In his most recent publicity bio, Philadelphia-based rapper Marcus Alexander, a.k.a., Philly Black, candidly discusses some of the hardships he suffered growing up. In addition to having an abusive father, who his mother got away from when he was a kid, Philly Black experienced hardcore poverty. Rappers who describe those types of hardships in their publicity bios often come out with angry, thuggish albums. But Who I Be, Philly Black’s third album, isn’t like that at all. This 2013 release never ventures into gangsta rap territory, and it isn’t confrontational or in-your-face. Instead, Philly Black favors alternative rap, offering a lot of reflective, philosophical lyrics and sometimes inspiring comparisons to another Philadelphia-based alterna-rapper: Kuf Knotz. Philly Black favors an introspective, contemplative tone on “Moment of Clarity,” “The Come Up,” “Winds of Change,” “Food for Thought” and the title track. He sometimes talks about th...