With a crackle, a ring, a sample, some power chords and booming voice, Brother Ali begins The Undisputed Truth, his second album on popular label Rhymesayers. The opening song "Whatcha' Got" is fast-paced and straightforward, instantly commanding the attention of the listeners and prepping them for the songs to follow.

The Undisputed Truth details the Minneapolis-based rapper's struggles since the 2004 release of Champion, during which time he dealt with divorce, a fight for the custody of his young son and the death of his mother from cancer. The album reflects these ordeals, presenting listeners with a much more serious tone than when they were first introduced to Brother Ali, as Atmosphere's opener on the God Loves Ugly tour. The question this album ultimately poses is: Can the typically young hip-hop audience relate to the very adult conflicts faced by Ali, an albino Muslim?

"Freedom Ain't Free," the album's first single, opens with a reggae beat and sweet violin topped with Ali's voice, which effortlessly evokes a somber and contemplative mood. In his lyrics, Ali considers the attitude of those who don't try for fear of failure, as well as his realization that the world is ambivalent about whether he gets by. He declares at the start that he's ready to tackle his problems alone: "I don't like my life I gut it, rebuild it/ Keep nothing from God and my children."

In bold statements such as these, Ali comes off as though he has all the answers, and doesn't reveal the slightest bit of confusion over the questions he battles with. He even seems to put himself on a pedestal with bravado, "So I use blood and sweat to butter my bread/ 'Cos this cold world couldn't give a fuck if I'm fed." He states he is a one-man army, describing a distance that aptly depicts how the new songs make the listener feel. Ali has his battle gear on, and he doesn't want to let anyone in.

Ali directs further rage against the government in "Uncle Sam Goddamn," a self-declared "show tune" that opens with the lyrics, "Welcome to the United Snakes, land of the thief, home of the slave … genocide, rape and fraud," over a blues-influenced accompaniment. But the land Ali describes seems unrealistically negative. He does not fully explain or examine the grim world he describes, leaving the listener unsatisfied and alienated.

The multilayered background music is the highlight of "Uncle Sam," testifying more to the skill of producer ANT than that of Brother Ali himself. This song shows up more than halfway through the album, and by this point it seems apparent that the strength of the disc comes from the production, which is based off a unique mixture of guitar and samples by ANT. Too often Ali's lyrics can't match up, and come off as preachy and trite.

To a listener who has as many complaints about the government as anyone else, no divorces and no children, the message of the lyrics in Ali's songs strikes a chord that's hollow and incomplete. He plays the role of the condescending martyr, from the photograph on the album's cover where he appears to be in prayer, to the disapproving but unconstructive lyrics. Ali's verses don't reveal enough vulnerability to feel honest and approachable.

That said, the production of this album is enough to make it stand on its own among other hip-hop releases. It's worth listening to, just to hear how ANT interweaves a wide variety of instruments with Ali's gruff voice.

Brother Ali will bring his socially conscious hip-hop to Madison next week when he headlines a show at the High Noon Saloon Friday.

Grade: 3 out of 5