000-brother_ali-shadows_on_the_sun-3lp-2003-gcp.nfo
p r o u d l y p r e s e n t s ..::
Title | Shadows On The Sun
Genre | Hip-Hop
Source | Vinyl
Format | Album
Label | Rhymesayers Entertainment
Catalog | RS0034-1
Released | 2003
Ripped | 2012
Rapper Brother Ali spent much of his life living in various
cities in the Upper Midwest, starting in Madison, Wisconsin,
then moving to Michigan as a young child - where he
was first introduced to breakdancing and graffiti and
rapping - and finally settling in northern Minneapolis with
his family when he was 15. Eventually, his demo tape
"Rites of Passage" made it into the hands of the still
young Rhymesayers crew, who signed the MC and brought
him along with them to the 2000 Scribble Jam, at which Ali
was a finalist. In 2003 his debut, "Shadows on the Sun",
produced by Atmosphere's Ant and including a song ('Forest
Whitiker') that spoke of his albinoism, came out, followed
by the "Champion" EP in 2004. The next few years were
tough for Ali, a devout Muslim, as he was dealing with a
divorce and struggling for custody of his son. However, all
of this just provided fodder for his music, and in the spring
of 2007, after a few months of delays, Brother Ali's
third record, "The Undisputed Truth", hit shelves. His 2009
effort "Us" advocated a return to true hip-hop, and was
followed in 2012 by the more political minded "Mourning in
America and Dreaming in Color".
'We don't have bar mitzvahs', raps Brother Ali on "Room
With a View", 'we become men the first time our father
hits us'. There's a lot of anger and pain behind the
sophomore release by the self-described 'urban Norman
Rockwell', but Brother Ali chooses not to wallow in self-pity.
Instead, his carefully observed lyrics draw on his Muslim
faith and his personal experiences, including the self-
esteem issues he has faced as a heavy-set albino, to
convey a positive message of transcending rage and
overcoming self-doubt.
Brother Ali is an articulate MC with a strong technique
and an appealing personality; he's introspective,
righteous, and proud without seeming humorless, self-
righteous, or overbearing. You'll hear some braggadocio
on this album, but Brother Ali demonstrates in "Win Some
Lose Some" that he's willing to admit when he got his
ass whooped. He also critiques male possessiveness in
the ironic, laid-back "Prince Charming", which features
a smooth-talking narrator who reveals through his own
words that he's really a creepy stalker. Other tracks
address topics such as spiritual power, domestic abuse,
and, of course, wack MCs and shady promoters.
Producer Ant (Atmosphere) blends soul, blues, and jazz
to create sick beats that skillfully complement Ali,
ranging from the the perky guitar that enhances the
deliberate smarmimess of "Prince Charming" to the
ominous trumpets that underpin the drama of "Room
With a View"; some songs could have benefited from
more changes and catchier hooks, but for the most part
the music is compellingly straightforward. Slug
(Atmosphere) is guest MC on two tracks, the battle rap
"Blah Blah Blah" and the short "Missing Teeth".
Hip-hop's last dope album? Released on CD and later on
double vinyl, here's the original triple vinyl of
"Shadows On The Sun" which includes four instrumentals
not available anywhere else.
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LP 1/3
01. Room With A View 3:50
02. Champion... 4:07
03. Star Quality 5:20
04. Prince Charming 4:36
05. Win Some Lose Some 3:25
06. Pay Them Back 2:54
LP 2/3
01. Blah, Blah, Blah (Feat. Slug) 4:21
02. Shadows On The Sun 4:37
03. Prelude 1:17
04. Forest Whitiker 3:00
05. Bitchslap! 3:20
06. Back Stage Pacin' 3:52
07. When The Beat Comes In 4:31
08. Missing Teeth (Feat. Slug) 1:54
LP 3/3
01. Dorian 3:52
02. Soul Whisper 1:49
03. Picket Fence 5:10
04. Victory! (Come Forward) 4:08
05. Victory! (Come Forward) (Instrumental) 4:10
06. Pay Them Back (Instrumental) 2:54
07. Soul Whisper (Instrumental) 1:51
08. Picket Fence (Instrumental) 5:10
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