The Dead Emcee Scrolls - by Saul Williams (Paperback)

About the Book

From "astonishing poet" ("The Washington Post") Saul Williams comes a provocative look at the galvanizing force of hip hop. Destined to become one of the most talked-about books of the season, "The Dead Emcee Scrolls" is a darkly humorous, electrifying tour de force.

Book Synopsis

In the underground labyrinths of New York City's subway system, beneath the third rail of a long forgotten line, Saul Williams discovered scrolls of aged yellowish-brown paper rolled tightly into a can of spray paint. His quest to decipher this mystical ancient text resulted in a primal understanding of the power hip-hop has to teach us about ourselves and the universe around us.

Now, for the first time, Saul Williams shares with the world the wonder revealed to him by the Dead Emcee Scrolls.

I have paraded as a poet for years now. In the proc ess of parading I may have actually become one, but that's another story, another book. This book is a book that I have been waiting to finish since 1995. This is the book that finished me. The story I am about to tell may sound fantastic. It may anger some of you who have followed my work. You may feel that you have come to know me over the years, and in some cases you have, but in others...well, this is a confession.

Review Quotes

"A profound poet who inspires us. He challenges us to be individuals." -- Russell Simmons

"Saul is every kind of great artist combined into one." -- Nas

About the Author

Saul Williams is an acclaimed poet, musician, and actor. The film Slam, which he cowrote and starred in, won the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival (1998), and the Camera d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival. He has contributed to The New York Times, voiced Jean-Michel Basquiat in Downtown 81, and cut records with Rick Rubin and Trent Reznor. He has spoken at more than 200 universities where his poetry has been added to the curriculum of dozens of creative writing programs, and has taught poetry/performance workshops around the world. He recently starred in the Broadway musical Holler If Ya Hear Me. His books include S/HE, said the shotgun to the head., and The Dead Emcee Scrolls. He lives in New York. Visit his website at SaulWilliams.com.