Saul stacey williams born february 29, 1972 is an american rapper, singersongwriter, musician, poet, writer, and actor. Williams and his poetry have also been featured in a variety of documentaries about the spoken word circuit. Kim kardashian west visited the district of columbia correctional treatment facility this week and you might recognize one of the inmates she. Born in newburgh, new york, united states, 1972, saul williams is considered a powerful voice of the hiphop generation as a poet, actor, rapper, singer and musician. Its moving, but not as effective as it could have been.
Slam is a coming to life ghetto tale of a streetpharmacistaspiring rapper who. Get blown away by saul williams and get a perspective on poets and their work. Saul williams birth chart horoscope, date of birth, astro. Best known for his blend of spoken word poetry and hiphop, and for his leading role in the independent film slam, he received notable recognition while supporting nine inch nails for parts of their 20052006 tour. Slam 1998 trailers and clips ray joshua saul williams, a talented black poet from the washington, d. A leading voice on the spokenword scene, saul williams began astonishing open mic audiences with his impassioned tonguetwisting verse in the mid1990s and eventually became a grand slam champion at the nuyorican poets cafe. The movie, released in 1998, is called slam, and details the life of a young man who discovers the power of poetry while in prison, and uses it to regain his sense of self. Saul williams has been breaking ground since his debut album, amethyst rock star, was released in 2001 and executive produced by rick rubin. Slam 1998 ray joshua saul williams, a talented black poet from the washington, d. Unable to find a job, ray copes with the despair and poverty of his neighborhood by using his wits and verbal talent. Oscars best picture winners best picture winners golden globes emmys san diego comiccon new york comiccon sundance film festival toronto intl film festival awards central festival central all events. With saul williams, sonja sohn, bonz malone, lawrence wilson. Some critics were turned off by williams bombastic, proclamatory emceeing, which often.
Saul stacey williams born february 29, 1972 is an american rapper, singer, songwriter, musician, poet, writer, and actor. Slam is a 1998 independent film directed, cowritten and coproduced by marc levin and starring and cowritten by saul williams and sonja sohn. In 1996, he led the fourperson new york team to the finals of the. Sep 26, 2004 the hiphop debut of unspeakably awesome slam poet saul williams, amethyst rock star, was a divisive work. He is known for his blend of poetry and alternative hip hop, and for his lead roles in the 1998 film slam and holler if ya hear me, a broadway musical featuring music by tupac shakur. I watched him paralyze an entire auditorium with one poem at the national poetry slam a few years ago. Actors from new york, american film actors and american television actors contribute. Slam centers on raymond joshua, a gifted rapperpoet in washington d.
Shop for vinyl, cds and more from saul williams at the discogs marketplace. He came up in the nuyorican poets cafe where he mixed hip hop with poetry. He also mastered in acting at nyu, so he can do it all. Slam, an australian feature directed by partho sengupta. Slam marc levin, saul williams, sonja sohn, bonz malone. And it also provides a glimpse of the world of competitive poetry slams. Ray joshua saul williams, a talented black poet from the washington, d. The fiction element of the film, instead of driving levin to deeper truths.
Saul williams quotes author of, said the shotgun to the head. Jury prize for a dramatic film at the 1998 sundance film festival. Trapped in dodge city, a druginfested war zone in southeast washington d. It tells the story of a young africanamerican man whose talent for poetry is hampered. His past work has not been easy to define or categorize into one single genre, medium, or themeand such is true with this album, his 5th full length release. Growing up in the southeastern part of washington, d. There, williams found himself at the center of the new york cafe poetry scene. Acclaimed new yorkbased verbal stylist, who has risen to the level of one of the foremost slam poets today. Following his success, williams was approached with a movie role. Slam 1998 by marc levin w saul williams, sonja sohn. Jul 15, 2008 this is a clip from the movie slam starring saul william which i recommend checking out. Saul williams ashes think like they book say 232016 paste studios, new york, ny duration.
Slam is about a young man named raymond joshua, an aspiring rapper with a talent for writing poetry. Many of these moving pieces represent deeply felt reactions to the desperate. I am a big saul williams fan i think his verses are. Saul williams was born on february 29, 1972 in newburgh, new york. Find saul williams movies, filmography, bio, co stars, photos, news and tweets. Slamnation is a documentary film by director paul devlin. The reedited, fiftyminute classroom version preserves the intensity of the original, condensing the history and richness of performance poetry into the length of a standard class period, and if, like many of my students, you cant resist the inspired raciness of beau sias most outrageous poems, two versions of the ninetythree minute film. Slam tells the story of ray joshua, an original, gifted young mc trapped in a warzone housing. The story is punctuated by performances of poems written by the films cast of slam luminaries, including saul williams in the lead role, and cameos by taylor mali and bob holman. Saul williams is a multitalented artist who is best known as being one of the leading slam poets in new york city. The movie is actually a tearjerker, a must see for hood flick enthusiasts. This is an inspiring, uplifting foray into slam poetry, where poets compete in sometimes hostile environments, and the variety of personalities found in this competition. Ray is arrested by police after participating in a.
Parents need to know that slam is a 2017 netflix original movie based on a nick hornby novel about a teen boy who gets his girlfriend pregnant at the same age his mother had him. Ray a brilliant young actor named saul williams has achieved a kind of separate peace. Its a little lowbudget, but to me, that adds to the authenticity of the movie. Many of these moving pieces represent deeply felt reactions to the desperate conditions in washington, d. Then theres new yorks saul williams also the star of another movie called slam. This movie is responsible for a lot of things and after finally seeing it i now know why. Taylor malis facial manipulations alone are worth it. On one hand it is an awesome way to get people to see what we do and why we do slam.
Slam, a 1998 film starring saul williams and beau sia. Saul williams to star in tupac shakur musical holler if. Was a staple of nycs nuyorican poets cafe, where he honed his skill, drawing from oldschool hiphop and african griotstyle storytelling. Slam tells the story of ray joshua, an original, gifted young mc trapped in a warzone housing project known as dodge city. Shaclackclack is a slam poem written by saul williams and performed by the character ray played by saul williams in the movie slam, which was also cowritten by saul williams. Saul williams, the versatile actor, poet and singer best known for the film slam and his 2007 collaboration with trent reznor, the inevitable rise and liberation of niggy tardust, will head the cast of holler if ya hear me, the new musical inspired by the work of tupac shakur, the rapper who was killed in a driveby shooting in 1996. Find out where to watch, buy, and rent slam online on moviefone. I have an odd take on this movie as someone who was at the 1996 nps, and is in the movie for about 6 seconds. Williams, saul stacey williams, williams a4847 artist. Slam is a fable disguised as a slice of life, and cobbled together out of too many pieces that dont fit smoothly together.
To cope with the crime and misery of his urban neighborhood, a teenager employs his sharp wit and talent for words to compete in poetry slams. The film follows the national poetry slam in portland, oregon. Slamnation slam poetry starring saul williams, beau sia. Released october 9th, 1998, slam stars saul williams, sonja sohn, bonz malone, lawrence wilson the r movie has a runtime of about 1 hr 43 min, and received a score of out of 100 on metacritic. He is known for his blend of poetry and alternative hip hop, and for his lead roles in the 1998 independent film slam and the 20 jukebox musical holler if ya hear me.
Saul williams, along with costar sonja sohn, is the ifp gotham award winner of the newly established perry ellis. Slam poetry and hip hop are littered all throughout this movie, set in southeast washington d. Kim kardashian meets imprisoned slam star momolu stewart. Saul williams birth chart horoscope, date of birth, astro, astrology, biography, wikipedia, birthday, pisces horoscope of celebrity, filmography, movies imdb. It tells the story of a young africanamerican man whose talent for poetry is hampered by his social background. It tells the story of a young africanamerican man whose talent for poetry. Slam 1998 cast and crew ray joshua saul williams, a talented black poet from the washington, d. The movie in the film slam, ray joshua is the local bard of his washington. Saul williams celebrity profile check out the latest saul williams photo gallery, biography, pics, pictures, interviews, news, forums and blogs at rotten tomatoes. He has nothing to his name and it appears as if the whole world is conspiring. Slam, starring saul williams, sonja sohn, and bonz malone, is a powerful work of cinema verite that portrays the story of a young black.
Apr 02, 2012 the unanimous winner of the 1998 grand jury prize at the sundance film festival, slam is a coming to life ghetto tale of a streetpharmacistaspiring rapper who finds salvation in his rhymes. After gaining global fame for his poetry and writings at the turn of the century, williams has performed in over 30 countries and read in over 300 universities, with invitations that have spanned from the white house, the sydney opera house, lincoln center. Not just lustful petting but transcendental metamorphosis when you became aware that the greatness of this being was breathing into you. With martyrloserking by saul williamspoet, rapper, musician, writer, actor extraordinairesome familiar qualities from his previous works are present, while new directions are explored as well. This movie is lifechanging, i cant imagine it without saul williams in the lead. Slamnation follows the 1996 nuyorican poetry slam team saul williams, beau sia, mums da schemer and jessica care moore as they competed at the 1996 national poetry slam held in portland, or.
Slamnation directed by paul devlin, 1998 docurama films. There he meets the two people who can redirect his life. On the other hand it has perverted the slam, because people are using it a vehicle for there 15 minuets of fame. The movie stars saul williams, an effective actor, as raymond joshua, a young black man who is stopped by police who find four ounces of. A recurring joke involves how the lead character doesnt last very long during sex. Inspired in part by the documentary slamnation, its the story of ray, a washington, d. Slam shaclackclack by ray aka saul williams youtube. This is a clip from the movie slam starring saul william which i recommend checking out.