The City Pages this week profiles a rising new musical star: Brother Ali, a Wisconsin-born rapper living in Minneapolis who is a blind Muslim albino- and is coy about his actual race (the story implies that he's black.)* This gentleman's career certainly bears watching; and here we thought Victor Varnado's title as "Most Famous African-American Albino in Minneapolis" was safe forever.
And speaking of Imus, I think we have a new Dumbest Thing Said About This Yet: Philadelphia City Councilman Juan Ramos has introduced a resolution calling for a boycott of Don Imus until he resigns or is fired, even though- suspension or no suspension- Imus' show does not air on the radio in Philadelphia. That'll make him knuckle under!
Much smarter stuff on Imus today, meanwhile, from Michael Wilbon.
*Apparently, I misinterpreted this part; the author of the piece comments below that Ali is in fact Caucasian by birth, but "doesn't identify as white."
Posted by Stephen Silver at April 11, 2007 04:19 PMYeah. I love how they get all over Imus for saying what he said but not tranny looker for calling John Edwards the f-word. Such hippocrites in media and politics!
Posted by: A at April 11, 2007 04:32 PMHey, Stephen, thanks for the link to the Brother Ali story, but two corrections:
Ali was born in Madison, Wisconsin, not Minneapolis.
The story doesn't imply that Ali is black. In fact, it goes to some length to explain why this white person doesn't identify as "white."
I disagree that Ali is coy about his race, but that's an interpretation, not a fact, so I'll leave you to it.
Thanks,
Pete
Posted by: Pete Scholtes at April 11, 2007 07:22 PMHa, not to split transparent albino hairs, but your interpretation of my comment above is interesting. I genuinely don't mean to be a prick, but I said Ali is a "white person," not that he's "Caucasian by birth." Whiteness is an identity assigned and learned, so I don't think anyone is white by birth. I also think "Caucasian" is a ridiculous and outdated term based on bad science, even though Ali's imam's mom uses it.
No big deal in either case, but worth a mention.
Peace,
Pete
Posted by: Pete Scholtes at April 12, 2007 11:23 AM