Ali (American rapper)

Last updated
Ali
Birth nameAli Kenyatta Jones [1]
Born1971 (age 5051) or 1972 (age 4950)
Origin St. Louis, Missouri, U.S. [2]
Genres Hip hop
Occupation(s)
  • Rapper
  • singer
  • songwriter
Years active1993-present
Labels Universal
Formerly of

Ali Kenyatta Jones [1] (born 1971 or 1972), known mononymously as Ali, is an American rapper and singer formally signed to Universal Records. He rose to prominence in the late 1990s and early 2000s as a founding member of the hip hop group St. Lunatics, which included fellow rappers Nelly, City Spud, Murphy Lee, and Kyjuan.

Contents

Ali's debut solo studio album, Heavy Starch (2002), peaked at number 24 on the US Billboard 200 chart and spawned a successful single – "Boughetto" (featuring Murphy Lee).

Career

In 1993, Ali formed a hip hop group in St. Louis called St. Lunatics along with Nelly, City Spud, Murphy Lee, and Kyjuan. The group gained local traction with the release of their debut single "Gimme What You Got" in 1996. [3]

Soon after St. Lunatics released their debut album Free City in 2001, Ali decided to follow a solo career with the Universal Records label. [2]

In 2002, Ali released his debut solo album, Heavy Starch . [4] The album peaked at number 24 on the Billboard 200 and seven on Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart. [5] [6] It featured the single "Boughetto", a duet with Murphy Lee, which reached number 97 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart. [7]

In 2007, Ali released a collaborative album with fellow Atlanta rapper and Goodie Mob member Gipp titled Kinfolk . [8]

Discography

Solo albums

YearAlbumChart positions
US US
R&B/Hip-Hop
2002 Heavy Starch
  • Released: April 30, 2002
  • Format: CD
247

Collaboration albums

YearAlbumChart positions
US US
R&B/Hip-Hop
US
Rap
2007 Kinfolk with Gipp
  • Released: August 14, 2007
  • Format: CD
174259

Solo singles

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References

  1. 1 2 "Information on Ali's songs in ASCAP ACE database". ASCAP . Retrieved 2022-09-30.
  2. 1 2 Birchmeier, Jason. "Ali - Biography". Allmusic . Retrieved September 12, 2015.
  3. "St. Lunatics - Biography". Allmusic . Retrieved September 12, 2015.
  4. Juon, Steve 'Flash' (May 21, 2002). "Ali :: Heavy Starch :: Universal Records". RapReviews. Retrieved March 16, 2018.
  5. "Billboard 200 Week of May 18, 2002". Billboard . Retrieved 2022-11-05.
  6. "Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums Week of May 18, 2002". Billboard . Retrieved 2022-11-05.
  7. "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs Week of March 30, 2002". Billboard . Retrieved 2022-11-05.
  8. "Ali & Gipp - Biography". Allmusic . Retrieved September 12, 2015.