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Saul Williams performs "Bloodletting"

Legendary poet Saul Williams is a powerful voice—a poet, preacher, actor, rapper, singer and musician. His groundbreaking work as a writer and actor have placed him on the front lines of the spoken word/slam poetry movement across the country; he’s perhaps most widely known for his leading role in the 1998 film Slam, which won the Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury Prize and the Cannes Camera D’Or. Williams has performed with the Fugees, Blackalicious, Erykah Badu, KRS-One, De La Soul and DJ Krust, as well as with poets Allen Ginsberg and Sonia Sanchez. He’s been published in the New York Times, Esquire, Bomb Magazine and African Voices, and has released four collections of poetry. Born in 1972 after his mother was rushed to the hospital from a James Brown concert, Williams believes the Godfather’s spirit runs through his veins: “At that concert, he sang, ‘Say It Loud, I’m Black and I’m Proud,’ and that shit came out in my bloodstream. I was born with that in me.” Williams appears as part of Niagara County Community College’s observance of Black History Month.

Thursday, February 8 at 12:30pm. Niagara County Community College Fine Arts Auditorium, 3111 Saunders Settlement Road, Sanborn (614-6226). FREE.