With little more than an obscure tape and a Rhymesayers affiliation, Brother Ali entered 2003 with a fan base that is barely worth mentioning. That is until he cast his shadow on hip-hop. Politically and socially provocative, Brother Ali is revered in many different genres. He is playing the 529 tomorrow night, and made a rare interview appearance with us for our 5GB series.
What’s the first gig you ever attended?
Ice Cube on the Death Certificate Tour. It was incredible. He did the entire album and all of his hits from the NWA days. He started the show by coming out of a giant skull on stage.
What is the best gig that you ever played/performed?
My homecoming shows where I end my tours in Minneapolis are always the best. Get to end a long run where I perfect the performance. My family is there and I get to celebrate all my hard work.
What is the best gig you have ever seen?
Public Enemy and Atmosphere in Minneapolis 1997.
Eyedea and Abilities were still performing with Atmosphere and everyone crushed it.
What is the gig you would most like to play?
I’d love to tour with Yassin Bey (Mos Def).
What would be the lineup for your dream gig?
I want to tour with Rage Against The Machine, Public Enemy and Erykah Badu. Can you make some phone calls and work that out for me?
Catch Brother Ali, Sept. 21st @ 529
Brother Ali is one of the greatest in hip-hop today. The best 5GB yet!
Also, I love the new site design.
Thank you! We think the new design is better too! Glad you liked the article! Cheers!