Brother Ali in Des Moines

Brother Ali is an American rapper closely associated with Minneapolis independent hip-hop and Rhymesayers Entertainment. He released his debut album, Rites of Passage, in 2000, followed by records including Shadows on the Sun, The Undisputed Truth and Us. His best-known songs include “Forest Whitiker” and “Uncle Sam Goddamn.” Brother Ali performed at Paid Dues in 2007 and later appeared at multiple editions of the Rhymesayers-founded Soundset festival. In 2018, NPR documented a compact performance of his catalog at the Tiny Desk in Washington, D.C.