Saul Williams

Saul Stacey Williams (born February 29, 1972) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, poet, writer, and actor known for merging poetry with alternative hip hop. He gained recognition for his lead roles in the independent film Slam (1998) and the musical Holler If Ya Hear Me (2013).

Born in Newburgh, New York, Williams is the youngest of three children. He graduated from Morehouse College with a degree in acting and philosophy and later earned an MFA in acting from NYU's Tisch School of the Arts. While at NYU, he became involved in the New York café poetry scene and spent a year in Brazil as an exchange student.

A vegan and vocal critic of the War on Terror, Williams is known for his anti-war anthems like "Not in My Name" and "Act III Scene 2 (Shakespeare)." In 2011, he joined Occupy Musicians to address income inequality and identifies as queer.

Williams began a relationship with visual artist Marcia Jones in 1995, and they had a daughter, Saturn, in 1996. His poetry collection S/HE reflects on their breakup. He has a son named Xuly with choreographer Fatima Robinson.

On February 29, 2008, he married actress Persia White, but they separated in January 2009. He is now married to actress Anisia Uzeyman and resides in Los Angeles after living in Paris for four years.