He ain’t heavy, he’s my brotha:
Brother Ali’s “Tight Rope” tells a story in three parts. Verse 1 tells of the Somalian refugees who try to find home and hope in Ali’s native Minneapolis. Verse 2 touches on the all too familiar subject of the broken home and the insurmountable obstacles of going on like normal when there’s really no such thing. Verse 3 boldly explores the psyche of a young man outcast by homosexuality, desperately trying to hold up what’s left of an open identity.