We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jordan Ali a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Jordan thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What’s the best or worst investment you’ve made (either in terms of time or money)? (Note, these responses are only intended as entertainment and shouldn’t be construed as investment advice)

The Best Investment I’ve made and continue to make as a Musical Artist is investing in my ability to understand and communicate effectively with Artists of other disciplines.

The area I was born in and currently operate out of has just recently gained national attention as “The DMV”; due in part to the Internet allowing people to put a name to a place and look deeper into our once super regionalized artistic sub-scenes such as PG County, Northern Virginia, Baltimore City, Montgomery County, Washington D.C., Howard County and many others that make up our Greater Artistic Scene.

Now I could sit and talk about how it’s one of the most artistically lush yet underrated regions within Black Culture and Hip-Hop as a whole, or how many of those from here who preach Unity only do so to hear themselves preach a perspective they don’t practice, but I’d rather put forth a mindset that has garnered Success & Community.

A year or so ago, I was speaking with a fellow Artist whom I’d later find out didn’t see the benefits in what I’m about to say, but I humbly ask that you hear me all the way out…

Everyone on this planet is their own complex and ever-changing language, and to speak with them effectively is to be Fluent in the Language of Their Soul. Every Person comes with Curse Words, Words that no longer work within the Modern Context, Exclamatives, Words meant to usher Unity, or even those that can cause a Divide.
When you speak with someone, you know the “Good” and “Bad” words.

We make an active decision in this modern era to be ignorant in the Language of Other’s Souls when we choose to not reach across the table, address someone how they’d want to be pronounced, or make an unwavering judgment on what this person is or is not capable of.

Now at this point, I’m sure you’re reading this and thinking “Oh, here comes another Artist using Pseudo-Spiritual nomenclature to make himself seem more eccentric or as if he’s pierced some veil that’s hanging over everyone else’s eyes” and to that I’d say… well first I’d laugh at someone reading many, if not most, Artists for filth like that but I’d implore that person to ponder the idea that you’ve always known this and I’m merely a vessel of Reintroduction.

I want to put this all into a fair more personable and concrete context though;
Currently, my Creative Partner and I have been working on my debut music project known as “Legend Has It”, the partner in question is a Multi-Hyphenate by the name of “Kilo G” who has worked endlessly and diligently as my conceptual sounding board and Music Producer.

The process has been stressful at times, other times euphoric, other times humbling, and other times very intimate.

While we’ve worked since the initial Lockdown Phase in the U.S.A. due to the COVID Pandemic, I have gone from woeful ignorant in the Language of Kilo G’s Soul to tremendously fluent in the span of a few years, initially I knew nothing of Ableton or even the most basic details of Music Production whether it be Analog or Digital.
I just sort of went with whatever I was given and made the most of it. If a change was made to the music I could always voice my concern, but I was never able to ask or advocate for myself in an efficient way.

I decided one day to change that.

Moreover, I asked for Kilo’s assistance in learning how to discuss and dissect his Art better.
I’m now proud to say that on “Legend Has It”, I have actual Production Credits! I’ve learned how to advocate for specific drum patterns, melodies, chord progressions, textures within the greater sonics of the record, and aligning everything with the story we plan to tell with this body of work.

Now, I do the same with the Audio Mixing and Mastering of my own music, taking notes and discussing what I feel to other Engineers whom I’ve created with in the past in order to return my current Engineer with the most comprehensive and digestible list of changes, suggestions, and experimentations. I can proudly say “I have Mixing and Mastering credits on my own project”, but here’s truly what I want anyone who’s reading this to take away from these instances:

I cared enough about the people who collaboratively support me and their respective Crafts enough to not waste their time or disrespect their disposition.
I didn’t tell them to do things completely on my terms or how I wanted without any leeway… I met them halfway.
I didn’t work with someone and then disappear off the face of the Earth when things weren’t exactly to my liking…I took the time to learn their Discipline’s Vocabulary and communicated what I didn’t like and asked how we can change it.

I rebuked Ignorance, increased my Intelligence, and by the grace of whatever Higher Power is out there… I’ve cultivated True Community.

The Best Investment I’ve ever made in this life has been genuine Consideration and Compassion for Others.
I hope one day that you try this method for yourself, and feel the same.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

For those who happen to come across this article by chance or find themselves here by purpose, my name is Jordan Ali and I am an up-and-coming Rap Artist from Columbia, Maryland.

I began rapping at the age of 11, skills sharpened alongside my childhood friend through freestyle sessions, rap battles, and cyphers backdropped by the percussion of lunch tables being beaten with old pencils and fists. Initially before music, I was a Poet who wrote in order to make sense of my tumultuous homelife, but after some time and finding that the artform no longer fed me spiritually I no longer engaged in any Artform aside from Freestyle Rapping.

I returned to it my Senior Year of High School and have been working diligently ever since, spurred to take my rapping to the next level due to a mix of heartbreaks, time alone, suggestions by friends, and newfound understanding of self only found when you realize everything from this point is up to you and any discontent you have for your life is on you.

Originally known as “.Sage”, I took a step back from the persona I tried to give people, and chose to give people my authentic art & authentic self. After 2 years since that change in ethos, I can tell you that the results have been nothing short of a blessing.

I provide people with music that makes them move, music that makes them release whatever they’re holding inside, music that brings them to a place of peace, and music that hopefully inspires people to reach for something bigger than themselves.

I think what sets me apart and simultaneously what I’m most proud of is that my art has allowed me to see more of the World, cultivate deeper community with myself and others, pushed Peers to perform and execute the crafter harder, and remind people that Art & Artists are not the singularly-faceted self-caricatures that they are so heavily marketed as in this modern era.

If you were to ask me to describe myself as an Artist, all I could give you is “Kinetic”, “Honest”, and “It depends on the day you ask me the question”. Unlike many but similarly to the likes of Prince & Donald Glover, I find a lot of Peace and Power within giving my Naked Truth to whomever resonates with it or wants to use me as a conduit to become more comfortable with their own Naked Truth.

Whether or not everything I’ve said rings true with you, The Reader, is for you to know and for me to possibly learn one day, but if it is resonating… please don’t be a stranger and come let me know, it means the world each and everytime it happens.

Are there any books, videos, essays or other resources that have significantly impacted your management and entrepreneurial thinking and philosophy?

I just recently finished “The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho by recommendation of a Loved One and that book was nothing short of life-changing, even though I’ve met others who feel very differently. I’ve spoken with a multitude of people who have read it and it works to varying degrees, but if you’re someone looking for some insight into chasing one’s dreams and the different ways life will surprise you upon the journey then I definitely recommend it.

Throughout the creation of my debut project “Legend Has It”, a story involving themes of Male Fragility, Ego Death, the Western Demonification of the Ego, the rarely discussed 3rd stage of Enlightenment, and the Black Man’s role in their community, I’ve been engaging in video essays and literature discussing classical & new age philosophy.

I gotta give a shoutout to “Sisyphus 55” on YouTube who creates amazing videos that discuss how modern artists are and should be empowered by Absurdism when faced with the Existential Dread that comes with the human experience.
I end my 1st verse of “Deez Days”, a song on “Legend Has It”, mentioning this exercise of thought and its a recurring theme throughout because when you’re faced with the absurdity that is being Black in America, you can only conquer it by choosing to lean into the Greater Flow of the Universe.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

I want to give thanks first and foremost to any & everyone who’s supported me in post-evolution into Jordan Ali. Secondly, I want to give gratitude to Quincy Jones for arming me with this concept that led to me disarming my own Anxiety.

I, alongside many other artists, suffer from Paralysis Analysis.

When in “The Zone” or Flow State that all Humans can tap into, I am dynamic. I am irreverent. I am unstoppable. I am One With The Source… but good God does the anxiety kick in afterwards hahaha, I immediately begin to ponder on Future-Proofing works before they are even experienced in the Present & worrying about whether or not a verse is worth intimate deconstruction a decade from now. I struggled with this for awhile, mix that with woes within my personal life, it put a thick miasma of Doubt over my Heart and a thick veil of Mis-Education over my Eyes, and this is why I missed the original Summer 2022 release date for “Legend Has It”.

I’m doing better now, I’ve removed a lot of clutter in my life. I hear the sound of my own voice again. I’ve lost quite a few confidants in The Process, but I’m confident in my Creator because The Process has yet to fail me.

The Process will prevail for you too, if you give up your time tables and give your all to The Source, in my personal opinion [Laughs].

Contact Info:

• Website: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMeWoAefX/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jordanali410/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordanali410/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/jordanali410
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC5YgBIWGsmRs0k5Ki7CwF9Q
• Other: https://jordanali410.bandcamp.com/

Image Credits
Kilo G’s Graphic Design Company “@Kings.Lab”, Nicholas “@nicholascover” Cover, Ethan “@jpegethan” Kwon, Jacob Parrott “@jacobparrott_”, & Liv “@hazelexposures”