I had a chance to see a long time favourite, Brother Ali, do a show last night. I also had the rare opportunity of finding a new favourite, at a live show, in an opening act. Fashawn, as far as Brother Ali and I can tell, is nothing short of a prodigy. Ali was signing his praises on stage with good cause – this guy has silky flow on the mic, and lyrics that are well beyond his 21 years in their cleverness and maturity.  Fashawn’s raps aren’t just infused with meaning – he spits some realness that can’t be sold separately. Quality of this caliber comes from one place alone – love. It’s clear to me from the rhymes I heard last night that from pen to mic, Fashawn engaged in a labour of love. What that means for the future is exciting. Can’t wait to see what comes next from this guy.

All the best to these gents on the rest of their tour.  Brother Ali’s new album, Us, is a worthy addition to his incredible list of releases. BK-One has a recently released album that looks like it was put together by the Olympic Rap Team, with beats to match.  And Fashawn’s Boy Meets World, well.. you need to get it.

If you’re fortunate enough to live in one of these towns, go and check out the show. Trust.. it’s good for the environment.