Saul Williams: "MartyrLoserKing" | Talks at Google

Talks at Google and The Black Googler Network hosted Saul Williams at Google's office in Chicago, IL to discuss his album MartyrLoserKing and book US(a.). This compelling talk covers technology, culture, art, politics, and creativity -- and features both spoken word and musical performances by Saul.
Saul Williams is a poet, musician, actor, and writer who has infused his art with social and political commentary. He's been called “the poet laureate of hip-hop” (CNN), has published five books of poetry, and currently stands as one of the highest-selling poets of all time.
Saul Williams has been breaking ground since his debut album, Amethyst Rock Star (2001) all the way through his latest release, MartyrLoserKing (2016), a sprawling concept album about a cyber hacker living in the East African country of Burundi, equal parts Snowden and Banksy. Williams’ musical work is an amalgam of hip-hop, punk, dance music, and rock, and has released albums with Trent Reznor as well as Rick Rubin. His work shifts between styles as effortlessly as it weaves webs of interconnected ideas.
In his latest book, US(a.), Saul Williams presents his ideas, observations, realizations, dreams, and questions about the state of America, the American psyche, and what it means to be American.
Saul Williams has performed in over 30 countries and read in over 300 universities, with invitations that have spanned from the White House, the Sydney Opera House, Lincoln Center, The Louvre, The Getty Center, Queen Elizabeth Hall, to countless, villages, townships, community centers, and prisons across the world. The Newburgh, New York native gained a BA from Morehouse and an MFA from Tisch, and has gone on to record with Nine Inch Nails and Allen Ginsburg, among many more.
The conversation was moderated by Josh Pyle, and introduced by Fabian Elliott.