"Enmity" and "Foe" redirect here. For the band, see Enmity (band). For other uses see Foe (disambiguation) and Enemy (disambiguation).

An enemy or foe is a relativist term for an entity, whether an individual or a group, that is seen as forcefully adverse or threatening. The concept of an enemy has been observed to be "basic for both individuals and communities".^[1] The term "enemy" serves the social function of designating a particular entity as a threat, thereby invoking an intense emotional response to that entity.^[2] The state of being or having an enemy is enmity.

Terms[link]

"Enemy" is a strong word, and "emotions associated with the enemy would include anger, frustration, envy, jealousy, fear, distrust, and possibly grudging respect".^[2] As a political concept, an enemy is likely to be met with hate, violence, battle and war. The opposite of an enemy is a friend or ally. Because the term "the enemy" is a bit bellicose and militaristic to use in polite society, informal substitutes are more often used. Often the substituted terms become pejoratives in the context that they are used. In any case, the designation of an "enemy" exists solely to denote the status of a particular group of people as a threat, and to propagate this designation within the local context. Substituted terms for an enemy often go further to meaningfully identify a known group as an enemy, and to pejoratively frame that identification. A government may seek to represent a person or group as a threat to the public good by designating that person or group to be a public enemy.

The characterization of an individual or/and group as an enemy is called demonization. The propagation of demonization is a major aspect of propaganda. An "enemy" may also be conceptual; used to describe impersonal phenomena such disease, and a host of other things. Throughout religious theology, "the Enemy" is typically reserved to represent the human tendency to do evil, often personified as a malicious deity, such as the devil or a demon. Conversely, in some instances God is also described as an enemy; for example, in 1 Samuel 28:16, the spirit of Samuel tells Saul: "Wherefore then dost thou ask of me, seeing the LORD is departed from thee, and is become thine enemy?"

"The enemy," as the object of social anger or repulsion, has throughout history been used as the prototypical propaganda tool to focus the fear and anxiety within a society toward a particular target. The target is often general, as with a ethnic group or race of people, or it can also be a conceptual target, as with an ideology which characterises a particular group. In some cases the concept of the enemy have morphed; whereas once racial and ethnic claims to support a call to war may later have changed to ideological and conceptual based claims.

During the Cold War, the terms "Communists" or "Reds" were believed by many in American society to mean "the enemy," and the meaning of the two terms could be extremely pejorative, depending on the political context, mood, or state of fear and agitation within the society at the time.

Generally, the counterpoint to an enemy is a friend or ally, although the term frenemy has been coined to capture the sense of a relationship wherein the parties are allied for some purposes and at odds with one another for other purposes.

Enemies as a function of social science[link]

The existence or perceived existence of a collective enemy tends to increase the cohesiveness of the group.^[3] However, the identification and treatment of other entities as enemies may be irrational, and a sign of a psychological dysfunction. For example, group polarization may devolve into groupthink, which may lead members of the "in" group to perceive nonmembers or other groups as enemies even where the others present neither antagonism nor an actual threat.^[4] Paranoid schizophrenia is characterized by the irrational belief that other people, ranging from family members and personal acquaintances to celebrities seen on television, are personal enemies plotting harm to the sufferer.^[5][6] Irrational approaches may extend to treating impersonal phenomena not merely as conceptual enemies, but as sentient actors intentionally bringing strife to the sufferer.

The concept of the enemy is well covered in the field of Peace and conflict studies, which is available as a major at many major universities. In Peace studies, enemies are those entities who are perceived as frustrating or preventing achievement of a goal. The enemy may not even know they are being regarded as such, since the concept is one-sided.

Thus, in order to achieve peace, one must eliminate the enemy. This can be achieved by either by:

• destroying the enemy
• changing one's perception of an entity as enemy
• achieving the goal the enemy is frustrating

Personal conflicts are frequently either unexamined (one's goals are not well defined) or examined only from one point of view. This means it is often possible to resolve conflict (to 'eliminate' the enemy) by redefining goals such that the frustration (not the person) is either eliminated, obvious, negotiated away, or decided upon.

Enemies in literature[link]

In literature, stories are often developed by presenting a primary character, the protagonist, as overcoming obstacles presented by an antagonist who is depicted as a personal enemy of the protagonist. Serial fictional narratives of heroes often present the hero contending against an archenemy whose capabilities match or exceed those of the hero, thereby establishing tension as to whether the hero will be able to defeat this enemy. The enemy may be displayed as an evil character who plans to harm innocents, so that the reader will side with the protagonist in the need to battle the enemy.^[7]

Treatment of enemies[link]

Various legal and theological regimes exist governing the treatment of enemies. Many religions have precepts favoring forgiveness and reconciliation with enemies. The Jewish Encyclopedia states that "[h]atred of an enemy is a natural impulse of primitive peoples",^[8] while "willingness to forgive an enemy is a mark of advanced moral development".^[8] It contends that the teaching of the Bible, Talmud, and other writings, "gradually educates the people toward the latter stage",^[8] stating that "indications in the Bible of a spirit of hatred and vengeance toward the enemy... are for the most part purely nationalistic expressions—hatred of the national enemy being quite compatible with an otherwise kindly spirit".^[8]

Religious doctrines on the treatment of enemies[link]

The Book of Exodus states: "If thou meet thine enemy's ox or his ass going astray, thou shalt surely bring it back to him again. If thou see the ass of him that hateth thee lying under his burden, and thou wouldest forbear to help him, thou shalt surely help with him."^[9] The Book of Proverbs similarly states: "Rejoice not when thine enemy falleth and let not thy heart be glad when he stumbleth",^[10] and: "If thine enemy be hungry give him bread to eat, and if he be thirsty give him water to drink. For thus shalt thou heap coals of fire upon his head, and the Lord shall reward thee".^[11] The Jewish Encyclopedia contends that the opinion that the Old Testament commanded hatred of the enemy derives from a misunderstanding of the Sermon on the Mount, wherein Jesus said: "Ye have heard that it hath been said, Thou shalt love thy neighbor and hate thine enemy. But I say unto you, Love your enemies and pray for them that persecute you".^[12]

The Jewish Encyclopedia also cites passages in the Talmud stating: "If a man finds both a friend and an enemy requiring assistance he should assist his enemy first in order to subdue his evil inclination",^[8] and: "Who is strong? He who converts an enemy into a friend".^[8]

The concept of Ahimsa found in Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism also captures this sentiment, requiring kindness and non-violence towards all living things on the basis that they all are connected. Indian leader Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi strongly believed in this principle,^[13] stating that "[t]o one who follows this doctrine there is no room for an enemy".^[14]

See also[link]

• Enemy combatant
• Outlined enemy
• Represented enemy

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to: Enemies

Look up enemy or foe in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

• Kaufmann Kohler, David Philipson, Treatment of an Enemy, The Jewish Encyclopedia (1906).

Jake Gyllenhaal
Gyllenhaal at the 2012 Berlin International Film Festival
Born	Jacob Benjamin Gyllenhaal (1980-12-19) December 19, 1980 (age 31) Los Angeles, California
Occupation	Actor
Years active	1991–present
Parents	Stephen Gyllenhaal Naomi Foner Gyllenhaal
Relatives	Maggie Gyllenhaal (sister)

Jacob Benjamin "Jake" Gyllenhaal ( /ˈdʒɪlənhɔːl/ JIL-ən-hawl;^[1] born December 19, 1980) is an American actor. The son of director Stephen Gyllenhaal and screenwriter Naomi Foner, Gyllenhaal began acting at the age of ten. Following his first lead role in 1999's October Sky, he starred in the indie cult hit Donnie Darko (2001), in which he played a psychologically troubled teenager alongside his older sister, actress Maggie Gyllenhaal. In 2004 he appeared in the science-fiction film The Day After Tomorrow, portraying a student caught in a cataclysmic global cooling event. He then played against type as a frustrated Marine in Jarhead (2005). The same year his role as Jack Twist in Brokeback Mountain earned him critical acclaim and an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. He has since played the lead roles in many notable films, including Zodiac (2007), Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2010) and Source Code (2011).

Gyllenhaal has promoted various political and social causes. He has appeared in Rock the Vote advertising, campaigned for the Democratic Party in the 2004 U.S. presidential election, promoted environmental causes, and campaigned on behalf of the American Civil Liberties Union.

Early life and education[link]

Gyllenhaal was born in Los Angeles, the son of film director Stephen Gyllenhaal and film producer and screenwriter Naomi Foner (née Achs).^[2] Maggie Gyllenhaal, his older sister and also an actress, appeared with Jake in the movie Donnie Darko. Gyllenhaal's father, who was raised as a Swedenborgian, is of Swedish and English descent, and is a descendant of the Swedish noble Gyllenhaal family.^[3] His last native Swedish ancestor was his great-great-grandfather, Anders Leonard Gyllenhaal.^[4][5] Jake Gyllenhaal's mother is from a Jewish family from New York City, and Gyllenhaal has said that he considers himself "more Jewish than anything else."^[6] On his 13th birthday, Gyllenhaal performed a "barmitzvah-like act, without the typical trappings", volunteering at a homeless shelter, because his parents wanted to instill in him a sense of gratitude for his privileged lifestyle.^[7][8] His parents insisted that he have summer jobs to support himself, and he thus worked as a lifeguard and as a busboy at a restaurant operated by a family friend.^[9]

Acting career[link]

Early career[link]

As a child, Gyllenhaal was regularly exposed to filmmaking due to his family's deep ties to the industry. He made his acting debut as Billy Crystal's son in the 1991 comedy film City Slickers. His parents did not allow him to appear in the 1992 film The Mighty Ducks because it would have required him leaving home for two months.^[2] In subsequent years, his parents allowed him to audition for parts, but regularly forbade him to take them if he were chosen.^[9] He was allowed to appear in his father's films several times. Gyllenhaal appeared in the 1993 film A Dangerous Woman (along with sister Maggie); in "Bop Gun" a 1994 episode of Homicide: Life on the Street; and in the 1998 comedy Homegrown. Along with their mother, Jake and Maggie appeared in two episodes of Molto Mario, an Italian cooking show on the Food Network. Prior to his senior year in high school, the only other film not directed by his father in which Gyllenhaal was allowed to perform was the 1993 film Josh and S.A.M., a little-known children's adventure.^[10]

Gyllenhaal graduated from the Harvard-Westlake School in Los Angeles in 1998, then attended Columbia University, where his sister was a senior and from which his mother had graduated, to study Eastern religions and philosophy. Gyllenhaal dropped out after two years to concentrate on acting, but has expressed intentions to eventually finish his degree.^[2] Gyllenhaal's first lead role was in October Sky, Joe Johnston's 1999 adaptation of the Homer Hickam autobiography Rocket Boys, in which he portrayed a young man from West Virginia striving to win a science scholarship to avoid becoming a coal miner. The film earned $32 million and was described in the Sacramento News and Review as Gyllenhaal's "breakout performance."^[11][12]

[edit] From Donnie Darko to the London stage

Donnie Darko, Gyllenhaal's second major film, was not a box office success upon its initial 2001 release, but eventually became a cult favorite.^[13] The film, directed by Richard Kelly, is set in 1988 and stars Gyllenhaal as a troubled teenager who, after narrowly escaping death, experiences visions of a 6 foot (1.8 m) tall rabbit named Frank who tells him that the world is coming to an end. Gyllenhaal's performance was well-received by critics; Gary Mairs of Culture Vulture wrote that "Gyllenhaal manages the difficult trick of seeming both blandly normal and profoundly disturbed, often within the same scene."^[14][15]

After the critical success of Donnie Darko, Gyllenhaal's next role was as Pilot Kelston in 2002's Highway alongside Jared Leto. His performance was described by one critic as "silly, cliched and straight to video."^[16] Gyllenhaal had more success starring opposite Jennifer Aniston in The Good Girl, which premiered at the 2002 Sundance Film Festival; he also starred in Lovely & Amazing with Catherine Keener.^[17] In both films he plays an unstable character who begins a reckless affair with an older woman. Gyllenhaal later described these as "teenager in transition" roles.^[18] Gyllenhaal later starred in the Touchstone Pictures romantic comedy Bubble Boy, which was loosely based on the story of David Vetter. The film portrays the title character's adventures as he pursues the love of his life before she marries the wrong man.^[19] The film was panned by critics, with one calling it an "empty-headed, chaotic, utterly tasteless atrocity".^[20]

Following Bubble Boy, Gyllenhaal starred opposite Dustin Hoffman, Susan Sarandon and Ellen Pompeo in Moonlight Mile, as a young man coping with the death of his fiancée and the grief of her parents. The story, which received mixed reviews,^[21] is loosely based on writer/director Brad Silberling's personal experiences following the murder of girlfriend Rebecca Schaeffer.^[22]

Gyllenhaal was almost cast as Spider-Man for Spider-Man 2 due to director Sam Raimi's concerns about original Spider-Man star Tobey Maguire's health.^[23] Maguire recovered, however, and the sequel was shot without Gyllenhaal.^[24] Instead, Gyllenhaal starred in the blockbuster The Day After Tomorrow in 2004, co-starring Dennis Quaid as his father.^[2][25]

In his theatrical debut Gyllenhaal starred on the London stage in Kenneth Lonergan's revival of This is Our Youth.^[26] Gyllenhaal said, "Every actor I look up to has done theatre work, so I knew I had to give it a try."^[27] The play, which had been a critical sensation on Broadway, ran for eight weeks in London's West End. Gyllenhaal received favorable critical reviews and an Evening Standard Theatre Award in the category "Outstanding Newcomer."^[28][29]

[edit] Brokeback Mountain and subsequent roles

Gyllenhaal attending the premiere of Proof in 2005.

2005 was a prolific year for Gyllenhaal, who starred in the critically praised films Proof, Jarhead, and Brokeback Mountain. In Proof, featuring Gwyneth Paltrow and Anthony Hopkins, Gyllenhaal played a graduate student in mathematics who tries to convince Paltrow's character to publish a revolutionary proof to a problem puzzling the mathematicians' community. In Jarhead, Gyllenhaal played against his usual "sensitive yet disturbed" type by displaying an aggressive masculinity as a violent U.S. Marine during the first Gulf War. He also auditioned to be Batman for one of the biggest blockbusters Batman Begins^[30] and came close to getting the role^[31] but Christian Bale was ultimately chosen for it.

In Brokeback Mountain, Gyllenhaal^[32] and Heath Ledger play young men who meet as sheep herders and embark upon a sexual relationship that begins in the summer of 1963 and lasts for 20 years. The film was often referred to in the media with the shorthand phrase "the gay cowboy movie,"^[33] though there was differing opinion on the sexual orientation of the characters. The film won the Golden Lion prize at the Venice Film Festival. The film went on to win four Golden Globe Awards, four British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) Awards, and three Academy Awards. Gyllenhaal was nominated for an Academy Award in the category of Best Supporting Actor for his performance, but lost to George Clooney for Syriana. Gyllenhaal also won the Best Supporting Actor BAFTA for the same role and received a Best Supporting Actor nomination and Best Film Ensemble nomination from the Screen Actors Guild. Also for Brokeback Mountain, he and Ledger won an MTV Movie Award for "Best Kiss" in 2006. Shortly after the 2006 Academy Awards, Gyllenhaal was invited to join the Academy in recognition of his acting career.^[34] Gyllenhaal was awarded the 2006 Young Artist Award for Artistic Excellence by The Americans for the Arts National Arts Awards for his role.^[35]

Gyllenhaal expressed mixed feelings about the experience of being directed by Ang Lee in Brokeback Mountain, but generally had more praise than criticism for Lee's directing style. While complaining of the way Lee tended to disconnect from his actors once filming began, Gyllenhaal praised his encouraging direction of the actors and sensitive approach to the material.^[36][37] At the Directors Guild of America Awards on January 28, 2006, Gyllenhaal also praised Lee for "his humbleness and his respect for everyone around him."^[38]

When asked about his kissing scenes with Heath Ledger in Brokeback Mountain, Gyllenhaal said, "As an actor, I think we need to embrace the times we feel most uncomfortable."^[39] When asked about the more intimate scenes with Ledger, Gyllenhaal likened them to "doing a sex scene with a woman I'm not particularly attracted to."^[32] Following the release of Brokeback Mountain, rumors circulated regarding the actor's sexual orientation. When asked about such gossip during an interview, Gyllenhaal said:

You know it's flattering when there's a rumor that says I'm bisexual. It means I can play more kinds of roles. I'm open to whatever people want to call me. I've never really been attracted to men sexually, but I don't think I would be afraid of it if it happened.^[40]

Gyllenhaal signing photographs at the 62nd Berlin International Film Festival in 2012

Gyllenhaal narrated the 2005 short animated film The Man Who Walked Between the Towers,^[41] based on Mordicai Gerstein's book of the same name about Philippe Petit's famous stunt.^[42] In January 2007, as host of Saturday Night Live, he put on a sparkly evening dress and sang "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" from the musical Dreamgirls for his opening monologue,^[43] dedicating the song to his "unique fan base... the fans of Brokeback."^[44]

In 2007, Gyllenhaal starred in David Fincher's Zodiac, which was based on a true story. He played Robert Graysmith, a San Francisco Chronicle cartoonist and author of two books about the Zodiac serial killer.^[45] Gyllenhaal starred opposite Meryl Streep, Alan Arkin, and Reese Witherspoon in the October 2007 release Rendition, a Gavin Hood-directed political thriller about the U.S. policy of extraordinary rendition.^[46] In 2009, he appeared with Tobey Maguire in Jim Sheridan's remake of Susanne Bier's 2004 Danish language film Brothers.^[47] The following year, Gyllenhaal played the lead role in the movie adaptation of the video game Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and released by Disney on May 28, 2010 and in the romantic comedy Love and Other Drugs, released on November 24, 2010, for which he received a Golden Globe Award nomination.

His upcoming roles include the comedy Nailed, which he filmed in South Carolina with Jessica Biel,^[48] and Doug Liman's as yet untitled film about the race for lunar colonization.^[49]

Personal life[link]

Family and relationships[link]

For more on Gyllenhaal's paternal ancestors, see Gyllenhaal family

The son of director Stephen Gyllenhaal and screenwriter Naomi Foner, Gyllenhaal's immediate family includes his sister, actress Maggie, who is married to actor Peter Sarsgaard, Gyllenhaal's co-star in Jarhead and Rendition. In December 2006, Jake and his sister escaped a fire that destroyed Manka's, a famed lodge and restaurant in Inverness, California, at which they were vacationing.^[50] Gyllenhaal's niece, Ramona Sarsgaard, was born on October 3, 2006. Jamie Lee Curtis is Gyllenhaal's godmother,^[2] and he has repeatedly referred to his godfathers being a gay couple.^[51][52] Gyllenhaal himself is the godfather of Matilda Rose Ledger (born October 28, 2005), daughter of Heath Ledger and Michelle Williams, both of whom co-starred with him in Brokeback Mountain.^[53]

Gyllenhaal dated actress Kirsten Dunst for nearly two years starting in 2002.^[54] He later dated his Rendition co-star Reese Witherspoon from about 2007 to 2009.^{[55][56][57][58]} He dated singer-songwriter Taylor Swift from October 2010 until January 2011.^[59][60][61]

Politics and other interests[link]

Gyllenhaal is politically active. He shot a commercial for Rock the Vote, and along with his sister, visited the University of Southern California to encourage students to vote during the 2004 U.S. Election.^[62] He also campaigned for Democratic Presidential candidate John Kerry.^[63] He has said, however, that "it frustrates me when actors talk politics; I'm political and I make choices in my movies that I think are political. I try and say things with what I do. Rightly or wrongly, young actors have all the power."^[45] In an interview for Rendition, he remarked that "it's a sad time when actors are politicians and politicians are actors."^[64]

Raised in a family concerned with social issues, in 2003 Gyllenhaal participated in an advertising campaign by the American Civil Liberties Union, an organization his entire family strongly supports.^[65][66] Environmentally conscious, he recycles regularly, and said in an interview that he spends $400 a year to have trees planted in a Mozambique forest, partly to promote the Future Forests program.^[67][68] After filming The Day After Tomorrow, he flew to the Arctic to promote awareness of climate change.^[69][70]

In his spare time, Gyllenhaal enjoys woodworking and cooking.^[71] He has said, "I am not a card-carrying Buddhist, but I do try to practice mindfulness" and it is his goal to meditate every day.^[72][73]

Gyllenhaal has signed on to help the TV fundraiser Stand Up To Cancer.^[74]

On December 19, 2011, he was announced as a jury member for the 62nd Berlin International Film Festival that was held in February 2012.^[75]

Media image[link]

Gyllenhaal was named one of People magazine's "50 Most Beautiful People" in 2006.^[76] He was also listed in People's "Hottest Bachelors of 2006".^[77] In response to mainstream press lists like these, thousands of gay and bisexual men were polled for the 2007 and 2008 "AfterElton.com Hot 100 List." Gyllenhaal was ranked at No.1 in both consecutive years.^[78] He was ranked at No.2 on the Gay Wired Magazine poll of male actors who have played gay characters in movies.^[79]

Filmography[link]

Accolades[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

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Andrew Belle is an American singer-songwriter. Andrew (born Drew Fortson) is originally from Wheaton, Illinois. Andrew moved to Nashville in 2009.

History[link]

He grew up listening to bands like Third Eye Blind, Counting Crows, and The Verve Pipe, and looks to these bands for musical inspiration. Andrew began his musical career towards the end of his time at Taylor University in Upland, Indiana. During this time, he played with numerous local bands. Upon graduation, he launched his solo career in Chicago, performing at various local restaurants and venues, including Rockit Bar and Grill, Elbo Room, SPACE and Schubas Tavern.

He is currently touring clubs and universities across the country, and is also a member of the critically acclaimed national tour Ten Out of Tenn. He has shared the stage with numerous artists including Ben Folds, Brian Vander Ark (The Verve Pipe), Greg Laswell, Barcelona (indie rock band), and Boyce Avenue (band).

Andrew released his debut EP All Those Pretty Lights in September 2008, containing songs featured in hit TV shows including CW's “90210”, MTV's “The Real World”, CBS's Ghost Whisperer, and E!'s “Keeping Up with the Kardashians”. His debut full-length album The Ladder was released in February 2010. Songs from The Ladder have been featured on hit TV shows including Grey's Anatomy and CW's The Vampire Diaries and One Tree Hill and ABC Family's Pretty Little Liars and The Lying Game . His song "Sky's Still Blue" was featured in a Microsoft commercial/documentary promoting the Windows 7, Windows Live and Windows Phone 7 exosystem. It was made available as a free download from Microsoft. His song 'In My Veins' recently featured in the final scene of the fourth season finale of Castle, which was released 7 May 2012.

His songs have garnered nationwide airplay including Chicago’s WXRT, Nashville’s WRLT, Philadelphia's WXPN, Indianapolis's WTTS, and Los Angeles's KCRW. Andrew was named “Best Breakout Artist, Chicago” by MTV in 2009. His music and vocal stylings draw comparisons to Coldplay, The Fray, and John Mayer.

He recently announced in February 2012, that he is engaged and plans to marry in June of 2012.

Discography[link]

Singles

1. In My Veins, June/July 2010
2. Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas, November 2011
3. " Static Waves" Feat. Katie Herzig
4. "Tower"
5. "Add It Up"
6. "Reach"

EPs

1. All Those Pretty Lights, September 2008
2. The Daylight EP, February 28 2012

LPs

1. The Ladder, February 2010 (produced by Thomas Doeve)

Live Recordings

1. Sundays at Rockit, September 2009
2. Live At Hotel Cafe March 2010

References[link]

Press[link]

The Washington Post, "Live!", September 24, 2009

Dayton City Paper, Ascending the Ladder, January 28, 2010

Fringe, "Andrew Belle: Looking Beyond All Those Pretty Lights", pg. 33, January/February 2010

Kalamazoo Gazette, "Pop-rocker Andrew Belle strikes out on his own, stops into Kalamazoo", February 4, 2010

American Way, "All That Jazz", pg. 55, February 15, 2010

Chicago Tribune, "Andrew Bird vs. Andrew Belle: Two Chicago indie performers", March 25, 2010

Radio[link]

Chicago Public Radio, WBEZ 91.5 FM, "Singer-Songwriter Andrew Belle Makes Musical Waves", March 16, 2010

Mad Toast Radio Show http://www.blubrry.com/madtoastlive/682379/episode-106-andrew-belle-allen-stone

Maybe Hip: Chicago Rocks - Andrew Belle http://www.dailymotion.com/video/xcqhp1_maybe-hip-chicago-rocks-andrew-bell_music

WXPN, My Morning Download, 2/25/10

This biographical article needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately, especially if potentially libelous or harmful. (July 2009)

This article may require cleanup to meet Wikipedia's quality standards. No cleanup reason has been specified. Please help improve this article if you can; the talk page may contain suggestions. (March 2009)

Brother Ali
Brother Ali performing at SoundFest June 11, 2011
Background information
Birth name	Jason Newman
Born	1978 (age 33-34)
Origin	Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States
Genres	Hip hop, rap
Occupations	Rapper, Producer
Years active	1998–present
Labels	Rhymesayers Entertainment/Warner Music Group
Website	brotherali.com

Ali Newman (born Jason Newman in 1978),^[1] better known by the stage name Brother Ali, is an American hip hop artist signed to Rhymesayers Entertainment.^[2]

Personal life[link]

Brother Ali was born in Madison, Wisconsin, and spent his early childhood moving from city to city in the Midwest (mostly in Michigan). Ali's family settled in Minneapolis, Minnesota, in 1992. He attended Robbinsdale Cooper High School in New Hope, Minnesota. He has a son, Faheem, from his first marriage, and remarried in 2008. On the song "Real As Can Be" off his [EP] "Truth is Here" he says he also has a daughter on the way. According to the song "Fresh Air" on his September 2009 album Us, he goes on to say "Just got married last year/ treated so good that it ain't even fair/ already gotta boy now the baby girl's here/ Bought us a house like The Berenstein Bears." He has family in the Minneapolis area. Brother Ali takes family very seriously and sees it as a major part of life.

Ali was born with the rare genetic condition of albinism, a disorder characterized by a lack of pigment in skin, eyes, and hair. Brother Ali often makes fun of the media's constant urge to mention his condition in the first lines of their reviews or newspaper articles. He is also legally blind which is caused by his albinism.^[3]

While Brother Ali's family is white, he has often described a childhood marked by cruelty and exclusion by his white classmates as a result of his physical abnormality. He's often explained that, from an early age, he felt "most at home amongst African Americans."

When Ali's career began to blossom, he began to field questions about his race. Due to his stage name (a common reference among religious communities, particularly Muslims), many writers assumed Ali was black. When questioned on the subject, Ali declined to comment however stating in his album, "The Undisputed Truth"; "they ask me if I'm black or white, I'm neither/ race is a made up thing; I don't believe in it". He then goes on to explain how black people have played a major role in his life:

"My genes tie me to those that despised me/ Made a living killing the ones that inspired me/ I ain't just talking about singing and dancing/ I was taught life and manhood by black men/ So I'm a product of that understanding/ And a small part of me feels like I am them"

He has been practicing Islam for the past 13 years.

Career[link]

Ali's first release was a cassette-only demo tape called Rites of Passage; which Ali produced, recorded and arranged himself. The tape cemented his relationship with the local independent hip-hop label Rhymesayers Entertainment. Rites of Passage was released in 2000 and was sold almost exclusively at shows.

In 2003 Brother Ali released his first studio project, entitled Shadows on the Sun. Atmosphere producer, Ant, provided all of the instrumentals. Although the album had no major national distribution, it was heavily praised by independent hip-hop fans and publications. Ali used the album to explain his childhood and identity.

Ali's next CD was The Champion EP, released a year after Shadows on the Sun. It was presented as an extension of the full-length. Leading with a reggae inspired remix of Shadows' "Champion," the 9 song EP offered up highlights such as "Rain Water," a song about Ali losing his mother and grandfather to cancer and suicide.

In spring of 2007 Rhymesayers released The Undisputed Truth, Ali and Ant's full-length follow-up to Shadows on the Sun. "Truth" tells the story of Ali's divorce from his first wife, his struggle to gain custody of their young son, Faheem and the homelessness he faced as a single father. The first of his releases to be distributed by Warner Brothers Music, the album debuted at #69 on Billboard 200.

Brother Ali released an EP and DVD package titled "The Truth Is Here" in March 2009. The album is made up of 9 tracks including a collaboration with Rhymesayers label-mate Slug of Atmosphere.

In September 2009, Brother Ali released his follow-up to 2007's Undisputed Truth. The album was originally titled "Street Preacher" but was later changed to Us. It debuted at #56 on the Billboard 200. Ali, his DJ BK-One, and fellow Rhymesayers crew members Toki Wright and Evidence recently finished their Fresh Air Tour this fall.

Brother Ali will release his next album "Mourning in America and Dreaming in Color" on August 13th 2012.

Production[link]

Brother Ali produced the tracks "The Feeling" and "Little Girl" on Rhymesayers artist Toki Wright's debut album, "A Different Mirror."

Press[link]

Brother Ali has twice been featured in the hip-hop magazine The Source, first in August 2007, when the "Hip Hop Quotable" was from a verse in "Uncle Sam Goddamn", and second in October 2007, when he was interviewed. In May 2007, he was featured in Rolling Stone as a "New Artist to Watch". Brother Ali's personal struggle with race issues, his politics and his music are discussed in the 2011 book "From Jim Crow to Jay-Z: Race, Rap and the Performance of Masculinity".

TV appearances[link]

On August 13, 2007, Brother Ali appeared on The Late Late Show and performed his single "Uncle Sam Goddamn" from The Undisputed Truth. On October 19, 2007, Ali appeared on Late Night with Conan O'Brien and performed "Take Me Home" from The Undisputed Truth.^[4] On December 16, 2009 Ali appeared on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon and was featured with late night band, The Roots.

Inspirations[link]

Brother Ali has said many times in interviews that he finds much of his inspiration in the early 1980s rappers of the golden age of hip hop, especially KRS-One and Rakim.^[5][6]

In an interview in early 2007, Ali responded to a question about the response to his and his label's music, and the current music industry:

They just like to see something new. Like, we benefit so much right now from the fact that music sucks, and that there's so little originality. And there's so few people that are really trying to do something a little bit different so that if you're just even a little bit different...you know what I mean? People are just like "yeah," you know. As long as you're good and as long as you know how to present yourself, and, you know...but I think that people are just happy to see something a little bit different for a change, you know.^[7]

He has, however, spoken against coastal beef and mainstream vs. underground divide in hip-hop, claiming that worthwhile rap music is made by many rappers from across the spectrum, and expressing fandom and appreciation for "mainstream" artists such as Jay-Z, Rick Ross, Lil Wayne, T.I. and 50 Cent as well as respected artists who are more associated with the underground or the purist tradition, such as Mos Def, Talib Kweli, Aesop Rock, Lupe Fiasco, Jay Electronica, and his friends and frequent collaborators Murs and Joell Ortiz. Among his personal favorites are several rappers who are less acclaimed by the traditional rap purist canon, such as WC, Joe Budden, Chubb Rock and Paris.

"Uncle Sam Goddamn" Controversy[link]

Brother Ali has been under pressure from the recording industry due to lyrics from his song "Uncle Sam Goddamn", claiming creative interference from "somebody I don't wanna name, but some of you probably has their cell phones." The unnamed corporation ultimately withdrew its sponsorship of Ali, causing him to truncate parts of his 2007 tour.^[7][8] Furthermore, on the song "Second Time Around" with Benzi and Wale, Ali makes references to being kicked off a tour followed by the line "Verizon dissed me too, cuz I was too political." The song is notably critical of the United States government, with accusations that the political system is addicted to war.

Discography[link]

Studio albums[link]

EPs[link]

Singles[link]

References[link]

External links[link]

• Official Website
• Artist profile at Rhymesayers Entertainment
• Live at SXSW 2007 on 89.3 The Current
• 2009 State of Mind interview
• 2009 National Public Radio - All Things Considered interview
• "Dark Star," City Pages, April 11, 2007
• Interview on GermanRhymes.de