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Saul Williams Saul Williams gave a powerful reading of his poem Coltan as Cotton, punctuating the plenary session with a meditation on contemporary life, politics and the human condition.The American rapper, singer-songwriter, musician, slam poet, writer and actor is known for his blend of poetry and alternative hip-hop, as well as lead roles in the 1998 independent film Slam and the 2013 jukebox musical Holler If Ya Hear Me, featuring Tupac Shakur's music. Williams has been breaking ground since his debut album Amethyst Rock Star (2001), produced by Rick Rubin. Since gaining global fame for his poetry and writings at the turn of the millennium, Williams has performed in more than 30 countries and read in more than 300 universities. Invitations have spanned from the White House, the Sydney Opera House, the Lincoln Center, the Louvre, the Getty Center, and the Queen Elizabeth Hall, to countless, villages, townships, community centres and prisons. Born in Newburgh, New York, Williams has a Bachelor of Arts degree from Morehouse College and a Master of fine arts degree from NYU Tisch School of the Arts. He has recorded with Nine Inch Nails and Allen Ginsberg, and has made many film and television appearances. 145