Watch Brother Ali Give Praise in Inspiring ‘Own Light’ Video
Brother Ali gives praise in his new video for “Own Light (What Hearts Are For),” the latest cut off the Rhymesayers rapper’s upcoming LP All the Beauty in This Whole Life.
The video combines breathtaking footage of the picturesque Pacific Northwest with scenes of religious tolerance and people cherishing the gift of life.
“This video is extremely meaningful because we shot it in Seattle, which is a second home to me,” Brother Ali tells Rolling Stone of “Own Light.” “As we were filming, our brother, the hip hop ambassador and cultural mayor of Seattle, Jonathan Moore passed away. Jon worked on this video with us right up until his final days. His sister Jen actually filmed her dancing scene the day after he passed as a celebration of his life.”
The rapper continued, “The video begins with beautiful words from my teacher, Dr. Umar Faruq Abdullah, whose guidance inspired not only this song, but the theme of beauty throughout the album. It was extremely important to [director] Dave Wilson and me to highlight the connections that unite people in all walks of life and spiritual traditions.”
In a statement, the Minneapolis rapper previously said of All the Beauty, “Articulating the pain and navigating the healing allows the people who really feel my music to travel with me. It’s not only that we hurt together, we heal together as well.” “Own Light” communicates on those themes of “pain, growth and eventual healing” as well.
“They’ve been trying to shut us down our whole life / I thank God for healing / You ain’t got to get me lit, I got my own light / Thank God for listening / Listen, you’ve been trying to build me up my whole life,” Brother Ali proclaims on the chorus. “I thank God I’m living / And I know who I am, and whose I am / On your wings I fly, and your shoes I stand.”
All the Beauty in This Whole Life, due out May 5th and the rapper’s first LP since 2012’s Mourning in America and Dreaming in Color, also features the previously released track “Pen to Paper.”
All the Beauty in This Whole Life Track List
1. “Pen To Paper” (feat. Amir Sulaiman)
2. “Own Light” (What Hearts Are For)
3. “Special Effects” (feat. deM Atlas)
4. “Can’t Take That Away”
5. “Dear Black Son”
6. “We Got This” (feat. Sa-Roc)
7. “Uncle Usi Taught Me”
8. “Pray For Me”
9. “It Ain’t Easy”
10. “Never Learn”
11. “Tremble”
12. “Before They Called You White”
13. “The Bitten Apple” (feat. Idris Philips)
14. “Out Of Here”
15. “All The Beauty In This Whole Life”