Growing up, Kareem Ali—a native of New York who now lives in Tucson, Arizona—wanted to be a rocket scientist and his first musical love was jazz. He found an early hero in Miles Davis, whose seminal Kind of Blue LP prompted Ali to pick up the trumpet back in middle school. More than a decade later, he’s still playing, though now he operates in the electronic music realm. Over the past five years, he’s released around 50 albums, and EPs, and remixes through his own Bandcamp page, including the recent GODSON OF HOUSE: RISE OF A BLACK PLANET. (Before that, there was Future Black Music, We Are Stardust, and Black Science.) Although late-night gems like “Night Echoes” have garnered the most attention, his discography includes forays into techno, ambient, hip-hop, R&B, garage and even drum & bass, each of them mapping out a utopian future in which humanity, and Black people in particular, can finally carve out an existence that’s “free of injustice and oppression,” he says. For his XLR8R podcast, Ali has delivered one hour of free-wheeling, vocal-laden house coming from some of the artists who have inspired him to make it: Frankie Knuckles, Byron The Aquarius, and Baba Ali.

01. What have you been up to recently?
I’ve been doing the usual. Making music, riding my bike, playing shows, and just living life.

02. What have you been listening to?
I’ve been obsessed with The Director’s Cut Collection by Frankie Knuckles and Eric Kupper. That album is arguably the greatest house record ever released.

03. You’ve just released your new album. What can you tell us about it?
It’s the second part to my Godson of House album trilogy. Each one I want to be better than the last and I challenge myself to take the music to different heights. This new album has a more modern mainstream house feel and it’s vocal-heavy. With heavy messages of motivation and inspiration. The album title, Rise of a Black Planet, is a call for Black People all over the planet to rise up and unite to help create a better world.

04. Where and when did you record this mix?
In my apartment in Tucson, Arizona, with the windows wide open, clear blue skies, and a light breeze blowing.

05. What setup did you use?
I have a Pioneer XDJ-RR. It’s a two-channel standalone all-in-one DJ system, so you don’t need a computer to operate it. Just hook up your audio, power cable and USB, and you’re set!

06. How did you choose the tracks you’ve included?
These tracks are just some of my favorite tracks ever. I just let the music guide me on where to go next.

07. What can the listener expect?
A soul-filled deep house journey.

08. What’s next on your horizon?
I’m currently working on my next album. The final part of the trilogy. This one will be the best one. I’ve already dialed in the feel of the record and have a bunch of great musicians and vocalists for this one. I’m aiming for a late October release date. Stay tuned!

XLR8R Subscribers can download the podcast below. If you’re not an XLR8R subscriber, you can read more about it and subscribe here.

Tracklisting

01. Frankie Knuckles “Welcome To The Real World” feat. Adeva (Virgin)
02. Frankie Knuckles “Love Can Change It” feat Adeva (Virgin)
03. In The Beginning (There Was Jack) feat. Monique Bingham [Ultra]
04. Donna Summer “Hot Stuff” (Frankie Knuckles & Eric Kupper As Director’s Cut Signature Mix)” (Verve Pop)
05. Earth People “Dance” (Club Mix) (Pal Joey Music)
06. Byron The Aquarius “I Love Yo” (Kush Jones Remix) (Heist Recordings)
07. Artmann “Memories” (Self Released)
08. Baba Ali “Cog In The Wheel” (Unknown Artist Edit)” (Self Released)
09. Frankie Feliciano X Kenny Bobien “Miracles” (Ricanstruction Vocal Mix) (Ricanstruction Brand Music)
10. Javonntte “These Words” (NDATL Muzik)
11. AG Thomas “The 1, 2” (Reelsoul Mix) (Vocal) (ABB Soul)
12. Cheryl Lynn “Got To Be Real” (Robbie Doherty’s 129 Time Edit) (Self Released)
13. Javonntte “Chaka’s Revenge” (NDATL Muzik)
14. Joe Smooth “We Got To Love” featuring Paris Brightledge (Director’s Cut Signature Mix” (Jack-It)