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St. Paul, Minn.

The literary life of Brother Ali

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Brother Ali
Brother Ali with one of his favorite books, Zora Neale Hurston's "Their Eyes Were Watching God."
MPR Photo/Larissa Anderson

Brother Ali, a recording artist with the Minneapolis-based Rhymesayers record label, came to our studio with a copy of Zora Neale Hurston's "Their Eyes Were Watching God."

This literary classic, known for its use of Black Southern dialect and its exploration of race, gender and self-empowerment, is meaningful to Ali on many levels.

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Brother Ali
Brother Ali with one of his favorite books, Zora Neale Hurston's "Their Eyes Were Watching God."
MPR Photo/Larissa Anderson