The inevitable rise of Saul Williams

(Evan Cohen)

Late last year, poet and rocker Saul Williams made headlines when he announced he would release his fifth album for free, with the option to fork over $5 for a higher bit-rate edition. Missed amid the commotion: the album itself, a raucous hive of a thing, powered by Williams's rangy rap and produced by Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails.

In most ways, "The Inevitable Rise and Liberation of NiggyTardust!" is a throwback to Williams's early days as a spoken-word artist, where political and personal politics took center stage. The central character is Niggy Tardust, a nod to David Bowie's infamous glam-rock turn as Ziggy Stardust, and also a vehicle for a host of grievances, from lost love to religion to war.

Williams says he listened to a lot of mainstream rap while writing and recording the album. But his songs give nothing away; like a good poem, the easy point of the album is often initially obscured by lyrical dexterity. On "DNA," slippery hip-hop attacks alternate with a chorus projected through what sounds like a broken bullhorn. On "Black History Month," the verses are barked, and then shouted, over a minimalist beat.

We caught up with Williams earlier this week at the start of his national tour, which arrives at the Paradise Rock Club Tuesday.

Q: "NiggyTardust" is a concept album, in many ways. How do envision the character of Tardust?

A: At first, almost like a Cherokee kind of dude, who has all the blood of this land in his veins. To me, he looks like everyone and anyone. He represents a hybrid: the youth of all generations and the idea that race is a social construct. We've all been so polarized and pitted against each other. But there's nothing to prove scientifically that "race" exists.

Q: Which is interesting, because race, as a construct, has become a big part of American politics in the last few months.

A: I think it's extremely exciting to have so many youths engaged, starting to talk about these important things, without sweeping them under the rug. Part of what [Barack] Obama has done is raise questions about what is important to us.

Q: So you're hopeful.

A: It's not hope. It's the simple logic that tells me how the truth prevails. It's like Ford making hybrids. These companies realize that the public is informing themselves more and more, and if they don't change with the times, they're going to get left behind. It's the logic of progression.

Q: What's the role of the poet in that progression? The musician?

A: John Keats said poets are the midwives of reality. When there is evolution of freedom and justice, it's the poet's job to make poetry of it, so the songwriters can make music of it, so the songwriters can make music for the dancers. There's a trickle-down thing that happens in the arts, and the public is the recipient.

Q: But your new album is often lyrically elliptical. I'm thinking specifically of a beautiful song called "Skin of a Drum," which is very stream of conscious.

A: In that case, the music really inspired those words. Everything is very literal - there's a line about waiting for Joi. Well, Joi was my girlfriend at the time, and I was waiting for her, sitting in the kitchen. It's often the details of the moment that really become transcendent.

Q: That's a pretty religious idea. Then again, on the track "No One Ever Does," you sing, "There's no God above." Are you a spiritual person?

A: Extremely. However, I do fully acknowledge that being spiritual is not necessarily being religious. Religion is something man-made. It's become a way in which men in particular have aimed to maintain control over a populace. I've fought to distinguish spirituality and religion. It's my responsibility to help people think outside of the box.

Q: I imagine working with Trent Reznor was a stepping-out-of-the-box experience.

A: Neither of us ever had an allegiance to sound. I'd never labeled myself a poet or a rapper. That's what other people do. For me, it's always been about breaking through the holes, and it wasn't as difficult as one might imagine with Trent. It was like being an exchange student.

Q: Reznor expressed some dissatisfaction with how many people had chosen to pay for the album, as opposed to downloading it for free. Were you disappointed?

A: Not at all. He made that statement a month and a half into the release, and now it's going marvelously well: 200,000 people have downloaded the album. Plus, I think that's how Trent is - a bit of an emo dude (laughs). No one would believe him if he said something without a trace of disappointment.