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]
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]
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]
Ali identifies as non-binary [11] [12] [13] and uses they/them pronouns. [14]
Title | Year | Artist(s) | Album |
---|---|---|---|
"Sour Patch Kids" | 2015 | Simo Soo | - |
"DOTS Freestyle Remix" | 2019 | JPEGMafia, Buzzy Lee | All My Heroes Are Cornballs |
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