Shaheedullah and Stereotypes

Ali Shaheed Muhammad

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 12, 2004)
• Original Release Date: October 12, 2004
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Penalty
• ASIN: B0003WIT26
• In-Print Editions: Vinyl
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #236,271 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Track Listings

1. Social Reform

2. Lord Can I Have This Mercy featuring Chip

3. Industry/Life

4. Tight featuring Kay

5. All Right (Aight)/Stay Interlude

6. Put Me On featuring Stokley Williams

7. Honey Child featuring Sy Smith

8. Family featuring Kay

9. (They Can't) Define Our Love featuring Sy Smith

10. Banga featuring Stokley Williams

11. Part Of The Night

12. From DJ's 2 Musicians To...

13. U Suckers

14. Matches - Don't Play!!!

15. All Night featuring Wallace Gary

16. I Declare

17. Elevated Orange

Editorial Reviews

About the Artist

Ali Shaheed Muhammad was born and raised in Bedford Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. At an early age Ali became fascinated with music. His earliest memory of this fascination was toting around a yellow Mickey Mouse transistor radio he received as a gift. "I brought that with me everywhere; I was comforted by the sounds that came from that little box," he says. Other memories lead to house parties his mother would throw where his Uncle Mike would deejay. It was at one of these parties that the then eight-year-old Ali took control of the mixer and turntables and began his life long musical journey. Ali went from local neighborhood deejay to a world-renowned producer and musician, forming not one but two popular bands.

The first group, A Tribe Called Quest, was where "Mr. Muhammad" partnered up with band mates Q-Tip and Phife. The hip-hop trio recorded five albums. Two stand incontestable as hip-hop classics. Their innovation changed the sound of hip-hop and R & B with jazzy, melodic beats. Tribe exited the world via the same stage as The Beatles and The Police, but their influence still lives with artists like D’Angelo, Common, Erykah Badu, Jill Scott, The Roots and Musiq.

After Tribe, Ali co-founded a new super trio named Lucy Pearl. Here with band members Dawn Robinson and Raphael Saadiq, he was able to explore more of his music abilities. Lucy Pearl fused funk, rock, R & B and hip-hop bringing a new energy and sound which remains to be duplicated.

Ali is also a 4-time Grammy nominee -- twice with A Tribe Called Quest, once for works with D’Angelo and once for Lucy Pearl. With plenty of production credits, no Grammy wins and two defunct groups, what is left for the DJ with plenty more music in his soul?

Shaheedullah & Stereotypes, that’s what’s next with his new association with Penalty Recordings. The mission here became to create a CD that would capture Ali’s vast musical influences as well as spotlighting the DJ’s vocal capabilities. Ali says, "I wanted to shatter the conception that I was just a DJ or that I only make a jazzy brand of music. I’m influenced by groups like Black Star, J Live, Radiohead, Coldplay, Basement Jaxx, Issa Bagayogo, and 1 Giant Leap. It wouldn’t be me if I expressed only one side of music." "I am also Muslim and my beliefs were sure to manifest here. I just didn¹t want to come off too radical," he adds. Considering the present negative media portrayal of Muslims, it is clear to see the ambition to set things straight. The title is meaningful to Ali and reflects his determination. The word Shaheedullah means witness of God. It was to be his middle name but his mother felt it was too long, and to his father’s displeasure, the name was shortened. "I’m seeking the Gardens of Heaven and I can’t get there leaving a legacy of B.S. in my music".

The beginning of this project was met with a new challenge. Ali never worked without the support of others. "I had to have the vision and sculpt it on my own – whoa! - that was different and stimulating," says Ali. He sought out a few friends like Stokley Williams of Mint Condition, Chris Dave (Mint Condition, Kenny Garrett), K Jay (The Foundation), Sy Smith(Psychosoul, Star 69), Chip (Fu-Schnickens), Uncle Mike and a few more musicians to make the vision complete.

Ali says, "Shaheedullah & Stereotypes is the first phase of a bigger musical journey." So far the journey is intimate, thought provoking, tranquil, head nodding and beautiful. A freshman with a thesis so complete surely leaves one to wonder where this journey will reside. Did someone say, journey to a Tribe reunion, what’s up with Lucy Pearl? Ali responds, "one mission at a time." Indeed there is a strong foundation built by this mission. "Tribe fans come get a sip, " Ali closes.

Product Description

Four-time Grammy nominee Ali Shaheed Muhammad releases one of the most refreshing and daring hip-hop/R&B records in recent memory, the gripping Shaheedullah and Stereotypes. Ali Shaheed is a founding member of the most influential hip-hop act of the 90’s, A Tribe Called Quest. Known for their groundbreaking jazz-rap revolution and progressive views, the band made history with classic albums such as The Low End Theory, and Midnight Marauders. After A Tribe Called Quest disbanded in ’88, Ali quickly reinvented himself as one of the founding members of Lucy Pearl with Raphael Saadiq and ex-En Vogue member Dawn Robinson. On Shaheedullah and Stereotypes, Ali has shied away from the use of samples and has implemented the use of self-performed live instrumentation by way of guitar, bass, and wood-shedding on the keyboard – most evident on the single "Elevated Orange" and "Lord Can I Have This Mercy".

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars (Ali) Shaheed breaks us off a lil somethin' INDEED!, October 13, 2004

By	Kimber "Music Lover" (Brooklyn, USA) - See all my reviews

October was a refreshing month for Hip-Hop releases...so far we got Talib Kweli, Mos Def and now Ali Shaheed Muhammad (Tribe Called Quest and Lucy Pearl fame) whose "Shaheedullah and Stereotypes" CD was released under the radar. It should be considered an energizing and at times politically conscious contribution to music in general. And this is what Ali offers us--with open arms--MUSIC. It's been a while since that gift has been presented without the bells, whistles and misguided allusion of a Trojan Horse.

Though Ali comes to us as a world renown DJ, he isn't just the "beat guy" for this CD. From the first track ("Social Reform") we understand who this album belongs to and at the same time we see Ali generously and brilliantly expose talented individuals from his fold. Their contributions to the CD help polish the goldmine he has unearthed for us.

Ali easily takes the forefront as a lyricist and singer(who KNEW?!?!)--two skills he obviously had up his sleeve for a long time and wasn't revealing until the time was right...and for real y'all...the time is NOW.

The stellar group of lyricists on his team include...Kay Jay from Houston, TX. ("Tight", "Family"). Kay's fresh style flows naturally off the tongue and easily to the ear. Sy Smith is a songstress whose sweet flavor in your ear gracefully plies and pirouettes on three tracks ("Honey Child", "<They Can't> Define Our Love", "Part of the Night"). Stokely Williams from Mint Condition (SWOON!!) is rediscovered--and singing like he ain't been no where but here--does his thing on two tracks ("Banga" and "Put Me On"). A brotha with a beautiful voice named Wallace Gary adds to the variety of this CD by blessing us with a trippy house track("All Night"). And last but CERTAINLY not least...Chip-fu formerly of the FuSchnickens (where the heck THAT cat been?!? Hip-Hop has missed him TERRIBLY!) breathed a huge lung of fresh air all over track two of the CD ("Lord, Can I Have This Mercy"). Before Chip-fu even lets us know he flips his lyrics like a sick gymnast, we can invision him rubbin' chalk on his hands and runnin' at top speed for the uneven bars.

I know I said a lot...but what puts this CD over the top for me is everyone sounds like they are having a fan-tabulous time with their contributions. And as I read the notes on the CD itself, plenty of live instruments were used. It looks like this CD is virtually SAMPLE-FREE--who in the game can claim THAT fame?

Everyone's input on the CD feels like they've all craved real Hip-Hop and real music (like I have) for a very long time. So if you feel the same way, you need to pick this one up--and QUICK!

Peace!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Thank You For The "Something New" Stew!!!, November 1, 2004

By	Nubia (Staten Island) - See all my reviews

I thought this CD was definitely different from what's out now...and that's a GOOD thing!! For those who are concerned whether it's more A Tribe Called Quest or Lucy Pearl...I would lean towards Lucy Pearl in terms of experimentating...and it's good to see someone do something original and something that WORKS!! Even Kanye West is biting off of his OWN stuff ("Get By, "I Try", That John Legend song....aint that all the same tune??)

I think Ali Shaheed Muhammed did a great job at letting folks know that there is more out there than just old school samples these rappers can buy, rhyme over and call a hit...he's got original music that makes ya move your feet and nod to the beat... I listened to the "Shahedullah and Stereotypes" snippets above before I bought the CD and I'm glad I did cuz the CD is worth the money!!

I'm SO tired of all the artificial/process cheesy music out there...

Thanks for your home-cooked gumbo Ali...hopefully others who are really TALENTED will follow your path!!!

3.0 out of 5 stars Ali Shaheed Muhammad - Shaheedullah and Stereotypes, January 12, 2007

By	Constant (Vancouver, BC Canada) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

Ali Shaheed Muhammad's debut solo album was "Shaheedullah and Stereotypes" (2004). I have always been impressed with the outstanding production Brooklyn Producer/DJ Ali Shaheed Muhammad made for A Tribe Called Quest's albums. Ali enlists some help from Chip-Fu, Stokley Williams, Kay Jay, Sy Smith & Wallace Grace on this seventeen track release. Ali's production on this release is good, as the album is full of memorable beats, from start to finish. After the intro, Ali Shaheed Muhammad teams up with Chip-Fu for "Lord Can I Have This Mercy" - and the two talk to the new generation backed by an outstanding chorus. Ali's lyrics on "Industry/Life" are on point, Ali kicks knowledge about violence, materialism, and life. Ali lets his production speak for itself on "All Right" (Aight)/Stay Interlude, a positive track. Singer Stokley Williams (lead singer of Mint Condition) makes the first of two appearances on "Put Me On" a track dedicated to a special day. Female Singer Sy Smith is featured on "Honey Child" a decent track which I expected to grow into something more. It's easy to relate with Ali Shaheed Muhammad and Kay Jay as they provide a tribute to "Family" - an heartfelt dedication to loved ones. Sy Smith returns for the ballad "(They Can't) Define Our Love". The album's first single has Stokley Williams and Ali rhyming over some harder sounding production on "Banga" - Ali seems a bit out of his element on this track and I wonder why this was made a single as it does not reflect the album. Ali experiments with the beats on "Matches - Don't Play!!! & "All Night". The later track is a feel good jam for the late night which features singer Wallace Grace. Production wise this release is tight. Ali is not the most gifted MC, but he's a grounded individual who know's what is important in life. The messages in his music are positive and worthwhile. "Shaheedullah and Stereotypes" is a relatively unknown release worth checking out. 3.5.