Saul Williams facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Saul Williams
Williams in 2018
Background information
Birth name	Saul Stacey Williams
Born	(1972-02-29) February 29, 1972 (age 53) Newburgh, New York, U.S.
Genres	Hip hop alternative hip hop experimental hip hop industrial hip hop spoken word poetry
Occupation(s)	Rapper singer songwriter musician poet writer actor
Instruments	Vocals bass guitar guitar keyboards percussion
Labels	American Fader Label Wichita Big Dada
Associated acts	Trent Reznor Nine Inch Nails The Mars Volta Rick Rubin The Kills
Education	Morehouse College (BA) New York University (MFA)

Saul Stacey Williams (born February 29, 1972) is an American artist who is famous for his work as a rapper, singer, poet, and actor. He is known for mixing poetry with alternative hip hop music. He also played the main character in the 1998 movie Slam and the 2013 musical Holler If Ya Hear Me.

A Creative Kid from New York

Saul Stacey Williams was born in Newburgh, New York, on February 29, 1972. He was the youngest of three children. While attending Newburgh Free Academy, he wrote a song called "Black Stacey."

After high school, he went to Morehouse College and earned a degree in acting and philosophy. He then moved to New York City to study at New York University's famous Graduate Acting Program. There, he earned a Master of Fine Arts (MFA) degree in acting. During his time in New York, he became a well-known poet in the city's café poetry scene.

Career as an Artist

Poetry and Slam

Williams performing live at the South by Southwest (SXSW) festival in 2008.

By 1995, Williams was performing his poetry at open mic events. An open mic is where anyone can get on stage and perform. In 1996, he won the title of Grand Slam Champion at the famous Nuyorican Poets Cafe. A poetry slam is a competition where poets perform their work and are judged by the audience.

His success was shown in the documentary film SlamNation. The film followed Williams and his team as they competed in the 1996 National Poetry Slam. The next year, he starred in the movie Slam. He also helped write the film. Slam was a huge success, winning major awards at both the Sundance Festival and the Cannes Film Festival.

Making Music

Williams on his tour in Montreal in 2008.

Around 1998, Williams began his music career. He performed with famous artists like Nas, The Fugees, and De La Soul. After releasing some shorter records called EPs, he released his first full album, Amethyst Rock Star, in 2001.

In 2004, his album Saul Williams was released and received great reviews. He toured with the popular rock band Nine Inch Nails in Europe in 2005. He also performed at the Lollapalooza music festival, which helped him reach a larger audience.

The leader of Nine Inch Nails, Trent Reznor, co-produced Williams' next album. This 2007 album was called The Inevitable Rise and Liberation of ...!. They released it online in a special way. Fans could download it for free, or they could pay $5 to support Williams directly and get a higher-quality version.

His fourth album, Volcanic Sunlight, came out in 2011. When asked about the purpose of poetry, Williams said it helps him explore his feelings. He described poetry as "the window that opens, that allows some air in, some other insight, some other possibility."

Williams released his fifth album, MartyrLoserKing, in 2016.

Writing and Acting

Williams has published his writing in major magazines like The New York Times and Esquire. He has also released four books of his poetry. He has traveled the world to perform and give talks at universities.

Williams explained that he works in many different art forms because they help him balance himself. He said, "some things are meant to be written, some are meant to be sung... some things are made to be yelled, and so that's just how life works."

As an actor, Williams starred in the Broadway musical Holler If Ya Hear Me, which featured the music of Tupac Shakur. In 2021, he was nominated for a Canadian Screen Award for Best Actor for his role in the film Akilla's Escape.

In 2021, he also co-directed his first movie, Neptune Frost, with Anisia Uzeyman.

Personal Life and Beliefs

Williams is a vegan, which means he does not eat animal products. He has spoken out against war and has supported movements for social fairness, like the Occupy movement.

He has a daughter named Saturn, who was born in 1996. Saturn has even performed with her father on tour. Williams also has a son named Xuly. He is currently married to actress and director Anisia Uzeyman. After living in Paris, France, for four years, he now lives in Los Angeles.

Discography

Williams playing the bass guitar at the SXSW festival in 2008.

Studio albums

• Amethyst Rock Star (2001)
• Saul Williams (2004)
• The Inevitable Rise and Liberation of ...! (2007)
• ... WHT (2009) (with Arditti Quartet)
• Volcanic Sunlight (2011)
• MartyrLoserKing (2016)
• Encrypted & Vulnerable (2019)
• Unanimous Goldmine (The Original Soundtrack of "Neptune Frost") (2022)

Compilation albums

• Real ... Volume One (2005)
• These Mthrfckrs: MartyrLoserKing - Remixes, B-Sides, & Demos (2016)

EPs

• Not in My Name (2003)

Singles

• "Elohim (1972)" (1998)
• "Penny for a Thought" b/w "Purple Pigeons" (2000)
• "List of Demands (Reparations)" (2004)
• "Black Stacey" (2005)
• "The Flaw You Worship" (2018)

Guest appearances

Filmography

Williams in 2005

Film

• Slam (1998)
• SlamNation (1998)
• Downtown 81 (voice) (1981/2000)
• Underground Voices (1996)
• I'll Make Me a World (1999)
• King of the Korner (2000)
• K-PAX (2001)
• The N-Word (2004)
• Lackawanna Blues (2005)
• Today (2012)
• A Midsummer Night's Dream (2017)
• Akilla's Escape (2020)
• Neptune Frost (2021)
• Blink Twice (2024)
• Sinners (2025)

Television

• Girlfriends (2003)
• The Colbert Report (2014)

See also

In Spanish: Saul Williams para niños