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.
Faheem
Brother Ali Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I will never stop feelin sorry that your home got broken
I feel that I owe you for the road that I chose
But I believe things happen the way they're supposed to
And you'll always be with me wherever that I go
I was right there for your first breath
I used to lay you on my chest when you slept
I'm not trying to hold that over your head,
I'm saying thank you
God put you into my arms for me to teach you
Sometimes I gotta not be popular to reach you
But boy look me in my eye when I speak to you
I tell you these things because I believe in you
Respect, patience, excellence, and truth
Make good choices and always follow through
But above all else know Allah always watch us
And Everything we do comes back upon us
Alright, let's talk about your mommy
I need you to know that I used everything inside of me
To make you as healthy as you could possibly be
And I just couldn't see a good future for us three
And you gonna have questions as you grow
But there's certain negative things that you don't need to know
And baby boy that's what this is about
We live, learn, and figure it out
I just pray that you don't remember us sleepin on the floor
And me cleanin mouse droppings out of your toys
It took alot of hard work for us to get where we at
And young man, we aint quittin at that
Just know that it hurts me to death when I leave and go tourin
I'm scared that it might make you feel unimportant
But our bond is so strong that the moment I get off
We seem to pick right back up where we left off
I try to say that I do it for you
But in my heart I know that's not entirely true
So if I ever come home and feel that I've hurt us as friends
I swear to God that I'll never tour again
I ain't never met a child quite like you
Words don't suffice for me to describe you
You have a genuine goodness inside you
I watch you and wonder if I was ever like you
It's me and you, brother, for life
So when you put me in the ground, look for me in the clouds
You make me the definition of proud
You taught me what this life is really about
Faheem...
The lyrics of Brother Ali's song Faheem is a heart-wrenching tribute to the rapper's son, addressing him by his name throughout the song. Brother Ali explains how he gave Faheem his name and how he feels guilty for the breakup of their family. He acknowledges that he owes his son for choosing the road that he took and how things have happened differently than he expected. Ali talks about his responsibility towards Faheem, and how he has been there for him since his birth - laying him on his chest, feeding him, and bathing him. Although he doesn't want to hold these actions over his son's head, he just wants to express how he feels about him, how grateful he is for him, and how God put him in his arms to teach him.
Ali opens up to Faheem about life's lessons that he has learned and wants to pass down to him. He talks about the importance of respect, patience, excellence, truth, and how Allah always watches us. He acknowledges that there are certain negative things that Faheem doesn't need to know and shares his worries about their living conditions. However, Ali assures Faheem of their strong bond that no touring can break, and if ever he feels like he has hurt their friendship, he'll stop touring immediately. The song portrays the conflicted emotions of a father - proud of his son's goodness and worried about his son's future.
Line by Line Meaning
I gave you that name, boy...
The singer is acknowledging his role in giving the person he is addressing their name.
I will never stop feelin sorry that your home got broken
The singer expresses regret for the hardships that the person he is addressing has faced.
I feel that I owe you for the road that I chose
The singer acknowledges his responsibility for his choices and recognizes the impact they have had on the person he is addressing.
But I believe things happen the way they're supposed to
The artist expresses his belief in the idea that everything happens for a reason.
And you'll always be with me wherever that I go
The artist acknowledges the close bond between himself and the person he is addressing, and the impact that person has had on his life.
I was right there for your first breath
The singer emphasizes that he was present for the person he is addressing's birth.
I used to lay you on my chest when you slept
The singer describes a bonding experience he had with the person he is addressing.
I fed you, changed you, read to you, bathed you,
The artist lists some of the actions he took to care for the person he is addressing.
I'm not trying to hold that over your head,
The artist clarifies that he is not trying to use his past actions to influence the person he is addressing's current behavior.
I'm saying thank you
The artist expresses gratitude for the role the person he is addressing has played in his life.
God put you into my arms for me to teach you
The singer believes that the person he is addressing was placed in his life for a specific purpose.
Sometimes I gotta not be popular to reach you
The artist acknowledges that sometimes he needs to say things that may not be popular in order to help the person he is addressing grow.
But boy look me in my eye when I speak to you
The singer wants the person he is addressing to listen and pay attention to what he is saying, and acknowledges the importance of making direct eye contact.
I tell you these things because I believe in you
The singer shares his motivations for giving advice and guidance to the person he is addressing.
Respect, patience, excellence, and truth
The singer lists some values that he believes are important for the person he is addressing to live by.
Make good choices and always follow through
The artist encourages the person he is addressing to make wise decisions and to see things through to completion.
But above all else know Allah always watch us
The artist emphasizes his belief that there is a higher power watching over them.
And Everything we do comes back upon us
The singer expresses his belief in the idea of karma or consequences for one's actions.
Alright, let's talk about your mommy
The singer transitions to talking about the person he is addressing's mother.
I need you to know that I used everything inside of me
The artist emphasizes the effort he put in to try to make things work with the person he is addressing's mother.
To make you as healthy as you could possibly be
The artist clarifies that his effort to try to make things work with the person he is addressing's mother was motivated by a desire to provide the best possible life for their child.
And I just couldn't see a good future for us three
The artist explains why their relationship with the person he is addressing's mother did not work out.
And you gonna have questions as you grow
The singer acknowledges that the person he is addressing will have questions about their upbringing as they grow older.
But there's certain negative things that you don't need to know
The artist believes that there are some aspects of their past that are best left unmentioned.
And baby boy that's what this is about
The singer clarifies that the conversation they are having is meant to help the person he is addressing understand their past and move forward.
We live, learn, and figure it out
The singer emphasizes the importance of learning from past experiences and using that knowledge to improve moving forward.
I just pray that you don't remember us sleepin on the floor
The singer expresses a hope that the person he is addressing does not recall some of the less comfortable living situations they may have experienced together.
And me cleanin mouse droppings out of your toys
The artist describes a challenging situation he had to deal with while caring for the person he is addressing.
It took alot of hard work for us to get where we at
The artist emphasizes the effort that he and the person he is addressing put in to get to where they are now.
And young man, we aint quittin at that
The singer encourages the person he is addressing to continue striving for success.
Just know that it hurts me to death when I leave and go tourin
The singer emphasizes the pain he feels when he has to leave the person he is addressing to go on tour.
I'm scared that it might make you feel unimportant
The artist expresses a fear that his time away may make the person he is addressing feel unimportant or neglected.
But our bond is so strong that the moment I get off
The artist expresses confidence in the strength of their relationship with the person he is addressing.
We seem to pick right back up where we left off
The artist emphasizes the ease with which they are able to reconnect after periods of separation.
I try to say that I do it for you
The singer attempts to justify his touring by saying that it is for the benefit of the person he is addressing.
But in my heart I know that's not entirely true
The artist acknowledges that there are other motivations behind his touring that go beyond just providing for the person he is addressing.
So if I ever come home and feel that I've hurt us as friends
The singer acknowledges the potential for his touring to negatively impact his relationship with the person he is addressing.
I swear to God that I'll never tour again
The singer makes a promise that he will stop touring if it ever causes significant harm to his relationship with the person he is addressing.
I ain't never met a child quite like you
The singer emphasizes the unique and special qualities of the person he is addressing.
Words don't suffice for me to describe you
The artist believes that words cannot adequately capture the person he is addressing's unique qualities.
You have a genuine goodness inside you
The artist acknowledges the person he is addressing's positive traits.
I watch you and wonder if I was ever like you
The singer expresses admiration for the person he is addressing and suggests that they are an inspiration for him.
It's me and you, brother, for life
The singer emphasizes the strength and longevity of their relationship.
So when you put me in the ground, look for me in the clouds
The artist suggests that even after he is gone, he will always be with the person he is addressing in spirit.
You make me the definition of proud
The artist expresses extreme pride in the person he is addressing and the life they have built together.
You taught me what this life is really about
The artist emphasizes the role that the person he is addressing has played in helping him understand the true meaning of life.
Faheem...
The singer ends the song by repeating the person he is addressing's name, emphasizing their importance and significance to him.
Contributed by Chase O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.