Saul Williams The dead emcee scrolls - the lost teachings of hip hop

Williams is the guy. He has chosen a sublime path in the hip-hop world: yes, a "road less traveled." He is the prototype synthesizer between poetry and hip-hop, stage and page, rap and prose, funk and mythology, slam and verse. He is one of spoken-word poetry's most charismatic performance poets alongside Regie Gibson and Patricia Smith. Williams opens for rock bands and appears in films and records with the legendary producer Rick Rubin. Avoiding classification, The Dead Emcee Scrolls is unique in voice, daring in its trust to chance, and more concerned with wordplay than grandeur. It is strongly musical, uncorrupted, raw, and challenging. These writings span Williams' artistic life since 1994, including journaling that charts his experiences in a clear, truthful hand, in spite of some metaphysical wanderings. Williams chose to preserve the passion and immediacy of his inspiration, but some reworking would clarify his vision. As it stands, this collection is frustrating and engaging, although there is a definite payoff for those who stick with it.