So I had the benefit of seeing the Brother Ali concert at First Avenue this past Friday. First of all, if you are a fan of hip hop music, you need to do yourself a favor and check him out. His four albums are all great, all with their own sound, feel and voice. His latest album, US, is maybe his most personal and at the same time his most open, spitting tales of homosexuality, slavery, and rape on top of his own struggles to be a father and a husband. As most likely the only white albino rapping muslin in the states, whether talking about himself (Forest Whitiker from the album Shadows on the Sun) or the Government questionable practices (Uncle Sam Goddamn from The Undisputed Truth) he attacks the mic with a fearlessness that is refreshing in a climate of safe ring-tone rap. That same fire is all over the stage in his live shows, and First Ave the other night was no different. When Ali spits, you listen, something akin to lyrical assault. And when he isn't commanding all of your attention, then the sound scape of Minneapolis producer Ant have no issue holding court. simply put, you need to check him out.
But something confused me the other night. As a Tall-American (6'2") I take a bit of pride in being able to see an reach just about anything. My friend Chaus is height-challenged (5'2"-5'5", depending on heel size) often finds herself missing out on things. Well some how, at the show on Friday, I felt myself in her shoes on numerous occasions. Somehow, every few minutes I found myself behind someone taller then the one before the last. At 6'2", I should have issues seeing anything on stage, but here I am blocked out. It made me angry and not at all envious for my lankyless amiga. Then one of the skyscrapers in front of me thought everything I said was hilarious. Am i kinda funny? Sure. Can you laugh at something I say to my friends? Yeah, i guess. Can you look at me and smile every time you enjoy one of my musings on life? Not unless you're 36-24-36 (maybe if shes five-three). I really wish his girlfriend (and I use that term lightly) would have intervened, but I guess she just likes him to be happy. Boy was he, just wish he'd stop Lookin' at Me Sideways.
Example of people at the show.(L-r. Fish, Frog, Monkey, Chaus, Simons, HOMO-Erectus, Brother Ali)
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