Brother Ali: The Truth is Here

Brother Ali is a world-class MC with a strong sense of the dramatic. His latest EP The Truth Is Here is mainly intended to whet his fans’ appetites for his forthcoming full-length The Street Preacher this fall, which will be the follow-up to his widely-acclaimed 2007 effort The Undisputed Truth. But the EP is a must-own in its own right, due to a handful of suspenseful, exhilarating winners, highlighted by “Palm the Joker” and “Philistine David.” On the latter the albino Minnesota MC raps, “Genocide, it’s a genocide/And our enemies will never be satisfied/Until not even our memories survive.” It’s not clear who these enemies are, exactly, but Ali’s bombastic flow, air of righteousness and his nearly-flawless delivery makes the track powerful nonetheless. The CD also includes a well-produced DVD, which features interviews and a 2007 concert filmed at Minneapolis club First Avenue. 4 stars