Saul Williams “Saul Williams” (Best of the Decade)
Saul Williams is, in many ways, the Michael Jackson of spoken-word. He’s the iconic figure, the only thing close to a star the movement (at least the slam-oriented, most recent manifestation of this movement) has produced. His work has influenced a legion of followers: some talented, many not. He is to spoken-word poetry what Picasso is to Cubism—for many, he’s the only practitioner of the art the majority can name.
Which is why for many, his self-titled sophomore album just doesn’t work. He’s not performing a capella slam poems; instead, he’s singing and rapping his way through an industrial-punk-funk meatgrinder, a dissonant mess of super-hardcore beats and tortured, wailed vocals. His debut, Amethyst Rock Star, had a few weird moments, but was still very much a spoken-word album. And while the lyrical content on his follow-up is still there, the jump from spoken-word to whatever-the-hell-this-is was too jarring for many of his fans.
It’s also, however, what makes Saul Williams such an incredible album. In an era where every bland funk/hip hop/rock band claims to “reject genre boundaries,†Williams actually managed to mash genres into something new, interesting and fucking hardcore.
After a gripping spoken-word intro, the album launches into “Grippo,†a scathing, snarling examination of race and hip hop that starts with the line “I gave hip hop to white boys when nobody was lookin’/Found it locked in a basement when they gentrified Brooklyn.†Right away, you know this album isn’t easy listening. “List of Demands†is a hypnotically propulsive call-to-arms featuring a brutal distorted bass. “PG†is basically a 50 Cent parody track with a deeper message. “Black Stacy†is an unflinchingly honest exploration of skin color, masculinity and identity. Williams’s music is as intense as the industrial, punk and hip hop acts who are obvious influences, but his experience as a poet allows him to take these sounds into new places by matching them with content that is challenging, original and engaging.
While his flow (Williams raps on a couple of songs) is still a bit stilted, it’s a minor concern on this album; his writing, singing and production talents more than outweigh his failings as a rapper. While his other albums all have worthwhile tracks, Williams has never sounded so focused; his self-titled album isn’t a spoken-word masterpiece—it’s just a masterpiece.
To be honest – didn’t even know Saul did spoken word stuff.
The only frame of reference I had for the guy was his Niggy Tardust album he did–which I subsequently didn’t get into at all-with Trent Reznor.
Taking some time and going through “Grippo” and especially “List of Demands” leads me to believe that I wrote the guy off way too fast.
Niggy Tardust is a decent album. And your appreciation for it likely is tied to how much you appreciate Reznor as well. The self-titled album, however, is brilliant from start to finish. I think it makes his poetry – which deserves far more attention – accessible for people who could care less about poetry. Hopefully the Nike ad that featured List of Demands brought more people to the record as well.
Yup, wouldn’t dispute that statement at all–at the time Saul wasn’t someone I really knew anything about while Trent Reznor is another story. The idea was leading and when expecting something different, if left me underwhelmed.
Here’s that Nike ad:
I really love this album. It took a bit of effort to get into it, but I really gave it a chance and love it. His rhyme patterns get a bit monotonous but I tend to not care. The songs just feel so fresh that it doesn’t matter. The melding of genres by CX Kidtronix and appearances by Serj Tankian and Zach De La Rocha don’t hurt either.
He is an incredible individual and if you have a chance to see him live in any capacity (speaking appearance, concert performance, etc.) you should not miss it. His Q&A sessions play like a friggin’ Krishnamurti interview.