Brother Ali is a formidable force on the Hip-Hop scene that's long overdue for some limelight. His last album, the jaw-droppingly tight The Undisputed Truth, a sociopolitical state of the union by one of the smoothest rhymers in the game. He's about to release a new album, Us, on Rhymesayers Entertainment, and if you know what's good for you as a fan of Hip-Hop, you'll pick this up.
Us, which is expected to drop Sept. 22nd, is a logical progression for a man who's served as a spiritual anchor in the Rhymesayers family. He's pulling out all the stops this time to make sure that Us is unforgettable. The album reportedly touches on the strengths and flaws of the human condition, exploring drug abuse, divorce, homophobia and many more topics that most rappers glaze over in the quest for quick-fix fad hits.
Brother Ali performing "Take Me Home" from Paid Dues '09
As usual, the beats here are courtesy of the inimitable Ant. The lineup of guest appearances is downright ludicrous, with Chuck D, Freeway, Joell Ortiz and Stokley Williams of Mint Condition all making appearances.
In support of the new album, Ali is embarking on a massive North American tour called The Fresh Air Tour, enlisting the help of labelmates and collaborators Evidence (of Dilated Peoples, recently signed to Rhymesayers), BK One & Toki Wright. If you buy your tickets now through Friday during the special fan pre-sale, you'll receive a coupon to pre-order the new Brother Ali album for a reduced price of only $9.99 + shipping.
Check out an exclusive interview we did with Ali at this year's Paid Dues festival:
Check out the next page for tour dates & more.
Brother Ali's Fresh Air Tour
SEPT 22 DULUTH, MN PIZZA LUCE
SEPT 23 MANKATO, MN WHAT’S UP LOUNGE
SEPT 24 IOWA CITY, IA THE INDUSTRY
SEPT 25 SIOUX FALLS, SD NUTTY’S NORTH
SEPT 26 OMAHA, NE THE WAITING ROOM
SEPT 27 LAWRENCE, KS GRANADA
SEPT 29 DENVER, CO OGDEN THEATER
SEPT 30 BOULDER, CO FOX THEATRE
OCT 1 COLORADO SPRINGS, CO THE BLACK SHEEP
OCT 2 SALT LAKE CITY, UT IN THE VENUE
OCT 3 BOISE, ID THE VENUE
OCT 4 MISSOULA, MT THE BADLANDER
OCT 6 SPOKANE, WA THE BOULEVARD
OCT 7 SEATTLE, WA NEUMO’S
OCT 8 VICTORIA, BC ELEMENT
OCT 9 VANCOUVER, BC VENUE
OCT 10 BELLINGHAM, WA THE NIGHTLIGHT
OCT 11 PORTLAND, OR HAWTHORNE THEATER
OCT 12 EUGENE, OR WOW HALL
OCT 14 ARCATA, CA HUMBOLDT STATE UNIV
OCT 15 RENO, NV THE NEW OASIS
OCT 16 SANTA CRUZ, CA THE CATALYST
OCT 17 SAN FRANCISCO, CA SLIM’S
OCT 18 SANTA CLARA, CA AVALON NIGHTCLUB
OCT 20 LOS ANGELES, CA EL REY THEATRE
OCT 21 SAN DIEGO, CA CANE’S
OCT 22 TEMPE, AZ CLUB RED
OCT 23 TUCSON, AZ CLUB CONGRESS
OCT 24 ALBUQUERQUE, NM SUNSHINE THEATER
OCT 26 LUBBOCK, TX THE FOUNDATION
OCT 27 DALLAS, TX GRANADA THEATER
OCT 28 AUSTIN, TX EMO’S
OCT 29 HOUSTON, TX WAREHOUSE LIVE
NOV 1 ORLANDO, FL THE SOCIAL
NOV 4 CARRBORO, NC CAT’S CRADLE
NOV 5 BALTIMORE, MD THE OTTOBAR
NOV 6 PHILADELPHIA, PA 1st UNITARIAN CHURCH
NOV 7 NEW YORK, NY IRVING PLAZA
NOV 8 BOSTON, MA THE PARADISE
NOV 9 BURLINGTON, VT HIGHER GROUND
NOV 10 PORTLAND, ME THE ASYLUM
NOV 11 NORTHAMPTON, MA PEARL STREET
NOV 13 CLEVELAND, OH GROG SHOP
NOV 14 COLUMBUS, OH SKULLY’S MUSIC DINER
NOV 15 LOUISVILLE, KY UNCLE PLEASANT’S
NOV 17 ANN ARBOR, MI BLIND PIG
NOV 18 CHICAGO, IL METRO
NOV 19 MADISON, WI BARRYMORE THEATER
NOV 20 MINNEAPOLIS, MN FIRST AVENUE
