The Undisputed Truth spawned Brother Ali’s breakout moment from underground legend onto mainstream stages. He played the main stage at Coachella and Late Night with Conan O’Brien. He was spotlighted in Source Magazine’s coveted Hip Hop Quotables and Rolling Stone’s 40th Anniversary issue as the artist to watch for the coming decade. He also toured the US with a 12-piece live band alongside Rakim and Ghostface Killah of Wu Tang Clan.
But the most storied and unexpected new phase of Ali’s public life came in response to his first video, “Uncle Sam Goddamn”. The blues-infused anthem and gorilla style, hand-held 8mm music video set in Washington DC became one of the first independent music videos to rack up millions of views on the new YouTube platform. Because of the song’s political content, Ali was dropped from corporate-sponsored tours and events, and the Department of Homeland Security intercepted and held funds for the Australian leg of his Undisputed Truth World Tour.
While ‘Uncle Sam’ highlights Ali’s emergence into the world of protest music, The Undisputed Truth as an album focuses most on Ali’s personal revolutions. The Puzzle, Freedom Ain’t Free, Walking Away, and Faheem are windows into the divorce, custody battle, and single parenthood Ali experienced after Shadows On The Sun dropped. Here and Ear To Ear highlight the joy of finding new love and building a new family life. Even the rapidity-rap songs on this project are autobiographical (Lookin At Me Sideways, Daylight). The album is tied together with feel-good crowd pleasers like Truth Is and Take Me Home.
Written by Brother Ali
Produced by ANT
Guest Performance by Prince Whipper Whip
Released in 2007
