Welcome To Minnesota Tour

THE WELCOME TO MINNESOTA TOUR 2013:
Tickets on sale Fri., Jan. 18th at 11am CST
03.01.13 - Bemidji, MN @ Sanford Center
03.02.13 - Duluth, MN @ Clyde Iron Works
03.03.13 - St. Cloud, MN @ Red Carpet
03.04.13 - Mankato, MN @ Verizon Wireless Center Ballroom
03.05.13 - Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue

Behind Brother Ali's "Mourning In America and Dreaming In Color"

Album drops 8/21 via Rhymesayers.

Brother Ali, "Not A Day Goes By"

Produced by Jake One.
Download song for free HERE

Brother Ali, "Shine On feat. Nikki Jean"

The visuals to one of the songs off the excellent and free EP, Bite Marked Heart.

Brother Ali - The Bite Marked Heart freEP

Get it here

Artwork by Minnehappiness native, Eric Inkala

Brother Ali, "Writer's Block"

Church.

Download

Happy Record Store Day!

Brother Ali starts responding to the topic of illegal downloading but eventually gets into physical music. Many of my feelings towards physical music, especially vinyl, he so eloquently explains. I find this to be particularly relevant on a day like today. Below are some of my favorite comments.

"I wanna live with this music. I had something to bring home: art, lyrics and photographs... I had a physical connection with it. You have to take care of it... you start building a collection that lives in your house of all this music that means so much to you."

"The relationship that you have with your music is HURT when all you're doing is downloading it... that's an estranged relationship you're having with that music."

"Very seldom when you're downloading stuff are you hearing things the way that we're intending you to hear them... we still practice the art of making an album... it takes you on a journey... it's an experience"

___________________

I thought I'd share some tasty treats that, as far as I can tell, are only available on vinyl. The first one is a fun edit and remix of Lyrics Born's "Calling Out" with Hall & Oats that is featured on a very diverse, but recommended remix EP by Los Bandidos.

Los Bandidos, "Call N Oats" from Viva La Remix vol. 1 EP

This next one is a silky edit of Sergio Mendes' tropical "Rhoda" with an extended shoulder-shaking break intro for all of you DJ's out there.

Sergio Mendes, "Rhoda" from Smooth Edits vol. 3 LP

Lastly we have J. Rawls' jazzed-out tribute to Dilla found on sweet blue wax. Grab a cognac and a porch for this one.

J. Rawls, "Another Tribute To Dilla" from The Liquid Crystal Project 7"

This week's shows

@ First Ave. Been sold out.
Hit me up on twitter (http://twitter.com/deejaybrock) for the secret location and be sure to sign up for Burlesque's newsletter.

More Than Lights: Zach and Unicus from Kanser accompanied by an awesome assembly of Minneapolis musicians as well as my girlfriend, Natalie Fine.

Fresh Air Tour

Oh...my...GAWD! This tour is going to be bonkers! I love this promo video. Getting it in an old school cypher!

Buy pre-sale tix on Ali's website.

Brother Ali, Evidence, Toki Wright, "The Freshest Kids"

Brother Ali talks illegal downloading and the relationship with your music

Brother Ali does an excellent job discussing both sides of illegal downloading. The only thing that he leaves out is how poor the sound quality is when you have your music compressed on your phone or computer. I thought that he was going to mention it once he started to talk about how downloads aren't how an artist intends the listener to hear his/her music. Nonetheless, bravo to Ali for articulating the conflict so well.

Brother Ali - Us

This is beautiful right here. The album drops September 22nd. Preorder it direct from Rhymesayers here.

Hip-Hop Father's Day!

Here are the songs that first came to mind when trying to find songs about fathers. They're all hip-hop tracks, but they cover a wide spectrum. They range from dedications ("Faheem"), to open letters ("Little Man"), to tragedy ("Meet the Parents"). Enjoy!

Atmosphere, "Good Daddy"

Jay-Z, "Meet the Parents"

El-P, "Stepfather Factory"

Cecil Otter, "A Hundred Fathers"

Atmosphere, "Little Man"

Brother Ali, "Faheem" (if you haven't been fortunate enough to witness Ali perform this track acapella in concert, it's truly chilling - much better than the album version)

Brother Ali Getting Bigger (not in size; in taste)

Ever since Brother Ali's sophomore album The Truth, dude has been getting a lot of well-deserved national exposure.  Despite his amazingly poetic lyrics, incredibly unique and precise flow, and a voice that can even hold a melody, I never thought his music would be as far-reaching as it has become.  He's been in some major magazine interviews, on national television, and featured on tracks with some serious emcees (and held his own I must add on every one including the Freeway joint that was no small feat).  As I was paging through the latest Source I noticed another track that he's featured on that I was unaware of.

Ali's last 8 bars are beautiful.  It was a great choice and gesture to break the beat down for his last 4 bars: "What is it about you that you/ have to capture that which you cannot master??/  If you can't grasp it you attack it/ trap it, slam it in a cage and latch it. /Everyday that you hold me in bars/ is another day I can't teach your soul to soar./  Here both of us are, linked to the song,/ and when you hear a caged bird - sing along!"

Zion I feat. Brother Ali, "Caged Bird (Pt. 1)"

Based on the title alone, I was half-expecting to hear Slug throw down on verse three.

Atmosphere, "Bird Sings Why The Caged I Know"

Here's a throwback (2000) Ali joint that's more lighthearted. It can be found on DJ Abilities' ...for persons with dj abilities (much more on this king of the turntables later, especially since he also reps for Minneap)

Brother Ali's DJ Abilities Exclusive