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 many 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. In 2009 he released Us, his fourth studio album. Mourning in America and Dreaming in Color, his fifth studio album, was released on September 18, 2012.
Daughter
Brother Ali Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
And finally find something you love
Better take what's yours
If I raised her all on my own
If you see her cry, sing a lullaby, yeah
You'll die when you see her
Fly when she's gone yeah
Suck my dick get a facefull
Why can't Prof be all about the pesos?
I'm so unapologetic i can give a shit about
You chicken's little rhetoric
My girl don't take no shit
Try to put a muzzle on me
Then I'm burning a bridge
Motherfucker, respect my animal
Push me in a corner and
I'll split your cantaloupe
All the haters that don't like my shit
If you really got a problem
Come and fight me bitch
Never before so many heads been talking
Like they can jump in my
Shoes and start walking
Everybody wants money where there ain't none
We'll see who's standing when the race done
I don't want to be found, I'm a needle
Privileged enough to be built by the people
That means I only got one boss
I see him every time I look in the crowd
I pledge my allegiance to them
This is Stophouse baby let the story begin
When you're out there in the woods
And finally find something you love
Better take what's yours
If I raised her all on my own
If you see her cry, sing a lullaby, yeah
You'll die when you see her
Fly when she's gone yeah
God God God given
You don't gotten follow my religion
To recognize that I'm different
Can't contain it, grab it, tame it, chain
Cage or enslave my dedication
No second place in the race to make it
Lace up your shoes for the marathon, chase it
Sweated on stage a decade
And came close enough
To wipe sweat off the face of greatness
Y'all got low expectations
Hit first place and start celebrating
Chest inflated, saying that you made it
Pouring Gatorade on each other's faces
Waste of the space you take
What y'all call 'scraping' is our vacation
I was of the day where always creating
By yours truly, I literally make shift
Dictator haters take dick
But I don't give a fuck
So they can't take shit
Prof, let me say and extra Minnesotan
I don't give a fuck ha ha roo roo
When you're out there in the woods
And finally find something you love
Better take what's yours
If I raised her all on my own
If you see her cry, sing a lullaby, yeah
You'll die when you see her
Fly when she's gone yeah
Hush baby, don't say a word
Don't you ever be afraid to surge
I watch you spread your wings and fly
No matter how much it hurts
Single father, doubled as a mother
Kept her out of harms way
Trouble never touch her
Never had nothing but each other
Whether we strive or suffer or
Thrive or go hungry
Nurtured and loved her to a full grown woman
Now ducks wanna jump up and try to rush her
Pardon my thug if it make
Wanna scuffle and make
Me knock the block off
One of y'all motherfuckers
Immaculate inception
I made her by myself when I was drunk
She spit, fuck, cuss like a motherfuck
She finally coming into her own
And now you wander up into my home
Talking about you want custody
Leave us alone la Di Da Di, we like to party
You can take her over my dead body
If I raised her all on my own
If you see her cry, sing a lullaby, yeah
You'll die when you see her
Fly when she's gone yeahLLLLLLLL
The lyrics to Brother Ali's song "Daughter" tell a powerful and personal story about the relationship between a father and his daughter. The song begins with a sense of empowerment and protection, urging the listener to take what is rightfully theirs when they find something they love. This can be interpreted as a metaphor for the love and care the father feels for his daughter.
The lyrics then touch upon the challenges and struggles the father faced while raising his daughter on his own. The line "If you see her cry, sing a lullaby" suggests that the father wants to provide comfort and solace to his daughter in times of sadness or pain. The phrase "You'll die when you see her, fly when she's gone" can be interpreted as a bittersweet expression of the father's pride and joy in watching his daughter grow and succeed.
The verses also address themes of defiance and standing up against adversity. Brother Ali criticizes those who try to suppress him or his daughter, expressing a lack of concern for their opinions and asserting his and his daughter's independence. He emphasizes the importance of respect and the consequences for those who try to challenge him, using strong language to make his point.
Overall, "Daughter" is a heartfelt and empowering song that explores the deep bond between a father and his daughter, highlighting the father's dedication, protection, and unwavering love for his child.
Line by Line Meaning
When you're out there in the woods
When you're exploring unfamiliar territory
And finally find something you love
And discover something that brings you joy
Better take what's yours
Make sure to claim it as your own
If I raised her all on my own
If I had raised her completely by myself
If you see her cry, sing a lullaby, yeah
If you witness her shedding tears, comfort her with a soothing song
You'll die when you see her
You'll be amazed by her presence
Fly when she's gone yeah
She will soar and thrive when she's no longer present
Suck my dick get a facefull
Receive an overwhelming dose of disrespect
Why can't Prof be all about the pesos?
Why can't Prof focus on chasing money and success?
I'm so unapologetic i can give a shit about
I'm completely unapologetic and don't care about
You chicken's little rhetoric
Your insignificant and weak arguments
My girl don't take no shit
My partner doesn't tolerate mistreatment
Try to put a muzzle on me
Attempt to silence me
Then I'm burning a bridge
I will sever ties with you
Motherfucker, respect my animal
Show the proper regard for my strength and power
Push me in a corner and
Force me into a difficult situation and
I'll split your cantaloupe
I'll cause you harm and suffering
All the haters that don't like my shit
All the individuals who dislike what I create
If you really got a problem
If you genuinely have an issue
Come and fight me bitch
Confront me and prove your worth
Never before so many heads been talking
Never before have there been so many people discussing
Like they can jump in my
As if they can step into my
Shoes and start walking
Shoes and instantly understand my experiences
Everybody wants money where there ain't none
Everyone desires wealth when there is scarcity
We'll see who's standing when the race done
We will find out who remains victorious in the end
I don't want to be found, I'm a needle
I prefer to remain hidden and elusive
Privileged enough to be built by the people
Fortunate to have been shaped by the community
That means I only got one boss
This indicates that I answer to only one authority
I see him every time I look in the crowd
I observe him in the faces of my audience
I pledge my allegiance to them
I promise my loyalty to those individuals
This is Stophouse baby let the story begin
Welcome to Stophouse, where a new chapter unfolds
God God God given
Blessed with innate abilities
You don't gotten follow my religion
You don't have to adhere to my way of life
To recognize that I'm different
To acknowledge my uniqueness
Can't contain it, grab it, tame it, chain
Unable to control, restrain, or confine it
Cage or enslave my dedication
Imprison or oppress my commitment
No second place in the race to make it
There is no room for mediocrity in the pursuit of success
Lace up your shoes for the marathon, chase it
Prepare yourself for a long journey towards your goals
Sweated on stage a decade
Put in ten years of hard work and effort on stage
And came close enough
And came close enough to
To wipe sweat off the face of greatness
Reach a level of success previously unseen
Y'all got low expectations
You all have minimal hopes or standards
Hit first place and start celebrating
Achieve the highest rank and immediately start rejoicing
Chest inflated, saying that you made it
Feeling proud and claiming that you have succeeded
Pouring Gatorade on each other's faces
Celebrating excessively and exuberantly
Waste of the space you take
You are not worthy of the space you occupy
What y'all call 'scraping' is our vacation
What you consider struggling is our leisure
I was of the day where always creating
I belong to a time where creativity was constant
By yours truly, I literally make shift
Done by me, I truly construct
Dictator haters take dick
Enemies who try to control me can suck it
But I don't give a fuck
But I don't care at all
So they can't take shit
So they can't take anything from me
Prof, let me say and extra Minnesotan
Prof, allow me to add a bit more Minnesotan
I don't give a fuck ha ha roo roo
I genuinely don't care, ha ha
Hush baby, don't say a word
Be silent, my child, don't speak
Don't you ever be afraid to surge
Never fear to rise up with great force
I watch you spread your wings and fly
I observe you as you embrace your freedom and soar
No matter how much it hurts
Regardless of the pain it may cause
Single father, doubled as a mother
As the only parent, fulfilling both roles
Kept her out of harms way
Protected her from danger
Trouble never touch her
She was never affected by problems
Never had nothing but each other
We only had each other and nothing else
Whether we strive or suffer or
Whether we work hard or endure hardship or
Thrive or go hungry
Prosper or face starvation
Nurtured and loved her to a full grown woman
Raised her with care and affection to become an adult
Now ducks wanna jump up and try to rush her
Now competitors want to attack and overwhelm her
Pardon my thug if it make
Excuse my aggression if it causes
Wanna scuffle and make
A desire to engage in a physical confrontation and make
Me knock the block off
Me hit you and knock you to the ground
One of y'all motherfuckers
Any one of you disrespectful individuals
Immaculate inception
Impeccable beginning or creation
I made her by myself when I was drunk
I created her alone while under the influence
She spit, fuck, cuss like a motherfuck
She speaks, fucks, and curses with boldness
She finally coming into her own
She is finally discovering her true identity
And now you wander up into my home
And now you unexpectedly appear in my domain
Talking about you want custody
Expressing a desire to have legal guardianship
Leave us alone la Di Da Di, we like to party
Leave us be, we enjoy celebrating and having fun
You can take her over my dead body
You can only take her if I'm dead
Lyrics © Songtrust Ave, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: JACOB LUKAS ANDERSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@jon-paulandrews9897
My innocence was stolen. A lost, lonely, ashamed 3 year old girl. No one did anything to help me then and when I can't find the words for the pain I still feel 30 years later and looking at my baby girls...I turn this song on and I let it out. Someone very special to me sent me this song and for the first time in my life, the secret pain I was hiding was understood. Thank you Brother. From the bottom of my heart. -Tiffany
@nickbeckert
WOW THAT IS BEAUTIFUL.
@imnotdone3813
"Before they deal with you!!
@jenniferapplehans6098
John you are not alone
@mykaylamoe8630
This comment hurts my soul. I have a 3 year old daughter. Id rip someones face
Off litterally. I hope you have found peace or find peace..like brother says. You are not what happened to you!!! Much love lady
@cagoddess1001
Same
@YE4523
Not embarrassed to admit I'm a dude who shed a tear or two listening to this. Real happy I found it, being that I live the situation depicted and find myself in the same shoes Ali is in, in the song. Music with real emotion. Music you can actually live. That's hip hop. Thanks Ali, keep it goin brother
@MizterConfuzing
Was lucky enough to meet and talk to Ali in 2017 for about an hour before his concert in Oslo. At one point I told him that this is my favorite song he has made. At one point during the concert all the audio got cut and he started talking about being strong through suffering. The he said "like my man Tommy (my name) standing over here in front row, he understands this song" Then the intro melody started and I almost started to cry. This guy is such a sincere and down to earth guy.
@sticksyofficial6207
Awesome experience man, truly blessed to have been able to connect with him like that. Incredible human being.
@MescalinPlayer
This whole album is a tribute to love, feelings, vulnerability, respect, and caring. This is stunning, poetic, and hypnotic.