D. Allie

D. Allie
The Cooperative
(United States Of Mind : 2008)77CPosted on 04/14/2008 4:47 PM
Although it drags at times and is reminiscent of albums you have heard before, D. Allie's The Cooperative is yet another strong release from the Detroit underground.


The 16-track album, which is named after the emcee's old group the Cooperative Opposites, plays much like a mixture of different styles from across the country. There are some mellow, kick-back-and-relax songs, such as "The Remedy and "Let It Knock," that have an undeniable west coast feel. Others like the all-too-familiar "Who Are You?" sound straight out of the grimiest boroughs of New York.



DL Jones, who produced five cuts on The Cooperative, even draws from the earlier feel of the Roots on the excellent, and album stand-out, "Bang." The track has D. Allie at his most cynical, rapping about how he's given up his socially conscious ways for a life of violence and superficial hip-hop. The following lines exemplify his point:



"The votes are in, violence over socially conscious, it wins again,
Can't beat ‘em, so you might as well join ‘em,
I guess I'm just another black man, damned by the system,
Gotta start ballin' over catchy snap rhythms,
Leanin' and rockin' and they might start to feel it."
By the track's end, however, he turns the "gun" around and uses it as a "weapon" to heal and teach his people.



Then there are the three noteworthy interludes featuring D. Allie's father, Gary Strauss, on guitar. The tracks, aptly named "Pop's Guitar," range from electric to acoustic instrumentals. Shining brightest is the third and final segue, though, which is both breathtaking and moving.



While D. Allie can obviously spit some knowledge, he also falls into the trap of rehashing clichés about dreading his job and loving hip-hop. Both topics have been done to death and making them fresh is not an easy task. At least in D. Allie's case, however, he sounds sincere whether he's rapping about the genre he so adores, pouring his heart out about a lost love or a combination of both on the introspective "Find You."



It also helps that his flow and voice are distinct enough to pique your interest without them becoming distractions. The result leaves your ear with a pleasing combination of vocals and instrumentation. And by the time his 56 minutes are up, D. Allie has certainly left an impression.



- Andrew Martin
- Andrew Martin for Okayplayer.com

Headline



D. Allie
The Cooperative
United States of Mind

Let me be honest about my love for hip-hop — it’s been a long, often frustrating, equally rewarding, but nonetheless tedious affair. For nearly 20-years, I’ve had more honeymoons and divorces with the genre than Pam Anderson — but l keep coming back for more.

Freshly refreshing, D. Allie fleshes out his observations of life, love, friendship, community and his personal observations on the current state of hip-hop.
D. Allie has a terrific timbre to his flow and the beats that support his deconstructed delivery are equally memorable. Production-wise, Detroit’s D.L. Jones shines the brightest throughout, while Eddie Logix also throws some heat in the mix. Crate Digga’s soulful offering on “Anonymous Posers” was also a pleasant surprise from a young up-and-comer. This ’08 release from locally based rhyme technician D. Allie is based around the collective, United States of Mind — a crew you need to familiarize yourself with if this is a taste of what’s to come.

Featuring 16 tracks, this record feels complete with little to no sag time. Lame rap skits are absent while three interludes featuring the artist’s father on guitar offer dope meditations. Embrace this rapper with open arms and ears. D. Allie is the realness ... and he's here to stay. — Travis R. Wright
- Travis Wright (Editor of Real Detroit)

Best Hip-Hop Group/Collective: United States of Mind
These guys were quietly building their rep over the last year-and-a-half, but in the summer of ’07, USM stepped-up their game and began making waves on all sides of town. With an incredible collection of producers, MCs and DJs, USM continues to stun audiences with their energetic live show while impressing critics with their recordings, like MC D. Allie’s stellar '07 release, The Cooperative. Look for some big moves from this collective of conscientious minds in the coming year.
- Real Detroit

This Michigan MC thrives on taking the high road, checking pretense at the door and kicking rhymes that never need to fall back on posturing to get the knowledge across. He calls his style "organic hip hop," and it ends up being a fairly solid summation of his flow, lyrical content, and especially the beats he laces. There's solid grooves that feature a looser feel than a lot of hip hop, lending themselves easily to his laid back style of speak and unassuming but effective matter-of-factness with the lyrics. The words are spread thick and chosen carefully, keeping the songs pressing on and the filler to a minimum. This is a cat who loves music, almost to the point of being protective. On "Description of A Fool," he pokes fun at the loud-mouthed bling enthusiasts who are a dime a dozen in the rap game today, warning that hip hop is in "a state where everybody's getting so self centered." He's got the remedy for it, and she shouldn't have any trouble finding plenty of real hip hop fans that are right there with him.

- cdbaby.com

can't copy and paste from the site but the review can be found here.

http://www.jazzandsoul.eu/dalliereview.htm - www.jazzandsoul.eu

The Zone
by Origix

Straight out of Detroit’s hip-hop scene comes D.Allie of United States of Mind. D.Allie met USM through member Asylum 7. “The vibe was more than right and now I get to say I’m part of what I feel to be one of the illest crews in the area,” D.Allie says.

Doing his part to prove himself, he released his first album The Cooperative. “I feel the album is the most current representation of me musically, I tried to put as many sides of me on it as possible that would fit together. I named it The Cooperative as an homage to my old group (Cooperative Opposites) and because I feel that’s how music should be done,” D. Allie says. The album’s production alone has you wondering where this dude has been. Beats by DL Jones, Crate Digga, Eddie Logix and others bring hip-hop in Detroit to a new standard. Look for D. Allie’s future work on the USM album, which is in the mastering stages. Don’t miss him playing with his live band Dynamix at The Cooperative listening party on February 24 at Elevation in Ann Arbor. More info: myspace.com/cooperativeopposites. | RDW

The Zone Radio with Origix & DC airs Saturdays from 8 p.m. to 12 a.m. on 89.3 FM, stream audio at whfr.fm; visit myspace.com/thezoneradio & 2raw4fm.com.
- Origix of the Zone Radio

link: http://www.urb.com/promotions/next1000/profiles/1316-D.+Allie.php

text:
D. Allie :: Change the Name
Indie
Reviewed by URB
1 2 3 4 5 (Click on stars to rate artist)
D. Allie has no catchy story or corny gimmick -- and he doesn't care. He represents the world, but was born in Detroit if you want to get specific. D. Allie puts his life into his music. His raps reflect a time when it didn't matter where you were from, what crew you were with, how many times you had been shot, how much money you made, or how real you kept it. His motto: "Be yourself and let the music be the music."

- Urb Online (http://www.urb.com/promotions/next1000/profiles/1316-D.+Allie.php)

D. Allie :: The Cooperative :: United States of Mind
as reviewed by Susan 'susiQ' Kim
For D. Allie, it was apparent that music always existed within his soul. Growing up in Michigan, D. Allie wrote rhymes early on as a child and with musical influences from his musician father, he quickly excelled as an emcee. Eventually, he fully learned and expanded on his talents to take his art form to another level. Forming "The Cooperative Opposites" in 1998 with his childhood friend, they promptly exposed their rhyming skills in high school and soon released an EP in college which was readily accepted around Michigan. As they soon graduated from college and went their separate ways, D. Allie decided to devote himself to a solo project while proving he could succeed on his own. Fortunately, while landing a job at a recording studio and asking to be paid in recording time, D. Allie was able to complete his self-released solo debut, "The Cooperative." As he remains genuine in his lyricism and message in "The Cooperative," D. Allie shows another side to the underground hip hop emcee. "The Cooperative" shows a different life, a distinct meaning, and an emcee like no other.

As D. Allie takes his career one step further with his own solo project he still reverts back to the days where he first got started as the album name, "The Cooperative," pays homage to his original group "The Cooperative Opposites." In doing so, D. Allie kicks off the album with "Who's That (It's Co-Op)" as he reminds his audience that "this is a solo album, but Co-Op ain't over..it's still a movement." With a light xylophone and snare, "Who's That (It's Co-Op)" brings us back to where it all got started as D. Allie shows how the music is still very much alive and his album is just a continuum of where it once left off. As The Cooperative Opposites remain a part of his life and music even as a solo artist, it is clear that D. Allie is dedicated to his art as an emcee and lives to tell about. His hard work and dedication thrives throughout his music as he tells how his fervor for music began in "Who Are You." Harmonious violins blend with a simple bass to only enhance D.Allie's storytelling of how he became enamored with lyricism and music while relaying the message to live out one's dreams to other artists. In "Who Are You," he begins his journey as a child as he shows:

"He was just a little kid finally learning to walk
Used to watch MTV listening to them talk
Patterns and rhythms, deep in his heart
He'd give anything to be them
In a b-boy pose you should have seen him...
His parents passed it off as a phase
Didn't notice how the music affected him
Somehow expected him to grow out of it
But he was too far in
He didn't study Shakespeare, he analyzed Rakim
Used to write down all of his verses and memorize them
Practicing in the mirror to the beat a capella
He prayed every night that he'd come up with something clever
Staring at the page so still at his fingers
Eventually they moved and with time they got better
The untrained eye would probably say it was nothing
But he knew it was a start of something"

The sanctification to his music thrives throughout "The Cooperative" as he constantly tries to show why he chose the path to become an emcee, the struggles that come with it, and how he is different from the rest. "The Saga Begins" incorporates the traditional sounds of piano, flute and cymbals while introducing the hip hop aspect to the track with a hard bass as D. Allie reveals his life as an emcee and where his inspiration comes from. With his own self released album, he expresses his individual, sole efforts in making his music as he says:

"I'm independent if you know what that means
It's just me, myself, and I
I ain't got no team
Ain't no record company to advance that cream
So I'm living verse to verse just to live my dream"

In " Change the Name," D. Allie proves that his music does not follow the norm in hip hop tracks and shows that he brings his own individuality to the scene. This funk driven track produced from DL Jones features a mixture of horns and bass guitar while complementing D. Allie's strong lyrical message. Also, in "Description of a Fool 2007" D. Allie deliberately mocks whack emcees who only exist for the mere fame and glory that hip hop industry falsifies. In a humorous, yet truthful track, "Description of a Fool 2007" features a fictitious "MC Big Time" who is infatuated with his material possessions such as his Rolex and bling. D. Allie ridicules the disingenuous nature of most mainstream emcees as they almost seem to set back the true emcees who are actually trying to come up in the hip hop scene. In yet another track to taunt fake emcees, D. Allie calls out to the failed attempts on hip hop in "Anonymous Posers" which features emcees Asylum 7 and 5ill. In this funk track with blaring horns, D. Allie shows that "when the smoke clears, only the real remain."

On a more poignant note, D. Allie incorporates his father on three tracks of "The Cooperative." As a guitarist, D. Allie's father, Gary Strauss is first introduced in "Let it Knock/Pop's Guitar pt.1." As one of my more favorite tracks on "The Cooperative" with its striking beat, keys, and guitar, "Let it Knock" shows the simple truth of listening to good music in order to get away from your daily routine. D. Allie's father comes back in two different interludes appropriately named "Pop's Guitar pt.2" and "Pop's Guitar pt.3" as he lays down his own guitar solos and exemplifies his own talents as an artist. Clearly, the positive influence of his father is present as it has shaped D. Allie immensely. Although D. Allie somewhat follows the trend of many underground emcees who discuss the struggle and difficulties as an emcee, D, Allie is able to bring something else to table with his unique talents. His effortless lyricism and strong delivery are unmatched as his rhymes are clear and concise. It is apparent that his skills as an emcee are above and beyond any amateur as his thought process in each track are clearly thought out and comprehensible. While the positive message to strive as an emcee thrives throughout "The Cooperative," D. Allie is still able to bring out some humor and at the same time is able to embody the most poignant moments of his music. As he never forgets his roots and maintains his loyalty to his crew, D. Allie is a noticeably unfeigned emcee who only takes pride in his art form.

Music Vibes: 7 of 10 Lyric Vibes: 8 of 10 TOTAL Vibes: 7.5 of 10

Originally posted: August 5, 2008
source: www.RapReviews.com

- www.rapreviews.com

D. Allie
By Travis R. Wright
Nov 25, 2008, 10:08

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D. Allie
On The Move

Some people got it, some people don’t — it’s a harsh reality, but a true one nonetheless. Perhaps no other genre of music hosts the number of would-be boasters of “got its” than hip-hop, an audible, swagger-based world in which every artist claims to be the most ferocious beast in the woods. There’s a lot of bark, but the bite is overwhelmingly tame. Among the several Detroit area MCs who most definitely “got it” is D. Allie, a clever wordsmith with a big heart and quick tongue. With youth on his side, he's looking to soon pack his bags and head for the West Coast, on a mission to meet a mass audience. If you’ve yet to hear his LP, The Cooperative, check out CDBaby, iTunes and Amazon — also, the LP will soon be available for a free download thanks to detroitrap.com. With the support of Abrasive Method, Pony Boy and Chief, D. Allie is soon headlining what will be his biggest show to date at the Magic Bag. RDW caught up with the MC last week.

So, I hear you have plans to move to California?
I'm planning a move out of Michigan, but I really want to do some big things before I leave. There are a ton of people I want to work with before I take off.

What ties you and the other artists on the bill together?
What all the other acts in the show have in common is the fact that we’re not waiting for things to happen — we’re trying everyday to make things happen.

The lineup represents an array of style and backgrounds …
What I like is that all our stories are different, but at the base it is a beautiful thing that we can all enjoy each other's story and relate to it on some level.

What’s in store for the show?
Although I believe in keeping a lot of Cooperative songs in the set, it makes it fun for me to try out some new things. I might play with a band, bring out some special guests … I think the audience will get a kick out of it. | RDW

D. Allie • 12/12 • Magic Bag
- Real Detroit Weekly

D.Allie at the Magic Bag
Detroit rapper proves that ‘MC’ still stands for Motor City
By Brett Callwood
Special to Metromix
December 9, 2008

Email Print View Share Digg Del.icio.us Facebook Furl Google Reddit Mixx Mister Wong Yahoo Buzz Yahoo Add To Favorites Add to playlist 3 comments | Add Your Own



More of the smooth, jazzy vibe of De La Soul via Dilla dawg than the rat-a-tat rawness powered by D12, the laid-back MC D.Allie has been learning his hip-hop trade through crews like Cooperative Opposites and, more recently, United States of Mind… Now, he’s all set to uncover his debut solo album “The Cooperative.” On Dec. 12 he is set to bring the full live experience to the Magic Bag in Ferndale, but before the big date Metromix had to rap with D.Allie …

When and why did you start making music?
I guess it kind of depends. I’ve been writing since I was 7 years old but I really started taking it seriously when I was at college. I was at the University of Michigan and me and my friend got together and called ourselves Cooperative Opposites.

My cousins turned me on to music at an early age. My mom used to drop me off at my cousin’s place and we’d sit in front of the TV to watch “Yo! MTV Raps” and all of that kind of stuff. I learned about all of the older stuff like funk and soul, the music where hip-hop came from, but it all really started with hip-hop for me.

I started at a young enough age where I’d see it on TV and think that I could write a rap. I guess I wasn’t horrible enough for people to tell me to stop.

Describe your sound…
It’s a mix of a lot of different things, but above all it’s personal. I always liked artists that speak to the listener. None of that “I’m the best” stuff. Just people that tell a story. I’m not different. A lot of people can relate to what I’m going through. To be a well-rounded MC you’ve got to have your cuts that make people feel good, your cuts that talk a little bit about politics and all that stuff.

Who are your main influences?
When I first started as a kid, Kid N’ Play was a huge deal. I was a lot more about the party aspect of hip-hop, which I still like to incorporate. As I got older, I started listening to A Tribe Called Quest. I’d say that I have a heavy east-coast influence. I love listening to Mos Def. The list goes on. Public Enemy are another huge influence in terms of discussing political stuff and getting a movement going, but I definitely veered toward the mellow music as I got older.

Do you think this is a healthy time for rap and hip-hop in Detroit?
Yes and no. The talent’s always undeniable. There are a ton of people that I know doing this stuff, so that means that you can multiply that by five and those are the people doing amazing music that I don’t know. It’s a double-sided sword though, because when you’re blessed with this much talent, there are only so many business types looking at the scene.

Are you happy with the way “The Cooperative” came out?
I’m absolutely satisfied with the way my first album came out. It’s really hard for me to listen to myself. I sometimes listen to Pandora.com, which is a Web site that sets up a radio station around an artist, so they play artists that sound like me. I can listen to those guys, but not myself. I know I took my time over the LP though, I was definitely happy with that.

Describe the D. Allie live experience…
It’s not like I come to knock you out with the lyrics and say things that you can’t believe. I make a personal connection, and it’s about that connection. The live show is the physical embodiment of that. I bring things that I’d enjoy seeing at a hip-hop show, because I’m a fan first. When I see the way Method Man works a stage, not only am I enjoying it but I’m sitting back and taking notes.

You’re playing the Magic Bag on Friday (Dec. 12). Do you have anything special planned?
I’ve been rehearsing a band for the last couple of weeks, so I’ll be bringing “The Cooperative” live and that’s something that I haven’t done before. There’ll be a couple of new songs in there too, which I’ll be dropping in to see how they’ll sit in a future project.

What do you have planned for the next 12 months?
There’s a lot of stuff looming on the horizon for me. My goal this year is to drop some consecutive EPs, so I’ve been working on some collaborative EPs. For example, I’ve got one with Dial 81 which is getting close. I’ve been planning to move out west for a little while as well. I love being here, but I’d like to take my music elsewhere for a little bit.

- www.metromix.com