Title
Artist
Label
Format
Date

 Am I My Brothers Keeper?
Brothers Keepers
Sony-BMG
CD
April 25, 2005

Track list
  1. Bereit - Afrob, Bantu, Blaise, Chima, Denyo, D-Flame, Don Abi, Ebony Prince, Germ, Ono, Toni L., Torch, Tyron Rickketts, Xavier Naidoo
  2. Will We Ever Know - Eased von Seeed, Gentleman, Patrice, Bantu, D-Flame, Don Abi und Nosliw
  3. One Vibe One Flow - Bantu mit Positive Black Soul, Don Abi und Pee Froiss
  4. The Global Casino - Nosliw mit Promoe und Timbuktu
  5. Peoples - Samy Deluxe
  6. So Gerne - Denyo mit Joachim Deutschland
  7. Verirrte Seelen (Interlude) - D-Flame trifft Rolf Zachter
  8. Bang Bang! - Afrob mit Such A Surge
  9. Am I - Magic, Tone, Younes, Yassir, Blaze, Dean Dawson, P., Sezai, E-Mo, Jeyz, Phantom Black und D-Flame
  10. El Routhi - Torch mit CNN199
  11. Ermias (Krieger) - Blaise, Buze und Djoza (SR Clique) mit Claus Eisenmann, Snipe, Jean Felix und Charnell
  12. Opportunity - Ebony Prince und Metaphysics
  13. All Of Us - Cassandra Steen und Sékou
  14. I Don't Know Why - Xavier Naidoo, Don Abi und Jah Meek
  15. Tryin' Times - Della Miles
  16. Tierlieb (Interlude) - D-Flame trifft Rolf Zachter again
  17. Some Brain In The Storm - Denyo
  18. Simmer Down - Germ und Nadja
  19. 4 Minutes - Ono mit Tai und Rulelcean
  20. Toni To Lagos - Toni-L trifft Gerd Dudenhöffer
Rating : from 5 (excellent) to 1 (poor)
Vocals : 4/5 Backing : 4/5 Production : 4/5 Sound quality : 5 Sleeve : 5
4 years have gone since their album "Lightkultur" and the very successful single "Adriano (Letzte Warnung)", their last warning after the death of Mosambiquan living in Germany Alberto Adriano at the hands of youthful skinheads, and although the idea already lingered the event instantly triggering the establishment of Brothers Keepers as Afro-German hiphop and reggae crew and foundation amongst others against racism, fascism and neo-nazis. Now they are back on the heels of their allstar cast single "Bereit" we are ready, with this eclectic full-length album "Am I My Brother's Keeper?". The second tune "Will We Ever Know" features a who's who of German reggae with Seeed's Eased, Gentleman, Patrice, Bantu, D-Flame, Don Abi and Nosliw over a funk-dancehall hybrid produced by amongst others Rootdown Records' Thilo 'Teka' Jacks, Beatschmieda and Eased. "One Vibe One Flow" is over a riddim co-built by and produced by Beatschmieda as well featuring Bantu, Positive Black Soul, Don Abi and Pee Frois with English, French and an African language lyrics followed by the excellent combination of Nosliw and Swedish rappers Promoe and Timbuktu over an uptempo Teka riddim in English and German about woran denkt ihr bei 'global' / geht's um menschen oder zahlen / wer ist eure erste wahl für den platz im casino in the great "The Global Casino". One of Germany's most successfull rappers Samy Deluxe a.k.a. Sam Semilia, who also is/was a member of ASD (with Afrob) and Dynamite Deluxe (with DJ Dynamite a.k.a. Joni Rewind) contributes the very nice "Peoples" before Absolute Beginner's Denyo together with Joachim Deutschland deliver a great soulful singer/rapper lovesong ich will dich "So Gerne" I Want You So Bad over an electro riddim built and produced by themselves and D-Flame has interlude meeting with German actor Rolf Zacher. "Bang Bang!" is a (hard)rock track featuring German rockers Such A Surge with Afrob's shouted rap on top, then D-Flame produces "Am I" my brother's keeper? yes! i! am! which is almost the German answer to Eminem, very catchy! Next is the slow (German and Arab) hip-hop jam "El Routhi" before the great funky oldschool "Ermias (Krieger)" in French and German and the Prince Ebony and Metaphysics combination piano and (hand)claps driven rap-ballad "Opportunity". One of the best female soulsingers in Germany, Glashaus' frontlady Cassandra Steen teams up with Freundeskreis Sékou 'The Ambassador' for the soul ballad it could happen to "All Of Us" / sometimes you feel betrayed. "I Don't Know Why" features the in Germany very popular Söhne Mannheims' and solo singer Xavier Naidoo and his Söhne Mannheims' co-member Jah Meek (who just released his own very fine solo album "Touched By An Angel") alongside Bantu on a heartfelt ballad, before former Whitney Houston tour-background vocalist Della Miles delivers another great ballad, a take on Donny Hathaway's "Tryin' Times" over a soulful Teka riddim with great bass and guitar soli by former Senior Allstars André Meyer and Markus Dassman (who plays organ on this scorcher as well). Another short interlude with a meeting between Rolf Zacher and D-Flame is interjected before Denyo raps (in German - despite its title) "Some Brain In The Storm" over an extremely infectious Mark Moerchen beat with great horn riffs. Germ, who rapped alongside Ebony Prince on earlier Brothers Keepers album "Lightkultur" is now paired with the great soulful female vocals of No Angels' Nadja in "Simmer Down". A lot of US rap influences over a beat that's more European/experimental in Ono with Tai and Rulelclean's "4 Minutes" before this eclectic and very interesting album closes with Toni-L and comedian Gerd Duddenhöffer's nice "Toni To Lagos" outerlude. A very interesting album, and not just to be bought because of the great philosophy behind Brothers Keepers.