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.
Operation Push
Brother Ali Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
To my big brother Slug. Rock the house.
And my main man Ant yo. Rock the house.
To my best friend Murs man. Rock the house.
To my man Blueprint brother. Rock the house.
To my guy Mr. Dibbs dude. Rock the house.
To my girl Psalm One baby. Rock the house.
And my man Vast Aire yo. Rock the house.
Check it out.
Verse One:
The first time
We dropped a little somethin'
They start buzzin' like King Solomon was comin'
Album of the year was the topic of discussion
Once you got that little rush it's impossible to touch it
Then the ground froze and I'm growlin' in the stomach
Underground shows I'm devouring the public
It's all I know, but I'm a scholar of the subject
Where ever I go it's like they follow me or some shit
I ain't a part of no damn record business
I ain't got a single fan, I got brothers and sisters
Every time they raise their hands they bare witness
They listenin' and they know that a man who cares did this
Ever since I'm a pip squeak and can't even pee straight
Had some shit to speak on a beat break
Guaranteed to dig a little deeper with each take
Bleedin' on the beat till the meat on my knees shake
They call me a beast, I just think I'm the least fake
I know I'll be alone on my judgment day
I believe it to the bone what the fuck I say
My shit's etched in stone and it's done my way
One.Be.Lo. Rock the house.
And the Brand Nubian crew. Rock the house.
To the lord Rakim brother. Rock the house.
Mr. Lif, Kid Capri. Rock the house.
To my brother C-Rayz Walz. Rock the house.
And my man I-Self Define rockin' the house.
To my brother Toki Wright man. Rock the house.
And the Los Nativos rockin' the house.
Verse Two:
In 2003 I was the number one challenger
Then years started fallin' off the calendar
'04 champion, knee deep, kept my balance up
'05 and 6 I still didn't have an album, fuck
Jay-Z retired and came back
I'm still out here kickin' the same tracks
How in the world am I supposed to explain that?
Except that I hastefully chase what I aim at
And the same passion that I put in when I'm kickin' my shit
I rebuild my entire life brick by brick
And I couldn't tell the story till I knew what the endin' was
God give us messages, you better listen when he does
Y'all supportin' me, always there for me
Still got a babysitter, Pager Money came and saw me
I give you my life
Just give me an hour of yours
Check the album
Check us out on the tour
I never go to song without an album no more
If you ain't got the money steal it from the popular store
If you take away one thing just know above all
I ain't rich, but I'm livin' and I owe it to y'all
So Minneapolis. Rock the house.
And yes St. Paul. Rock the house.
And Chicago, Illinois man. Rock the house.
The song Operation Push by Brother Ali is all about the struggles that the rapper has faced and how he has overcome them with the support of his friends and fans. The song is broken into two verses, each with different themes. The first verse talks about the moment when the rapper became successful and how he was able to create a buzz amongst his fans. He mentions how once you get that feeling, it’s impossible to stop, and it’s like everyone is following you. Brother Ali also talks about the fact that he is not involved in the record industry and he doesn’t have any single fans, but he has brothers and sisters who support him. The second verse is all about the rapper’s journey in life and how he has managed to keep going even through difficult times. He mentions how he had to rebuild his entire life from scratch and how his fans were always there for him. He also talks about how he doesn’t release singles without albums anymore, and if people don’t have the money to buy it, they should steal it from a popular store. The overall message of the song is about overcoming difficult times and the importance of a strong support system.
Line by Line Meaning
The first time
Brother Ali talks about his early career in the rap scene.
We dropped a little somethin'
The first time he and his crew released a song.
They start buzzin' like King Solomon was comin'
Their music started gaining popularity and creating hype.
Album of the year was the topic of discussion
People thought their album might win an award.
Once you got that little rush it's impossible to touch it
The excitement of fame is hard to let go of.
Then the ground froze and I'm growlin' in the stomach
However, he faced challenges and obstacles in his career.
Underground shows I'm devouring the public
Brother Ali still continued performing in underground shows despite not having a big record label.
It's all I know, but I'm a scholar of the subject
He is knowledgeable and experienced in the underground rap scene.
Wherever I go it's like they follow me or some shit
His fans are very dedicated and passionate.
I ain't a part of no damn record business
Brother Ali is not affiliated with any big record labels.
I ain't got a single fan, I got brothers and sisters
He considers his fans to be family.
Every time they raise their hands they bare witness
Brother Ali's fans show their appreciation and support.
They listenin' and they know that a man who cares did this
Brother Ali is respected for his authenticity and passion.
Ever since I'm a pip squeak and can't even pee straight
He's been rapping since he was young.
Had some shit to speak on a beat break
He has always had something to say in his music.
Guaranteed to dig a little deeper with each take
His music is meaningful and has depth.
Bleedin' on the beat till the meat on my knees shake
He gives it his all when he performs.
They call me a beast, I just think I'm the least fake
He's known for his raw and honest style of rap.
I know I'll be alone on my judgment day
He knows he's accountable for his actions.
I believe it to the bone what the fuck I say
He stands by his words and beliefs.
My shit's etched in stone and it's done my way
His legacy in music is unique and one-of-a-kind.
In 2003 I was the number one challenger
He was gaining popularity as a rapper.
Then years started fallin' off the calendar
As time went on, his career slowed down a bit.
'04 champion, knee deep, kept my balance up
However, he still remained strong in the underground rap scene.
'05 and 6 I still didn't have an album, fuck
Despite his success, he still hadn't released a full album.
Jay-Z retired and came back
Even Jay-Z took a break from music during this time.
I'm still out here kickin' the same tracks
Brother Ali continued to perform and release music.
How in the world am I supposed to explain that?
He can't explain why his career hasn't taken off.
Except that I hastefully chase what I aim at
Brother Ali is passionate and determined in his pursuits.
And the same passion that I put in when I'm kickin' my shit
He puts his heart and soul into his music.
I rebuild my entire life brick by brick
After going through a difficult time, he had to rebuild his life.
And I couldn't tell the story till I knew what the endin' was
He needed time to reflect and find his direction.
God give us messages, you better listen when he does
He believes that God guides him in his life.
Y'all supportin' me, always there for me
His fans have been supportive throughout his career.
Still got a babysitter, Pager Money came and saw me
Even with his success, he still needed help from close friends.
I give you my life
He pours his heart and soul into his music.
Just give me an hour of yours
And he asks his fans to listen to his music.
Check the album
He encourages people to listen to his full albums.
Check us out on the tour
And see him perform live.
I never go to song without an album no more
He doesn't release individual songs anymore and focuses on full albums.
If you ain't got the money steal it from the popular store
He even encourages people to steal his album if they can't afford it.
If you take away one thing just know above all
He hopes people take away one thing from his music.
I ain't rich, but I'm livin' and I owe it to y'all
Despite not having a lot of financial success, he's grateful to his fans for supporting him.
Contributed by Jake B. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
iluvrocknrap
Man this album is awesome!
Wy-i Music
hehe, pharoahe monch and brother should have done a collab xD crazy beat of power of tower. thats how horns and wind section should be used ;)