Auspiciously, Mali was born in the supreme year of Hip-Hop, 1988. Then there was a "great cloud of witnesses" blessing his arrival, from KRS-ONE and Nina Simone to Queen Latifah. With the smoothness of Lando Calrissian, he spits a verse:
I'm not religious nor am I superstitious I found something dope and I want to get you hip to this Steadily tryna get a tight grip on this but trus' me, this is a fight you don't wanna miss
This shows why Mali tops the R&B/Hip-Hop charts: he has made a bridge over Rap & Bullshit. He uses the music of roots, reggae and Dirty-South-doowop-dub to create a Bob Marley 3000 feel. Listen to the track called "ONE" to see his brilliance and that of his team in making what I shall call Jesus Tafari sound. I in I understand. Do you?
About moving from church to stage, Mali says, "I didn't [change my style]. What I've been doing is just now become accepted on a mainstream level."
And what song on the Mali Is... album creates wings for both him and the listener? Without hesitation, he lights up with "Ready Aim."
"It gives me the strength to kick through that door," he says. "When I sing, it, you can definitely feel the fire. If you have a problem with what the music industry is kickin' to the youth...I hope everybody in Houston is encouraged to get the album."
Furthermore, "a lot of people try to push it [religion] down your throat, but that's not my approach!", Mali adds.
Lord, are we thankful for that. This 26-year-old is a veteran in the church and showbiz worlds, and speaks as if he has scars tattooed on his vocal chords. I can personally attest to how often in church settings the youth step up with a voice and the elders attempt to craft the message. Can't they see that the sons and daughters of this Next School will prophesy a better vision for helping mankind?
Their next testament is one with beats, technology, and poetry from angels and aliens. As with Mali Music, they are free to grasp the sword of melody and strike a blow against orthodoxy and the evil music-industry empire.
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