Ali performing in 2015

Abdu Ali is an American multidisciplinary musician, community activist, poet and artist based in Baltimore.[1][2] In 2019, Baltimore City Major Jack Young's Office and the LGBTQ Commission honored Ali with the Artist of the Year Award.[3] They released their first album FIYAH!! in 2019.[4][5]

Musical style

Their musical style has been described as fervent jazz with a futuristic punk rap poetry while also weaving noise punk to avant-garde rap.[6][7] Their work is inspired by Baltimore Club legend and black queer icon Miss Tony.[7] Ali's lyrics and poetry are influenced by Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, Wallace Thurmon, and Richard Nugent.[8] The FADER described their single "Chastity" as "an unconventional, and daring call for self-love and acceptance".[9]

Projects

Ali has been involved in various projects including Kahlon,[10][5] an experimental music and art event in Baltimore that hosted notable acts including Juliana Huxtable, Princess Nokia and others that lasted from 2014 to 2017.[1] In 2017 they created drumBOOTY, a podcast for black creativity and social dialogue.[7] They are also the founder of As They Lay, which Ali states as a "creative protect-based organism" that brings black artists together for events, programs and dialogues.[1]

Personal life

Ali identifies as non-binary[11][12][13] and uses they/them pronouns.[14]

Discography

Studio albums

  • FIYAH!! (2019)[4]

Guest appearances

List of non-single guest appearances, with other performing artists, showing year released and album name
Title Year Artist(s) Album
"Sour Patch Kids" 2015 Simo Soo -
"DOTS Freestyle Remix" 2019 JPEGMafia, Buzzy Lee All My Heroes Are Cornballs

References

  1. 1 2 3 Cooper, Wilbert L. (November 20, 2019). "Abdu Ali is creating space for radical black artists". i-D. Retrieved June 18, 2020.
  2. ↑ "Abdu Ali: The Freedom Fighter". Cultured Magazine. July 24, 2019. Retrieved June 18, 2020.
  3. ↑ Rao, Sameer (June 13, 2019). "Mining Baltimore's past and present, Abdu Ali releases album of "Fiyah!!!"". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved June 18, 2020.
  4. 1 2 "ABDU ALI PUSHES US FORWARD WITH NEW ALBUM, FIYAH!!". AFROPUNK. April 19, 2019. Retrieved June 18, 2020.
  5. 1 2 "The Quietus | Reviews | Abdu Ali". The Quietus. Retrieved June 18, 2020.
  6. ↑ "Black Musicians Write the Soundtrack of the City". Baltimore magazine. June 2, 2020. Retrieved June 18, 2020.
  7. 1 2 3 "The Experimental Savvy Of Baltimore's New Underground Music Scene". Bandcamp Daily. March 9, 2020. Retrieved June 18, 2020.
  8. ↑ "Abdu Ali, a Musician with Restless Charisma, Shares Their Camera Roll". Interview. April 1, 2019. Retrieved June 18, 2020.
  9. ↑ "Baltimore's Abdu Ali dares to be free on the post-futuristic "Chastity"". The FADER. Retrieved June 18, 2020.
  10. ↑ Callahan, Maura (February 2017). "Kahlon's Cut Up Series returns with audio-visual exhibition". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved June 18, 2020.
  11. ↑ June 2019, Lydia Woolever | (May 14, 2019). "Allow Abdu Ali to Reintroduce Themself". Baltimore Magazine. Retrieved April 25, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  12. ↑ "Baltimore Legend Abdu Ali Is Ready To Make Their Formal Debut". BESE. August 20, 2018. Retrieved April 25, 2023.
  13. ↑ "JPEGMAFIA, Abdu Ali and Gender Nonconformity in Hip-Hop". WKNC 88.1 FM. August 31, 2020. Retrieved April 25, 2023.
  14. ↑ Burney, Lawrence (February 17, 2023). "Abdu Ali sees beyond music and Baltimore with national arts grant". The Baltimore Banner. Retrieved April 25, 2023.


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