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Album reviews Music

Discs: Amethyst Rock Star

Rating: NNNNN


Brooklyn poet Saul Williams isn’t exactly an MC in the Fubu-wearing, you-know-what-I’m-saying sense, but Amethyst Rock Star is the hardest-hitting hiphop record you’re likely to hear all year. Pissed off and literate enough to say something about it, Williams is relentless on his debut album, spicing up his spoken-word rants with a range of intense, self-produced breakbeats, orchestral moments and jungle breaks. Some clatter by DJ Krust, vocals by Esthero and decidedly loud production from Rick Rubin make this unlike any other poetry record you’ve heard, but the balance keeps shifting between the music and Williams’s increasingly hysterical readings. Challenging and smart — two things you can rarely say about a hiphop record these days.

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