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[BROTHER ALI, "UNCLE SAM GODDAMN"] Smoke and mirrors, stripes and stars

Stolen for the cross in the name of God

Bloodshed, genocide, rape, and fraud

Written to the pages of the law good lord

The cold continent latchkey child

Ran away one day and started acting foul

King of where the wild things are daddy's proud

Cause the Roman Empire done passed it down

SPEAKER: That is a song from a new record by Twin Cities hip-hop artist Brother Ali, The Undisputed Truth, on the Minneapolis-based Rhymesayers Label, debuted in April at number 6 on the Billboard independent album chart. Like Brother Ali's first record, "Shadows on the Sun," this one has been getting very positive reviews.

He's currently touring on the East Coast. Joining me now with more on the new record and the artist who made it is Bill DeVille, a DJ on our sister station, "The Current," and the host of the podcast called "Music Hits." Good to see you.

BILL DEVILLE: It's nice to be here.

SPEAKER: Thanks for joining us. For folks who don't know Brother Ali, and I'm among them, tell me about this guy.

BILL DEVILLE: Well, he's different from all the rest. He's a Muslim. He's an albino. He's slightly overweight. But he's very, very, very charismatic. He's very talented. And he really has something to say. That's the most wonderful part about him. And it's not all about the bling. It's about the music. It's about the message that he has to say.

For instance, on this album, he takes on a lot of different subjects, including war. There's a song called "Letter from the Government." It's the centerpiece of the album, I think. And it's about a young reservist being sent to Iraq. And it's all over this lovely, mellow, soulful groove. It's really something.

[BROTHER ALI, "LETTER FROM THE GOVERNMENT"] What kind of sucker would I have to be after these years

Of you harassing and attacking me to run and join your cavalry

Imagine me all GI Joe'd up in Afghanistan somewhere prepared to go nuts

You clinically crazy if you think you could pay me

A figure that could make me slay these innocent babies

I identify with a slave wishing to break free

He was victimized by the same system that raped me

Ant, who was a local fellow from Rhymesayers, produced this thing. And the grooves are just really funky. It sounds like it almost be Sly and the Family Stone or something. And then when you throw the message on top of it, you really have something wonderful.

SPEAKER: Who's his audience?

BILL DEVILLE: Who? Well, I would guess it's young people, maybe college age, backpacker, hip-hop. You might call this the young college backpackers or fans. And he's got a lot of them too. This record is doing quite well.

SPEAKER: What do critics say about his work?

BILL DEVILLE: Spin and Rolling Stone have written about him recently. Pitchfork Media, the online guide to independent music, has been raving about this guy in his last two albums. So critics are loving this guy.

SPEAKER: What tracks really speak to you off of this new album?

BILL DEVILLE: Second half of the CD is very interesting as well, as he takes on some more personal issues. Like, he went through a nasty breakup. He talks about that, the splitting up with his wife on the track "Walking Away."

[BROTHER ALI, "WALKING AWAY"] Since you never listen to a word I ever said

Maybe seeing his door slam will get it through your head

You don't love me, I don't think you ever did

And if you hadn't tried to kill me, I'd have stayed for the kid

There's nothing more for us to say

Got my mind made up, I'm walking away

Sometimes we just outgrow the role that we play

Just hope you find a happy ending to your story someday

There's nothing more for us to say

Got my mind made up, I'm walking away

Sometimes we just outgrow the role that we play

Hope you find a happy ending to your story someday