Abdu Ali

File:Abdu-Ali-2015.png

Abdu Ali is an American multidisciplinary musician, community activist, poet and artist based in Baltimore.{{Cite web|last=Cooper|first=Wilbert L.|date=November 20, 2019|title=Abdu Ali is creating space for radical black artists|url=https://i-d.co/article/abdu-ali-is-creating-space-for-radical-black-artists/|access-date=June 18, 2020|website=i-D}}{{Cite web|date=July 24, 2019|title=Abdu Ali: The Freedom Fighter|url=https://www.culturedmag.com/abdu-ali/|access-date=June 18, 2020|website=Cultured Magazine}} In 2019, Baltimore City Major Jack Young's Office and the LGBTQ Commission honored Ali with the Artist of the Year Award.{{Cite web|last=Rao|first=Sameer|title=Mining Baltimore's past and present, Abdu Ali releases album of "Fiyah!!!"|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/bs-fe-abduali-fiyah-20190617-story.html|access-date=June 18, 2020|website=The Baltimore Sun|date=June 13, 2019 }} They released their first album FIYAH!! in 2019.{{Cite web|date=April 19, 2019|title=ABDU ALI PUSHES US FORWARD WITH NEW ALBUM, FIYAH!!|url=https://afropunk.com/2019/04/abdu-ali-fiyah/|access-date=June 18, 2020|website=AFROPUNK}}{{Cite web|title=The Quietus {{!}} Reviews {{!}} Abdu Ali|url=https://thequietus.com/articles/26381-abdu-ali-fiyah-review|access-date=June 18, 2020|website=The Quietus}}

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.{{Cite web|date=June 2, 2020|title=Black Musicians Write the Soundtrack of the City|url=https://www.baltimoremagazine.com/section/artsentertainment/black-musicians-write-the-soundtrack-of-the-city|access-date=June 18, 2020|website=Baltimore magazine}}{{Cite web|date=March 9, 2020|title=The Experimental Savvy Of Baltimore's New Underground Music Scene|url=https://daily.bandcamp.com/features/baltimores-underground-music-scene-guide|access-date=June 18, 2020|website=Bandcamp Daily}} Their work is inspired by Baltimore Club legend and black queer icon Miss Tony. Ali's lyrics and poetry are influenced by Langston Hughes, Zora Neale Hurston, Wallace Thurmon, and Richard Nugent.{{Cite web|date=April 1, 2019|title=Abdu Ali, a Musician with Restless Charisma, Shares Their Camera Roll|url=https://www.interviewmagazine.com/culture/abdu-ali-a-musician-with-restless-charisma-shares-their-camera-roll-with-us|access-date=June 18, 2020|website=Interview}} The FADER described their single "Chastity" as "an unconventional, and daring call for self-love and acceptance".{{Cite web|title=Baltimore's Abdu Ali dares to be free on the post-futuristic "Chastity"|url=https://www.thefader.com/2019/02/19/abdu-ali-chasity-music-video-song|access-date=June 18, 2020|website=The FADER}}

Projects

Ali has been involved in various projects including Kahlon,{{Cite web|last=Callahan|first=Maura|title=Kahlon's Cut Up Series returns with audio-visual exhibition|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/citypaper/bcp-020117-ae-kahlon-20170201-story.html|access-date=June 18, 2020|website=The Baltimore Sun|date=February 2017 }} 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. In 2017 they created drumBOOTY, a podcast for black creativity and social dialogue. 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.

Personal life

Ali is non-binary{{Cite web |last=June 2019 |first=Lydia Woolever {{!}} |date=May 14, 2019 |title=Allow Abdu Ali to Reintroduce Themself |url=https://www.baltimoremagazine.com/section/artsentertainment/allow-abdu-ali-to-reintroduce-themself/ |access-date=April 25, 2023 |website=Baltimore Magazine |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=August 20, 2018 |title=Baltimore Legend Abdu Ali Is Ready To Make Their Formal Debut |url=https://www.bese.com/baltimore-legend-abdu-ali-is-ready-to-make-his-formal-debut/ |access-date=April 25, 2023 |website=BESE |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=August 31, 2020 |title=JPEGMAFIA, Abdu Ali and Gender Nonconformity in Hip-Hop |url=https://wknc.org/2020/08/31/jpegmafia-abdu-ali-and-gender-nonconformity-in/ |access-date=April 25, 2023 |website=WKNC 88.1 FM |language=en-US}} and uses they/them pronouns.{{Cite web |last=Burney |first=Lawrence |date=February 17, 2023 |title=Abdu Ali sees beyond music and Baltimore with national arts grant |url=https://www.thebaltimorebanner.com/culture/abdu-ali-sees-beyond-music-and-baltimore-with-national-arts-grant-3ZP32RE66VA53PT4JM53A5W37E/ |access-date=April 25, 2023 |website=The Baltimore Banner |language=en}}

Discography

= Studio albums =

FIYAH!! (2019)

= Guest appearances =

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" \|+ List of non-single guest appearances, with other performing artists, showing year released and album name ! scope="col" style="width:16em;" \| Title ! scope="col" \| Year ! scope="col" \| Artist(s) ! scope="col" \| Album
scope="row" \| "Sour Patch Kids" \| 2015 \| Simo Soo \| -
scope="row" \| "DOTS Freestyle Remix" \| 2019 \| JPEGMafia, Buzzy Lee \| All My Heroes Are Cornballs

class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"

|+ List of non-single guest appearances, with other performing artists, showing year released and album name

! scope="col" style="width:16em;" | Title

! scope="col" | Year

! scope="col" | Artist(s)

! scope="col" | Album

scope="row" | "Sour Patch Kids"

| 2015

| Simo Soo

| -

scope="row" | "DOTS Freestyle Remix"

| 2019