Saul Williams - The Inevitable Rise and Liberation of NiggyTardust

[Guest Quixote]

So it was just announced that this album, which was due to be released in early '08, will now be self-released in just a few days. Saul and Trent felt good about the idea after seeing that Radiohead were able to pull it off. And for those of you who don't know Saul Williams, he's been active in hip-hop and poetry scenes for a while, this being his third album. Trent put up a message on his site here, which happens to also explain how a track was 'leaked' similarly to how "Year Zero" had some 'leaked' tracks :wink2:

 

This is what Saul had to say:

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"The Inevitable Rise and Liberation of NiggyTardust! is the lovechild of me and Trent Reznor. I met Trent when he asked me to fill the opening slot of his European With Teeth tour. After only the 2nd show he asked if I might be down to collaborate on a song or album, whatever I saw fit. At the time we were both listening to the Kanye/Jon Brion collaborations and feeling like a cocktail of our two worlds would fare even more interesting…and harder. Since then, Trent Reznor has become the big brother I never had, offering his insight, expertise, and shared desire to fuck up the system while believing fully in the power of music and the intelligence of the masses. What we both first realized we had in common was a deep love of Public Enemy and their Bomb Squad production, which personally served as the backdrop of my adolescence and fueled the fire that matured my vision of the sort of artist I wanted to be. A lot of people get caught up on my lyrics and poetry, but my writing is always founded on beats and polyrhythmic backdrops. My background as a dancer (I used to dance for a rap group in ATL in the early 90s) has always made me crave hard rhythms. Through Public Enemy I discovered that my ability to dance somehow improved when I truly felt the power of the words. This album captures everything I have aimed for in a song. Of course, as a performer, what truly inspires me is the opportunity to perform them live. The Niggytardust concept sets me free to do more on stage with costume, etc. than one might expect from a regular Saul Williams show. It allows me to put my theatre training to use. I’ve also thought long and hard about all the discussion surrounding racial epithets etc. and chose this title as a means of furthering the dialogue while also showing how creativity will outlive and outshine hatred of any kind.

 

The album would not have been possible without the collaborative spirit Trent and the other artists involved: CX Kidtronik and Thavius Beck brought beats and fire to the vision, energizing the process with blown amps and head-nodding cramps. Atticus Ross engineered and programmed. Alan Moulder is sonic testimony from headphone to full blown that the very rocks will cry out if you work with the right engineer.

 

I’m also collaborating with visual artists and designers as part of the whole NiggyTardust concept and presentation. Melody Ehsani designed Tardust jewelry, bracelets, rings. necklaces, etc. and also did the cover layout. Angelbert Metoyer has contributed greatly to the visual aesthetic with paintings and soon to be finished set design for the shows.

 

As far as the way we’ve decided to release the album, we’re aware that it’s pretty risky, but are even more aware that we cant turn to the so-called powers that be of the industry for answers. Someone has got to be willing to take chances. I was very inspired by the recent Radiohead release and felt compelled, almost instantly, to follow my gut and expand on their concept. Obviously, independent artists have been around for years. My indie film, Slam was in fact what opened so many doors for me. yet, the stigma of being an indie artist in the music world hasn’t always been rewarding. This time I feel different. I feel like the times have conspired to make this album an important part of history."

Edited October 29, 2007 by Quixote

[Fred McGriff]

i'll check this out because i'm curious to see what reznor can do productionwise in a non-nin climate these days. last such thing i heard was his production of the zack de la roachy solo effort, and it was just about the worst sounding fucking thing i've ever heard. so i'm just curious how this will sound.

 

you know i used to think reznor was the most brilliant producer ever but then i heard some demos from the downward spiral when they re-released it, and i'm starting to think it was just the engineers he had that could actually polish a turd.

 

also i think the title would be better if it was just niggy tardust but whatever

[Guest awkward]

so is this gonna be hiphop or nin with a poet over it?

 

wheres the leaked track at? if they leaked it themselves then its ok to post it.

[Fred McGriff]

hey what's the difference, nin IS hip hop. like down in it yo! someone post the leaked track plz

[Guest Quixote]

Link to file on front page of nin.com. should have made it clear before the link.

[Guest awkward]

can't say i like saul williams. cant say i like nin these days. cant really say why i'm posting in this thread.

 

torrent booooooooo

[Fred McGriff]

yeah you know what i'm really not interested enough to mess with registering and all this technical torrent shit

[Guest awkward]

yeah fuck you trent razor

[Guest Quixote]

The Link on WWW.NIN.COM

New link with a direct download of two tracks. I like Break a lot. Mixed feelings about Tr(n)igger.

 

There is a song called "WTF" on the album. It had to happen eventually.

[Guest Grizz]

I'm really excited about this, Saul's last album was one of the best of 2005 easily, it still sounds so fresh. Having Trent involved doesn't really do anything for me though, thats a minor plus

[Guest awkward]

why does the dick call it a leak when it links from the nin website?

[Guest awkward]

tr(n)igger is just annoying.

 

break actually sounds very nin which you'd expect. doesnt make it any good though. sounds alright towards the end

[Guest Quixote]

why does the dick call it a leak when it links from the nin website?

 

I agree. Though the first link was technically on a torrent site, this one is blatantly uploaded by him. I guess it's different since they're selling it online themselves - no label to bitch about it.

 

And I have mixed feelings so far actually - it's not hitting me as hard as the self titled album. but i'll save full judgment till i have the whole thing.

[sneaksta303]

thanks for dee linkage.

[essines]

oh god this sounds like its going to be terrible.

[Guest CATS]

tr(n)igger is just annoying.

 

break actually sounds very nin which you'd expect. doesnt make it any good though. sounds alright towards the end

i like this actually, but overall both songs sound a lot moar minimal than year zero.

 

in conclusion, omg, imma say it, omg, everyone freak out, omg FLAC

[Fred McGriff]

this shit is just bad.

[Fred McGriff]

jesus. it's worse than bad. the third track leaked, banged and blown through or whatever, sounds like shit new era NIN with niggy kravitz singing

 

come to think of it, who wrote the following lyrics, kravitz or reznor:

 

i want to get away

i want fly away

yeah yeah

 

i wish that i could fly

way up in the sky

way up so high

 

i want to get away

i want to fly away

yeah yeah

 

too tough to decide when it's on paper innit

[patternoverlap]

"I feel like the times have conspired to make this album an important part of history."

 

This made me not want to listen to it. Usually when artists say this, then it won't be any good. If it's an important part of history, than that will be self evident in time. There is no need to preemptively state it.

[Fred McGriff]

yeah no shit. but he's a little bit right and it has nothing to do with the content of the album but just how they're releasing it and the scale of the audience that is going to give them money for it.

 

radiohead should've done the lossless idea although i personally dont give a crap. but their approach was like, we dont give a fuck, and as you implied PO, much more likely to actually be an "important part of history." i think if a revolution on how albums are being released is starting now, history will bookmark the radiohead album and pretty much forget about saul williams/trent reznor. i mean this shit is BAD with all capital letters completely capitalized and underlined. someone needs to tell trent reznor to just stop. just stop it already. the way to do it is if the loyal fans didnt mercifully give him money for this, which they will. but it would send a message: make better shit. but watch. the NIN community is going to reach into its pockets because they're all IT managers now and fork over a few bucks a download. thanks for the memories trent. well it's a better service to the artist to not pay for shit if you dont like it if they're going to release it in this format.

[Guest Soothsayer]

Wow, so I must have been in a cave, didn't even hear about this...

 

This sounds *very* interesting. Trent Reznor really seems like a good guy, when all's said and done(loves dogs, released a ton of great Warp stuff on Nothing for the right reasons, signed cool artists to Nothing, actually ditching the ego for something more socially-aware, and now this).

[Food]

Saul Williams is pretty damn good IMO. Best thing to happen to hiphop in years. I'll get the flac.

 

And c'mon, reznor hasn't been all downhill. With Teeth was super-suck then it got a bit better for year zero remember?

 

I guess the whole poetry thing is a bit of a turnoff for people but I like it coz I am gay liek that. Williams has influences that other rappers jsut don't have, makes it way more interesting - Ginsberg, Burroughs etc.. Just hope he doesn't try to sing too much on the album..

[Guest Quixote]

Saul Williams is pretty damn good IMO. Best thing to happen to hiphop in years. I'll get the flac.

 

I guess the whole poetry thing is a bit of a turnoff for people but I like it coz I am gay liek that. Williams has influences that other rappers jsut don't have, makes it way more interesting - Ginsberg, Burroughs etc.. Just hope he doesn't try to sing too much on the album..

 

Well said. And lest others forget - this is a Saul Williams release first; a Trent Reznor production second. Though to be honest with Fred - gotta admit, that verse DOES look suspiciously like Reznor's mediocre rhyme influence, though I haven't heard the full 3rd track yet since I'm at work.

[Food]

I think that verse was froma lenny kravitz song. at least I hope so. I haven't listened to the leaked trax yet I guess coz I am too lazy so I should prolly stfu on this thread til I do.

 

I used to be a big trant razors fan y'know. I never considered that tr might fuck up this record. I kinda jsut thought sauls influence might benefit nin. damn I'm a little worried now.

 

Ohh I have a link to dl the album in mah inbox. will listen tomorrow lolz itz like christmas only niggy.

[Food]

make better shit. but watch. the NIN community is going to reach into its pockets because they're all IT managers now and fork over a few bucks a download. thanks for the memories trent. well it's a better service to the artist to not pay for shit if you dont like it if they're going to release it in this format.

 

lolz I just read this. And you are wrong I am an IT Tech, not a IT Manager, but one day...

 

Seriously though, I bought this more to support SW than tent ramzors. I cut off my purchasing nin habit after that live DVD. No not the last one, the one before. I refused to buy with teets, any of the singles from it and year zero. And I had all the halos before that.

 

Now that I think about it even though I was a nin weenie back in the day, I got into saul from his guest spot on the Blackalicious album Blazing Arrow that totally ownz everything ever.

 

So to conclude Saul > TR > Mosca > Josso