- Audio CD (Feb 1 2002)
- Number of Discs: 1
- Format: Explicit Lyrics
- Label: Universal Imports
- ASIN: B00005QKBM
- Other Editions: Audio CD
- Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
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Amazon Bestsellers Rank:
#31,877 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)
- #16 in Music > Miscellaneous > Poetry, Spoken Word & Interviews > Poetry
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Product Details |
Track Listings
| 1. Lalala |
| 2. Penny For A Thought |
| 3. Robeson |
| 4. Tao Of Now |
| 5. Fearless |
| 6. Untimely Meditations |
| 7. Om Nia Merican |
| 8. 1987 |
| 9. Coded Language |
| 10. Our Father |
| 11. Wine |
Product Description
From Amazon.com
Performed by a raucous sextet made up of beats, bass, guitar, cello, viola, and griot, Saul Williams hip-hop sounds like modern chamber music. It's music informed as much by Hendrix's star-strangled striations and Miles Davis's alchemical electric period as it is the krunk-krunk of contemporary hip-hop. On Amethyst Rock Star Williams exorcises urban music of its self-destructive excess, channeling its rowdy energy into a ritualized raising of consciousness. The single "Penny for a Thought" breaks into jacked-up breakbeats as Williams calls out those who sell their souls into artistic slavery for the same chump change paid to their chained ancestors. He makes like a soothsayer on "Robeson," reeling off a call for the heroic figures of the past to make their presence known in the future. Williams's singing voice is as robust as his words, soaring like a veteran rock croaker; on "Fearless" he attempts to dissolve the influence of an unnameable "she" on his psyche by spontaneously bursting into song. "Coded Language," a linguistic mantra first recorded for the DJ Krust album of the same name, makes a return appearance, sounding not a bit out of place with its warp-speed breaks and nitroglycerin orchestration. Saul breaks out on the epic closer, "Wine," a torch-burning call for collective empowerment that comes off like Purple Rain for the no-age generation. --Chris Campion
Album Description
Japanese version featuring a bonus track
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Customer Reviews
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Most helpful customer reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
wow,
By "dendrite_9000" (atlanta) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Amethyst Rock Star (Audio CD)
this is how god intended rap to be, meaningful lyrics to a beat, this almost has a beatnik feel to it, i cannot suggest this cd strongly enough, just grab a cup of coffee and sit down, you won't be able to do much else but listen to this one
5.0 out of 5 stars
As good as it gets,
By Sundiata Piankhi "Sundiata Piankhi" (Empire of Mali - Africa) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Amethyst Rock Star (Audio CD)
Though it's more than just hip hop, a hybrid of rock, trip hop, psychedilia, industrial, drum n'bass, all inbetween, it's mostly related to hip hop at it's core element. Being this it almost sounds like the farthest hip hop has gone. I dont think anyone could challenge Saul on this. Phenomenal.
4.0 out of 5 stars
Lighten up, dude!,
By Donovan Reese "Wunfevteane" (Chicago, IL USA) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Amethyst Rock Star (Audio CD)
I'm sorry this has to be said, as I used to be political and angry for no reason, too. But Saul Williams needs to lighten up.The music is great - it's very imaginative, and Saul is a talented and intelligent writer, but stop picking on the commercial rappers for enjoying the finer things in life! Saul is just too serious and pretentious, and weird for the sake of weird, like post-modern art (then again, I suppose that's what Saul and Rick Rubin, the producer, were going for.) He's obviously a skilled guy; he writes raps, spoken word, and he can even sing (though when he does, he sounds like Lenny Kravitz if he'd lost all hope in everything). I'm not heavy on bling bling party rap, and I enjoy some conscious rappers (my favorite rapper's Common), but I think Saul should take some of that talent of his and have fun with it! People like to DANCE to music, not sit and grow more and more miserable with each passing word. Saul sounds like he's condemning humanity at times on this album! He sins, just like the rest of us! That aside, I don't think there's a bad track on the album, and I would recommend it to some, but not all. It's certainly an acquired taste.
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