About Abdu

Baltimore City - Station North A&E District
Abdu Ali is a Baltimore based music artist, producer, poet, and multidisciplinary artist who works in sound, video, social practice and performance. Their work often interrogates ideas of race, gender, and sexuality that manifests as poetic inquiries of identity, promoting liberation from oppressive ideologies and encouraging self-determination. Their work also centers promoting authentic Black queer legacies and narratives as our histories are often subjected to distortion and erasure.… more

Mongo (Self Released) 2016

This is my most recent project, a full length mixtape, MONGO that was released in April 2016.

Credits:

All album art by Elliott Brown Jr.

Please credit photographer if using imagery

Mixing & Mastering by JPEGMAFIA, MIGHTY MARK, & MR. 14TH

Lyrics are available in each song's description box. All lyrics by me, except the vocal features, who made their own lyrics.

Production credits on track listing.

Artist Statement in a short essay

i wanted to give up. ovah and ovah again. why? look at me, then look at the world i live. you see what im saying? life for me, aint been no crystal stair. do i even have a life? do i own one? i got a lot of debt. broke af, cant really obtain the wealth america promised me. am i here? is my life alive? 

i believe i do have a life because…i cant give up.  esp after witnessing the shade of it all in my city, post freddie gray's death. vividly i saw through that moment and still what i see today, are the attacks from media, all the systems, and the white hooded neighbors…is something that can really bring a bitch down. so im surprised by the fact that i am still here. after the shade of it all, i still rise. Maya Angelou, is that you?

something in me. the fire inside that makes me feel like no road cant be unconquered. what is that? i say its my mother’s hand, my lineage, my ancestors. the voodoo. the music. the music keeps me alive. the drums, the beat, and voices, (that cant ever be mimicked). my genetically passed down unbothered mien to be so me. to be black. even after being bleached a thousand times. my blood aint sterile. that pain i felt last april provoked the energy, the fire, to rage a bit more. my vision became a bit more focused. so my music became more and my performances became more. this mixtape, MONGO is who i am and what i am for what i be. its only for us. Mongo, I consider to be the blk self care mixtape consists of: Anthems Mantras & Narratives. Fela, Marvin, Nina, Lauryn, Tupac, Octavia E. Butler, and Miss Tony, I see what y'all was saying now. I know what I gotta do. I just gotta do me through us. The revolution is not just communal, it can also be an individual protest through thy work, sweat, or screams. Energy is infectious like the many systematic diseases that plagued our people. Teach one, teach all. also our other experiences are worthy to be art, our love trials, being queer and black, missing our deceased loved ones, or consuming the fruits of the green, because the self care is important. all of that deserves a song too. but I still don't know what it is that keeps my fist up, my hair nappy, and my skin so gold. but what i do kno is that me and u gonna get thru this. for some reason we have to. Is it just justice? is it the return of the black gods? deep down we know they will be back. cause one thing is for sure, the sun don't hurt me none. RIP PRINCE (CONTROVERSY IS THE REASON WHY I THOUGHT I COULD MAKE MUSIC). - ABDU ALI

Track List:

  1. TAKE ME TO DA WATA
    • PRODUCED BY ABDU ALI & PANGELICA
  2. IM ALIVE (HUMANIZED)
    • PRODUCED BY JPEGMAFIA
  3. ANTI.CHIP ft. JPEGMAFIA & ELON
    • PRODUCED BY JPEGMAFIA & ABDU ALI
  4. TEARS OF A BLACK MOVA
    • PRODUCED BY DJ HARAM
  5. HOW? (FIGHT BACK)
    • PRODUCED BY GOBBY
  6. DID DAT
    • PRODUCED BY MIGHTY MARK
  7. BOY BYE
    • PRODUCED BY MR. 14TH
  8. SIRENS ft. JOY POSTELL & AL ROGERS
    • PRODUCED BY BUTCH DAWSON
  9. KEEP MOVIN (NEGRO KAI)
    • PRODUCED BY MENTAL JEWERLY & ABDU ALI
  • Mongo Mixtape Cover
    Mongo Mixtape Cover
    Mixtape cover photographed by Elliott Brown Jr.
  • MONGO by Abdu Ali
    Artist Statement in a short essay i wanted to give up. ovah and ovah again. why? look at me, then look at the world i live. you see what im saying? life for me, aint been no crystal stair. do i even have a life? do i own one? i got a lot of debt. broke af, cant really obtain the wealth america promised me. am i here? is my life alive? i believe i do have a life because…i cant give up. esp after witnessing the shade of it all in my city, post freddie gray's death. vividly i saw through that moment and still what i see today, are the attacks from media, all the systems, and the white hooded neighbors…is something that can really bring a bitch down. so im surprised by the fact that i am still here. after the shade of it all, i still rise. Maya Angelou, is that you? something in me. the fire inside that makes me feel like no road cant be unconquered. what is that? i say its my mother’s hand, my lineage, my ancestors. the voodoo. the music. the music keeps me alive.
  • MONGOLYRICS.pdf
    All the lyrics to my songs.
  • Album Art III
    Album Art III
    This is apart of the album art shot by Elliott Brown Jr.
  • Album Art V
    Album Art V
    This is apart of the album art shot by Elliott Brown Jr.

ALREADY (Self Released) 2014

IN A MUSICAL COLLABORATION WITH SCHWARZ, I DECIDED TO TAKE IT BACK HOME. THIS IS MY HEART IN RAW FORM, THE PUREST FORM, IT BEATS AT 130 BPM, HARD, WITH LOVE, FEEEEEL ME.

ALREADY is "used to describe a situation that exists now and that will continue to exist"and in Baltimore when we say "ALREADY" to a person we are validating that a something between each other, like a love or loyalty, exists and will continue to exist 4EVA.

COVER ART X ABDU ALI MIXED AND PRODUCED BY SCHWARZ ENGINEER MICHAEL BIRNBAUM
  • Abdu Ali - I, Exist
    I release a visual interpretation directed by me and Jedicom (who did the editing/animation) of a single on ALREADY, titled "I, Exist". The video was premiered by Afro Punk. http://www.afropunk.com/profiles/blogs/afropunk-premiere-check-the-surreal-visuals-to-abdu-ali-s-i-exist Credits Video was created by Baltimore based animation and projection artist Johnny Rogers. Song produced by Schwarz. Lyrics and vocal composition by Abdu Ali. Photos tagged adidas stripes and couch1 are by Walker Seydell. Photos tagged hzybr are by Heezy Bear. Other photos are just stills from video. Artist Statement "It was raining bad one day, I was very very grey too, and thankfully a shed of light came upon in form of a thought: I'm still here. We are all still here. Very much alive even in the shadiest rain, where time isn't present, we are still up. Remember out loud: I, Exist.
  • ALREADY(PROD. SCHWARZ & ABDU ALI) by Abdu Ali
    Music for ALREADY
  • ALREADY, COVER ART
    ALREADY, COVER ART
    Cover art designed by me.
  • Press Premier Fact Magazine Already
    The UK based music publication, Fact Magazine premiered my ep ALREADY.
  • Press - The Baltimore Sun - Already
    The Baltimore Sun does an interview and editorial with me about Already.

Infinity Epiphanies (Released on Araçá Recs) 2014

Premiered by The Fader, "Infinity Epiphanies" is a limited, edition, vinyl 45 is released by local record label, Araçá Recs and is available at select stores in Baltimore and Brooklyn and shipping worldwide.  Artist Statement: "Infinity Epiphanies is a vogue battle, short, powerful, and cathartic. It's relentless and restless music for the real.  P.S. Have hope and faith. The epiphanies that provoke us to move are infinite. The fruit that hovers over us day after day after day after day is waiting for you to grab it. Yes, the world is grey like used up coal --- but you must remember to never get caught up in inertia, even when the world ends. The energy since the beginning of the universe is still inside of us giving us the power to seize and conquer."  - Abdu Ali
  • Abdu Ali - Infinity Epiphanies (AR004) by ARAÇÁ RECS
    The music.
  • INFINITY EPIPHANIES COVER by THERESA CHROMATI
    INFINITY EPIPHANIES COVER by THERESA CHROMATI
    Cover art by Theresa Chromati
  • Press- Premier - TheFader - Infinity Epiphanies
    The Fader premiers Infinity Epiphanies.

Kahlon, The Creative Agency - Founder

I am founder and the creative director of Kahon, The Agency, an organization based in Baltimore that's invested in changing the artistic climate of the city. 

Kahlon was inspired by the lack of creative platforms, especially in the music scene, for underrepresented people like black and brown folk, womyn, and the LGBTQI community.  In the Summer of 2014 Abdu Ali, the founder of Kahlon, The Agency, teamed up with Lawrence Burney, Chanel Cruz, and DJ Genie to start Kahlon to create a more inclusive music event that represented the diversity of the creative world within Baltimore City and putting black and brown artists to forefront of these events. For the visual component of Kahlon, digital illustrator and multi disciplinary artist, Theresa Chromati was appointed as the flyer designer for all Kahlon events and Jedicom, a projection artist help establish the physical ambience for Kahlon events. 
For the past two years Kahlon has hosted performances by Princess Nokia, Juliana Huxtable and Dan Deacon, as well as beautiful art installations from Jedicom. 

Now Kahlon is a creative agency that is working on changing the artistic climate of Baltimore and making it a more productive space for underrepresented creatives.

Kahlon focuses on uplifting and exhibiting various modes of production by people who are often oppressed and misrepresented. In addition to furthering Kahlon’s impact through a robust curation of musical acts, Kahlon has expanded to include “The Cut Up Series,” a diverse platform for exhibitions and arts/music programming set in Baltimore. As a creative agency we utilize the strengths of the artistic and cultural communities within Baltimore to bridge the gap between multiple levels of class, race, and gender, thus strengthening the community through events that are geared toward accessibility.
  • Kahlon
    Kahlon
    Kahlon
  • Press- Bullet Media - A Party in Baltimore Bridges the Scene’s Racial Divide
    Bullet Media did a feature on Kahlon that focuses on how the organization and it's events, works to conquer Baltimore's racial segregation.
  • The Kid Mero Versus Baltimore Party Rap - The Great Adventures of the Kid Mero - Ep 2
    Noisey/Vice did a documentary covering a Kahlon event.
  • Press City Paper Best Party
    Kahlon won Best Party in the City Paper, 2014.
  • CUT UP MIX 1 x LOGICOMA by Kahlon, The Agency Radio premiered on The Fader
    Premiered by The Fader, Kahlon releases a mix by Logicoma in celebration of the 1st Cut Up Series installment. http://www.thefader.com/2016/11/02/kahlon-baltimore-logicoma-mix-premiere
  • KAHLON w/ ABDU ALI - The Crown, STATION NORTH
    BMOREhush does a documentary feature on Kahlon.