Brother Ali w/guests: Sugar Nightclub, Victoria, BC, September 26, 2014

By Blake Morneau

Thursday night is a strange night for a hip-hop show. It can be hard for even the best of performers to draw a Thursday crowd. To get them bouncing and grooving with the knowledge that they have to get up for work or school, that’s the mark of a great and, make no mistake about it, Brother Ali, friend of Rice and Bread and human ray of light, is one of the great rappers of his generation.

“Normally you tour when you have new music, but we’re just doing this on the back of all the stuff we’ve already released, so we thank you for that,” remarked Ali partway through his set. And the crowd wouldn’t have had it any other way.

Ali tore through a career-spanning set that touched upon all of his releases; no matter what Ali music those in attendance were familiar with, there was something for them bumping from the stage. The songs from his 2007 masterpiece, The Undisputed Truth, sounded as fresh and important as ever. Ali talked about getting in trouble upon the release of the song “Uncle Sam Goddamn” and encouraged the crowd to get in trouble along with him and sing along, which they did with overwhelming enthusiasm (as they did with numerous songs from the record).

With serious tracks like the aforementioned “Uncle Sam Goddamn,” “Tight Rope” (from Us) and the title track from his hard-hitting Mourning in America record, Ali continuously blurred the lines between protest and partying in the way that only he can. It’s a strange thing to be yelling, “Murder, murder, murder! Kill, kill, kill!” with a crowd of smiling, happy people, led by the guy on stage with the biggest smile in the room. It was the power of political music in all its glory on full display.

Anyone who knows Brother Ali knows it’s not all doom and gloom in his stuff. Songs like “Daylight” and “Take Me Home” had the crowd bouncing with their infectious positivity and relentlessly groovy beats. Honestly, the beats were all groovy and smooth, no matter Ali’s chosen lyrical topic. Even for those who didn’t know the words, the vibes were strong and relayed with force. The swear words, mainly “fuck,” a word that Ali has only ever used sparingly and to great effect, were washed out of his set, a simple trick that only reinforced Ali’s unwavering commitment to positive forces.

The smile on Ali’s face when he brought out his touring mates, Mally and Bambu, the latter of which blew the crowd away earlier in the evening, and Ali called his “favourite MC of this generation,” was indicative of the community Ali has built with his music and the entire Rhymesayers ethos/brand. It was a powerful and fun way to end a night that was a celebration of everything that continues to keep hip-hop a vital and important musical force.