Brother Ali Announces North American Tour Behind 'Mourning in America and Dreaming in Color'

BY Gregory AdamsPublished Jun 25, 2012

It's been three years since Brother Ali delivered his last LP, 2009's Us, but the Minneapolis MC is finally back with news of both an upcoming album and a hefty tour schedule to support it.

Ali's fourth full-length affair is titled Mourning in America and Dreaming in Color, and it arrives via Rhymesayers August 21. A press release explains that the 14-song set was influenced by the spitter's recent trip to Mecca, as well as the Arab Spring and Occupy movements.

The politically minded song cycle was composed on a supposedly prolific, self-imposed two-month exile in Seattle that found him working with producer and fellow Rhymesayer Jake One (50 Cent, De La Soul, T.I., Snoop Dogg, Wiz Khalifa). It should be noted that the pair teamed up back in 2010 to prep some new material, but judging by the press release these aren't those songs.

Described as "a scathing, yet honest, critique of America and its many flaws while simultaneously presenting a hopeful outlook of its possibilities," the album also features guest appearances from Amir Sulaiman, Dr. Cornel West, and Choklate and Tone Trezure. You can see the tracklist down below.

Brother Ali will also be touring North America with his backup group Blank Tape Beloved shortly after the album drops. Queens rapper Homeboy Sandman and DJ Sosa will appear on all dates, including stops in Toronto and Vancouver, while duo the Reminders will appear on selected shows.

Mourning in America and Dreaming in Color:

1. Letter To My Countrymen (ft. Dr. Cornel West)

2. Only Life I Know

3. Stop The Press 

4. Mourning In America

5. Gather Round (ft. Amir Sulaiman)

6. Work Everyday 

7. Need a Knot 

8. Won More Hit 

9. Say Amen

10. Fajr 

11. Namesake
12. All You Need 

13. My Beloved (ft. Choklate and Tone Trezure)

14. Singing This Song

Tour dates:

9/12 San Luis Obispo, CA - SLO Brewing*

9/13 Santa Ana, CA - Constellation Room*

9/14 La Jolla, CA - Porter's Pub*

9/15 Tempe, AZ - Club Red*

9/16 Albuquerque, NM - Sunshine Theater*

9/17 Dallas, TX - Trees*

9/18 Austin, TX - Mohawk*

9/20 Birmingham, AL - Bottletree*

9/21 Atlanta, GA - 529*

9/22 Orlando, FL - The Social*

9/23 Ft. Lauderdale, FL - Culture Room *
9/25 Carrboro, NC - Cat's Cradle $

9/26 Washington, DC - 9:30 Club $

9/27 New York, NY - Bowery Ballroom $

9/28 Boston, MA - Paradise Rock Club $

9/29 Burlington, VT - Higher Ground $

9/30 Toronto, ON - Annex Wreck Room $

10/2 Ann Arbor, MI - Blind Pig $

10/3 Chicago, IL - Metro $

10/4 Madison, WI - Barrymore Theatre $

10/5 Minneapolis, MN - First Avenue $

10/9 Iowa City, IA - Gabe's Oasis $

10/10 Omaha, NE - Waiting Room $

10/11 Fort Collins, CO - Aggie Theatre $

10/12 Denver, CO - Bluebird Theatre $

10/13 Boulder, CO - Fox Theater $

10/15 Salt Lake City, UT - Urban Lounge $

10/17 Seattle, WA - TBA $

10/18 Bellingham, WA - Wild Buffalo $

10/19 Vancouver, BC - Venue Nightclub $

10/20 Portland, OR - Hawthorne Theater $

10/21 Eugene, OR - WOW Hall $

10/23 Reno, NV - Cargo $

10/24 Arcata, CA - Humboldt State University $

10/25 San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore $

10/26 Santa Cruz, CA - The Catalyst $

10/27 Los Angeles, CA - El Rey Theatre $

10/30 Santa Barbara, CA - Velvet Jones $

* with Homeboy Sandman, DJ Sosa
$ with Homeboy Sandman, DJ Sosa, the Reminders

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