.
Ali’s lyrics are poetic, intelligent and powerful, delivered with a genuine confidence that doesn’t border onto annoying arrogance whilst revealing himself as a man of simple desires and a modest disposition. That’s not to say he isn’t as edgy as “bullet wounded” gangster rappers for example, far from it, the sharp imagery is brought to life through Ali’s well articulated yet corrosively raw style similar to that of a mental preacher.
Each song is very different with unique samples and instrumental virtuosity. There are elements of jazz old skool funk, rock and bleak soul that fuse to form a well produced, wholesome album rich with emotion. ‘Pay them back,’ is a fantastic song that features a crying violin riff that spreads a thick layer of pathos over the subject matter whilst ‘Forest Whitaker,’ has a simple, organic electric organ riff that constitutes to what makes this album a cut above the majority of prosaic, plastic rap that dominates the charts.
Reviewed by George for UKEvents.net |
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