Special Offers see all
More at Powell'sRecently Viewed clear list
Guests | May 15, 2013
0 comments
|
 
$8.50
Used Trade Paper
Ships in 1 to 3 days
The Dead Emcee Scrolls: The Lost Teachings of Hip-Hop and Connected Writingsby Saul Williams
Synopses & ReviewsPublisher Comments: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:"Williams is not the first to take hip-hop diction and rhyme to the page and make beautiful stanzaic poetry (see everyone from Gil Scott-Heron to Thomas Sayers Ellis), but he creates, in this third book, a kind of 'In Memorium' for hip-hop's redemptive promise, trying, as Tennyson did, to find light shining through the wreckage of hope. If this effort falls short of that great poem, the ambition behind it is not the less for it. Skip the self-mythologizing intro and launch right into the long opening serial poem, 'NGH WHT': 'BCH NGH. Gun trigga. Dick's bigga. Why/ fuck? Killer. Blood spiller. Mack/ truck. Bad luck, fuckin with this black buck./ Bigger Thomas, I promise. Leave a corpse in/ the furnace.' The sly way in which the speaker simultaneously inhabits and repudiates male rap clichs and effects sonic sneak attacks (one hears 'kill her' in 'killer') gets worked out over 33 'chapters' of anywhere from three to 10 stanzas, giving a fierce, assured tour of hip-hop history and contradiction. There are six other, shorter serial poems, and the book's last third consists of verse 'Journal Entries.' Williams, who starred in Slam, has authored two previous books, s/he and said the shotgun to the head; both are uneven and contain long, ambitious pieces, but neither has a poem like 'NGH WHT.' (Feb.)" Publishers Weekly (Starred Review) (Copyright Reed Business Information, Inc.)
Synopsis:This collection of hip hop poetry, commentary and essays by Saul Williams is presented in a fictionalized context, as if the author has "discovered" ancient texts and now must spread the news of them to the world. A serious collection of his brilliant and provocative work, but with an underlying sly humor, THE DEAD EMCEE SCROLLS is at once a spoof (a satirical take on hip hop) and intense commentary on our existential search for peace.This collection of hip hop poetry, commentary and essays by Saul Williams is presented in a fictionalized context, as if the author has "discovered" ancient texts and now must spread the news of them to the world. A serious collection of his brilliant and provocative work, but with an underlying sly humor, THE DEAD EMCEE SCROLLS is at once a spoof (a satirical take on hip hop) and intense commentary on our existential search for peace.
Synopsis: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.
About the AuthorSaul Williams received his B.A. in acting and philosophy from Morehouse College in Atlanta, and his Masters in acting from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. He co-wrote and starred in the Cannes and Sundance award-winning film Slam; he was also featured in the documentaries Slam Nation, Underground Voices, and I'll Make Me A World. He has released albums, Saul Williams and Amethyst Rock Star. He has written three books of poetry for MTV Books. He lives in Los Angeles.
What Our Readers Are SayingBe the first to add a comment for a chance to win!Product Details
Other books you might likeRelated Subjects
Arts and Entertainment » Music » General
|
|||||||||
|
|
||||||||||
|
Follow us on...
|
||||||||||
