Saul Williams at Les Prix Paroles Urbaines

He’s an actor, writer, poet, musician, rapper, and singer. In addition 
to that, he’s actively involved with the Occupy Musicians, fighting 
income inequality. Saul Williams, a cultural jack-of-all-trades from New York, will perform on 3 March as main and closing act for Les Prix 
Paroles Urbaines, organised by Lezarts Urbains, at the Botanique.


With his lead role in the 1998 film Slam, Saul Williams attained 
international recognition. The film is about the struggles of an African-
American male with an innate gift for poetry who gets into drug 
dealing due to his unfortunate social background. The movie won both 
the Sundance Film Festival’s Grand Jury Prize and the Caméra d’Or in 
Cannes. Before his grand achievement in the film industry, Williams 
had already had a taste of victory. In 1996 he won the title of 
Nuyorican Poets Café’s Grand Slam Champion. Williams is known for his 
sharp, but sensitive pen and has written several articles for The New 
York Times, Esquire, and African Voices. In addition to that he already published four collections of poetry, including S/HE and 
said the shotgun to the head. After his international breakthrough, Williams started experimenting with his musical abilities. He has 
already collaborated with the big players in the hip-hop and soul 
world, such as Nas, the Fugees, and Erykah Badu. He delivers a melting 
pot of various genres, creating his very own original style composed 
of spoken word, electronic music, and alternative hip hop.


At Les Prix Paroles Urbaines, Williams will bring stuff from his 
latest record, 2011’s Volcanic Sunlight. The album was produced with the help of French producer Renaud Letang, known for his collaboration 
with Manu Chao. Les Prix Paroles Urbaines are new awards for 
literature that turn the spotlights on “urban writing”. The nominated 
artists are divided into three different categories: “Slam”, “Spoken 
Word” and “Paroliers rap”. Artists including James Deano, Nina Miskina (last year’s winner), Mochélan, and L’Ami Terrien will also be present.


Prix Paroles Urbaines + Saul Williams (Spoken Word Tour) • 3/3, 15.00, €10, Botanique, Rue Royale, 236, 1210 Bruxelles, 02-218.37.32, www.botanique.be, www.lezarts-urbains.be