Universal Attractions Agency is excited to announce the exclusive signing of influential Minnesota rapper and activist, Brother Ali. UAA’s co-owner, Jeff Epstein, and Ben Sauberman will act as responsible agent.

Brother Ali released his debut album in 2000 titled “Rites of Passage” on Rhymesayers Entertainment, a label established by fellow Minnesota rappers, Slug and Ant of Atmosphere. Renowned for a discography of critically acclaimed albums addressing socially conscious themes, Brother Ali’s notable works include “Shadows of the Sun,” “The Undisputed Truth,” and “Us,” among others. In the previous year, Brother Ali released his tenth studio album, “Satisfied Soul.”

A longtime key figure in the underground hip-hop scene, Brother Ali has collaborated with several of the most politically and socially engaged rappers in the genre’s history, including Public Enemy’s Chuck D, Killer Mike, Talib Kweli, Pharoahe Monch, and Immortal Technique.

In addition to his musical career, Brother Ali is recognized for his activism, community leadership, and teaching of Islamic spirituality. He has lectured at universities including Princeton and Stanford, and delivered the keynote address at the 25th annual Nobel Peace Prize Forum in 2013. His contributions as both an artist and community activist have earned high praise from Dr. Cornel West, Dave Chappelle, and Brother Ali’s early mentor, Chuck D.

Brother Ali will perform at the 2026 Reggae Rise Up festival in Redmond, Oregon, this summer, as well as at additional tour dates in Portland, Tacoma, Seattle, and Vancouver. Further dates will be announced soon.

For tickets, visit: www.brotherali.com/events

Universal Attractions Agency is excited to announce the exclusive signing of influential Minnesota rapper and activist, Brother Ali. UAA’s co-owner, Jeff Epstein, and Ben Sauberman will act as responsible agent.

Brother Ali released his debut album in 2000 titled “Rites of Passage” on Rhymesayers Entertainment, a label established by fellow Minnesota rappers, Slug and Ant of Atmosphere. Renowned for a discography of critically acclaimed albums addressing socially conscious themes, Brother Ali’s notable works include “Shadows of the Sun,” “The Undisputed Truth,” and “Us,” among others. In the previous year, Brother Ali released his tenth studio album, “Satisfied Soul.”

A longtime key figure in the underground hip-hop scene, Brother Ali has collaborated with several of the most politically and socially engaged rappers in the genre’s history, including Public Enemy’s Chuck D, Killer Mike, Talib Kweli, Pharoahe Monch, and Immortal Technique.

In addition to his musical career, Brother Ali is recognized for his activism, community leadership, and teaching of Islamic spirituality. He has lectured at universities including Princeton and Stanford, and delivered the keynote address at the 25th annual Nobel Peace Prize Forum in 2013. His contributions as both an artist and community activist have earned high praise from Dr. Cornel West, Dave Chappelle, and Brother Ali’s early mentor, Chuck D.

Brother Ali will perform at the 2026 Reggae Rise Up festival in Redmond, Oregon, this summer, as well as at additional tour dates in Portland, Tacoma, Seattle, and Vancouver. Further dates will be announced soon.

For tickets, visit: www.brotherali.com/events

Universal Attractions Agency is pleased to announce the exclusive signing of the legendary soul and jazz-funk fusion group, The Blackbyrds. Co-owner Jeff Epstein and Rob Hoffman will serve as the responsible agents for the group.

Acclaimed trumpeter and composer Donald Byrd founded The Blackbyrds in 1973, establishing a group known for blending jazz, funk, and R&B that defined the cutting edge of the jazz fusion movement of the mid-1970s. The Blackbyrds earned a Grammy nomination for their platinum hit “Walking in Rhythm” and released several successful albums, including “City Life” (1975), “Unfinished Business” (1976), and “Action” (1977), among others. During this period, The Blackbyrds toured with the likes of Herbie Hancock, B.B. King, and Roberta Flack.

The band reformed in 1999 and, in 2003, released “Mysterious Vibes” with Dave Lee and Joey Negro, followed by “Gotta Fly” in 2012, which included the late original member Allan Barnes. The Blackbyrds are the recipients of the 2026 Washington Area Music Awards (Wammies) Lifetime Achievement and Hall of Fame Award.

The Blackbyrds are recognized as one of the most sampled groups in music. Their 1975 hit “Rock Creek Park” has been sampled by artists such as Nas, Ice Cube, Massive Attack, Eric B. & Rakim, and De La Soul. Other notable acts who have sampled The Blackbyrds include hip-hop royalty such as Tupac Shakur, Mobb Deep, Gang Starr, MF Doom, and, most recently, Jeezy & DJ Drama on their 2025 joint mixtape.

Speaking on the signing, UAA’s Rob Hoffman said: “We see immediate touring potential with The Blackbyrds, a historic group whose sound helped define jazz, funk, and R&B, and still absolutely delivers on a modern stage. We’re excited to get them in front of the right rooms and build real momentum in today’s live market.”

In regard to the new relationship with UAA, founding member of The Blackbyrds, Keith Killgo added: “This is a tremendous opportunity to work with an agency that has provided quality entertainment around the world. I look forward to working with them as we chart new territories for The Blackbyrds.”

The Blackbyrds’ upcoming performance dates include stops in St. Louis, Nashville, and Baltimore, as well as a string of dates in the UK this August. Additional dates will be announced soon.

The Blackbyrds current lineup includes original founding members Keith Killgo (drums and vocals) and Joe Hall (bass), Paul Spires (vocals), Dominique Toney (vocals), who is the daughter of original band keyboardist Kevin Toney, Roberto Villeda (keyboards), Charles Wright (guitar), Thad Wilson (trumpet), Marshall Keys (saxophone) and Sean Anthony (percussion).