Brother Ali Biography

Brother Ali Biography

Originally influenced by Earth, Wind & Fire and born into Hip-Hop through break dancing, Brother Ali has been one with the mic since he first heard Miilkbone on record. A student of Hip-Hop’s golden age, Ali’s music ranges from purpose to passionate, yet always soulful and true to the boastful heritage of hip hop culture. An emcee, producer, host and overall party-starter, Brother Ali’s talents are a well-defined addition to the Rhymesayers family.

In spring of 2000, Ali dropped a sixty-minute story telling and thought sharing album titled, Rites of Passage on Rhymesayers Entertainment. The self-produced cassette-only anthology introduced Brother Ali’s beat making muscles and extensive writing skills. He played the congas, beat-boxed and still found time to lay out his views on the music industry, religion and urban life in America.

On stage with only a DJ, Ali’s magical gift for capturing the imagination of his audience has been compared to that of a gospel preacher. His voice, large stature and albino features make him a unique and commanding presence. Brother Ali has perfected the live performance, having played countless shows with: Guru, Mos Def, De La Soul, El-P, Aceyalone, Souls of Mischief and Living Legends just to name a few. From September through November 2002, Ali earned his final road-dog tags showcasing his individual skills performing 63 shows in 71 days with Atmosphere and Murs covering North America.

Brother Ali has maintained credibility over time with guest appearances on such projects as: DJ Abilities’, For Persons With DJ Abilities, Bk one’s, For the Love of Music, The Phoenix with Musab on the Twin Cities Music Year Book 2001 CD, producing six songs on Musab’s, Respect The Life album and battling in the 2000 and 2001 finals in the annual Scribble Jam MC Battles (Ali is featured on three of the Scribble Jam videos: Scribble Jam 2000, Scribble Jam 2001 and the Best of Scribble Jam).

Ali joined producer ANT (of Atmosphere fame) and went to work creating an intensely powerful album that promised to be one of the foremost efforts of 2003. Shadows on the Sun is an eighteen-song album produced by Ant, written by Brother Ali and featuring a guest appearance by Slug (also of Atmosphere). Shadows on the Sun is a testament of Ali’s depth, range and growth as an artist.

Following the release of Champion in the spring of 2004, Ali ran into a number of roadblocks that halted his usually steady recording process. This included him parting ways with his wife, being homeless, and trying to secure custody of his son. Armed with a wave of stories to share, Ali recorded The Undisputed Truth, once again with ANT in his corner. The album is now out.

Aceyalone Biography

Aceyalone Biography

Aceyalone (born Eddie Hayes) is an American rapper, known for his command of words and language. He is a founding member of the Freestyle Fellowship and also a member of Haiku D’Etat (with Mikah 9 and Abstract Rude) and The A-Team (with Abstract Rude).

After releasing a pair of albums with the Freestyle Fellowship, To Whom it May Concern… and Innercity Griots, Acey signed to Capitol Records and released his highly acclaimed solo debut, All Balls Don’t Bounce, in 1995. He returned three years later with his second album, A Book of Human Language, a collaboration with producer Mumbles.

Acey returned solo again in 2001 with his third solo album, Accepted Eclectic. In 2002, the Freestyle Fellowship returned after 9 years for the release of their third group album, Shockadoom. 2002 and 2003 saw two more solo releases, Hip Hop and the World We Live In and Love & Hate and another A-Team album (‘Lab Down Under’). In 2006, Aceyalone released two more solo projects, first, Magnificent City, a collaboration with producer RJD2, followed by Grand Imperial. 2007 sees Acey releasing the first in his planned explorations of world musics, Lightining Stikes.

Widely recognized as one of the more lyrically gifted in the history of emceeing, Aceyalone embodies the sophisticated west coast style that is showcased in other indie artists such as Blackalicious and Del Tha Funkee Homosapien.

The Grouch Biography

The Grouch Biography

The Grouch always wanted to make beats since he first heard about this music called hip-hop. His dad played keys and he felt music was inside him as well, but he didn’t plan on being an MC. Being from Oakland, he grew up on local heroes like Digital Underground, Too Short, Toni, Tony, Tone, and many others.

Around ‘91/’92 Del tha Funkee Homosapien and the Hieroglyphics crew were first starting to make noise in the bay and it was then that he felt he could really make something out of this music thing. He had a friend who rapped who convinced The Grouch to start writing/rapping in ‘94. He met the Mystik Journeymen soon after and they schooled him on the independent hustle. It was on.

The Grouch’s first show as an MC was in 1995, it was at one the Journeymen’s “Broke Ass Summer Jam” shows in East Oakland. At that time he performed under his real name and the crowd showed him much love, which he says is the main reason he stuck with making music. The Grouch’s music influences include all the hip-hop greats from LL Cool J to the Beastie Boys along with the Bay Area classics and jazz, rock, and soul music. The Grouch has always taken the independent route and has done everything himself along the way, a fact he takes great pride in.

Non-Prophets Biography

Non-Prophets Biography

Non-Prophets is a pairing of lyricist Sage Francis and beatmaker Joey Beats. Their debut album, Hope was released on Lex Records in 2003. In early 2004, they toured the United States on the infamous Fuck Clear Channel tour.

The duo came to people’s attention with their first effort, the “Drop Bass” b/w “Bounce” 12” single on Emerge Music in 1999. The follow up release came in 2000 as the “All Word, No Play” vinyl single.

Shortly after the Non-Prophets singles caught a buzz Sage verbally committed to the up and coming label, Anticon for the release of his first solo album. Until Personal Journals official unveiling in 2002, Francis self-released his “Sick Of” series which included Non-Prophets material.

Around the same time Beats created his first compilation of instrumentals, Reverse Discourse. Here Joey introduces his unpaused/uninterrupted style of producing. With Sage’s help the album saw the light of day on his label, Strange Famous Records.

Today, the two are established as soloists. In 2004 Sage signed to punk label, Epitaph Records. In 2005 his second solo album, A Healthy Distrust was the first of three records to come out on the Los Angeles label. That same year Joey released Indie Rock Blues on independent label, Arbeid and 24-7 Records. Rumor has it the two no longer talk and refuse to work together.

Doomtree - Traveling Dunk Tank Music Video

Music video for "Traveling Dunk Tank" from the Doomtree False Hopes Album. Directed by Maria Juranic, Director of Photography: TJ Schwingle