The Dead Emcee Scrolls: The Lost Teachings of Hip-Hop

Absolutely worthwhile, mystical, and fun. The language-play here is touching and memorable, with ideas/poems worth considering and rereading. Performers and readers alike should read this work; you can almost hear Williams' voice vibrating off of the pages and spiriting these poems into place. As a whole, the book isn't for every reader, but I also firmly believe that there's something here for everyone---every time I reread the words here, I see the work differently, and I don't believe that will ever change. For that alone, I have to recommend this work--it's something quite unlike anything else.

I had trouble connecting with this work until I stopped trying to make sense of the words on the page and, instead, started hearing Saul's voice delivering this message in my mind, with his distinct rhythm and inflection and flow. Then it became magic.

Saul Williams is such an impactful artist and thinker. I remember how much I loved Slam when it came out, saving my money to buy a VHS copy, and I remember how he challenged us to really think critically when he came to speak to my college class. I'd always wanted to have his works written down, although reading I instead felt the urge to watch Slam again. Powerful thoughts and powerful in performance.

Although more “preachy” than his previous collections of hip-hop poetry, Saul Williams’ The Dead Emcee Scrolls: The Lost Teaching of Hip-Hop is a smart and satisfying collection from a talented artist. Williams uses the fictional premise of finding so-called lost scrolls of hip-hop teachings as the background for this latest collection. The poems, which fluctuate between “gangsta” descriptions and media criticisms, offer new readers a good introduction to Williams’ writing. The book’s additional collection of journal entries by Willaims offer some insight into the hip-hop creative mind. Not so much entertaining as it is “interesting,” The Dead Emcee Scrolls is a unique read. Also recommend S. Williams’ Said the show more Shotgun to the Head (2003). show less

I had the pleasure of seeing Saul Williams perform poetry from The Dead Emcee Scrolls in January. A problem that many spoken word artists encounter is that their poetry sounds great on stage and does not stand confidently alone on the page. Saul doesn't have this problem. His style is so pronounced that it encompasses many forms... you can hear his voice when you read the page, you can see his words when he speaks. The book is truly a treasure... you can dig, and dig, and dig... discovering new truths each time you pick the book up. He was asked by someone in the audience, how long did it take to write this book. His response was, ten years.

Saul also spoke about how academians must study hip hop in order to truly understand modern show more poetry, because emcees are creating new forms of meter.

This book is a testament to that.

Enjoy.
Lhea J
http://blackbookshelf.blogspot.com/2006/04/reincarnation-of-emcees.html show less

I must admit, I like Saul Williams performances better than his books. The same words on a page seem to lose their life somehow. Still, the concept of this book is awesome: Saul claims to have found scrolls of ancient poetry written in a language that he eventually deciphers through a magical sort of vision. It is these poems that he credits with his rise in the Slam Poetry world and many of them will be familiar to anyone who has listened to his cds.

Never has hip-hop seemed so mystical.