Jazzy, psychedelic, spaced-out, gritty hip hop is the best way to describe the eclectic sounds of Brother Ali. On his new album
Us, Ali keeps the beats interesting, the lyrics fresh, and the atmosphere diverse enough for a top notch rap album.
The song “Crown Jewel” recalls 70s era James Brown with the smooth funky brass section. Ali’s confident delivery compliments the celebratory
toughness of the music. “House Keys” continues with the nostalgic funk with the easy going bass line and distant chorus before going into a hip hop
beat.
Ali’s take on the inner city contrasts with the laid back melodies on this track, which makes it a stand out. “Tight Rope” is a suitable title to
this track as the song feels like a tight rope which could turn over at any moment. Lyrically, the song deals with a gay boy that has to tip-toe the
world like he is on a tight rope so that he does not fall over and his identity is revealed.
“Breaking Dawn” is a hypnotic, guitar-driven song with a hallucinating, inducing guitar riff blended with a tribal drum beat that takes the listener
on a musical pilgrimage. Parliament/Funkadelic comes to mind when hearing this song as the soul of Eddie Hazel is harnessed on this track.
Us is a must have for fans of eclectic or underground hip hop music that is jaded by the current state of mainstream hip hop. The tracks are
strong and consistent which makes this a good album rather than an album with good songs on it.
Review by Jerel Johnson
