Well, just like that, fall is here. Outdoor events are slowing down and club shows are ramping up. Luckily, we live in a thriving city, and the cold weather will never stop the thriving selection of great music. Tonight, Oct. 4 will be quite the interesting night at Exit/In. Saul Williams is a renowned poet, rapper, and actor, who will take the stage to perform a night of spoken word. The crowds are so used to moving around and getting rowdy at this venue, so it will definitely be very interesting to see how this type of show will translate into this space. The doors are at 8 p.m. and the show starts at 9 p.m. with Rashad Da Poet, a performer of similar talents and sensibilities as Saul. Tickets are still available for $20, so grab ’em here, keep reading for our preview, and don’t miss this exciting night!
SAUL WILLIAMS
Saul Williams has been a poet since 1995. He was featured in the film SlamNation which, in turn, led him to play the lead role in the 1998 movie Slam. His music career has been thriving ever since. From the very beginning, Williams has exhibited a unique style with his rapping that heavily pulls from his life as a poet. Throughout his musical career he has managed to stand out as a rapper with a distinct and absorbing flow, and countless amounts of artists have taken notice. In 2007, he released one of his best albums to date called The Inevitable Rise and Liberation of Niggy Tardust, which was produced by Trent Reznor and, to this day, is seen as aggressive and groundbreaking in modern hip hop convention.
Last month, Williams released a new book entitled US(a), his book of poetry since The Dead Emcee Scrolls in 2006. It contains deep reflections on the American identity and dream in light of Williams spending four years living abroad. The book came with a track from his upcoming album MartyrLoserKing called “Horn of the Bike Clock.” The record is set to come out in 2016, and you can definitely look forward to an exciting night with Williams and experience a thrilling journey of artistic, societal, and political motivation. Check out “Horn of the Bike Clock” below, and be sure to get to Exit/In for this once in a blue moon opportunity.
RASHAD DA POET
Opening up the show tonight is local Nashville spoken word artist Rashad da Poet. Rashad has been on the scene since 2005. He has released a handful of albums and won the Spoken Word Artist Of The Year award for his work in the genre. Like Saul Williams, he is gearing up to release a book of poetry, adding author to his extensive list of accomplishments. Check out “2 Sons,” a track that elicits the likes of Atmosphere and Common, below, and be sure to get there early tonight for an introspective and intellectual performance from Rashad that will be a great warmup for the rest of the night.
Saul Williams and Rashad Da Poet will perform tonight, Oct. 4 at Exit/In. The show is 18+, begins at 9 p.m. (doors at 8 p.m.), and tickets are available for $17-$20.