Saul Williams with his album, The Inevitable Rise & Liberation of Niggy Tardust, Saul showed that he truly is a genuine and unique ‘hip-hop’ artist.  Featuring a cover of U2′s Sunday Bloody Sunday, the album produced by Trent Reznor/NIN is a clash of industrial clangs and free flowing hip-hop with a dash of Prince. First establishing himself as an influential poet, and then as an award-winning screenwriter/actor, Saul Williams then went on to establish himself as an MC. His approach to MCing, though, wasn’t exactly in line with the traditional school of hip-hop. His rhymes weren’t really rhymes but rather his poetry delivered in a frenzied spoken word manner that was more rhythmic than alliterate. While the now famous List of Demands, featured in the massive Nike ‘My Better’ TV campaign may have made a few question his view on consumerism and conformity, the song is kind of like a sneak attack to those willing to hear his message.

Saul Williams – Sunday Bloody Sunday (U2 Cover) from The Inevitable Rise and Liberation of Niggy Tardust (2007)

Earl Greyhound

Earl Greyhound’s raw, emotive rock has earned the group high praises from both critics and fellow musicians alike. It’s clear that Earl Greyhound make rock and roll with a modern edge. Today, these three musical renegades spark an explosion, but with verbose riffs, thought provoking vocals and a smooth yet raucous groove. If this doesn’t make you want to pick up a Les Paul, you have no soul.

Houston’s own is taking the pop-punk genre out of its box and is expanding it to much needed levels. The opening song off their own self-titled EP, Le Kick is just a taste of what’s to come with this band. Singer Gabriel “Gus” Cavazos, guitarists Shelby Hohl and Kenyon Puntenny, bassist Kyle Shimek, and drummer Micah Miller take their Pixies inspired tunes and combine it with Black Flag-like punk and Southern-style hip-hop. Hard to imagine? That’s the point.

American Fangs – Le Kick from American Fangs (2009)

Afro Punk presents
Saul Williams with
Earl Greyhound :: American Fangs
at The Independent
Novemeber 10th, 2009
Doors 7:30 PM | Show 8 PM
Tickets $18 adv | $20 door

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