Trigger warning: I realize that I am using language that is provocative. I also realize that this might offend some people. I came up with the title after a lengthy discussion with my father, who is offended by both of the words: queer and nigger. He feels that the reclaiming of such words by those who were historically stigmatized using those labels is counter-productive and incendiary. I disagree. Well, incendiary perhaps, but I see nothing wrong with that. My main point here: queers and niggas are both Others. And, ultimately, everyone - whether they realize it or not - is an Other in some way. Or they are secretly afraid that someone else will figure out that they are actually an Other.

Onward...

Saul Williams is playing at the Aladdin Theater in Portland on Tuesday. I've been listening to Niggy Tardust quite a bit over the last few weeks during my lunch-time walks. That's some real shit. Drove by the Aladdin last week and saw Saul's name on the marquee. I ride by that thing every weekday and hardly ever look, but I did that morning. A flash of "WTF?! Oh, yeah!" was followed by "Shit!" as I realized that it was the same night as the Dogen seminary class I signed up for. 

Three days later the Dogen class that night was canceled due to a death. Lucky me.

The song 'Break' hooks me hard. Spit out the toxic venom of oppression. 

It seems to me that queers are niggas, too. Or as Carl Hancock Rux says, when it comes right down to it, we all niggas: a new nigga that's One nigga. Most just don't know it yet.

Let it out
 Blow it out
  Spit it out
   Get it out






Update: I made some inaccurate assumptions about the makeup of the audience prior to the show. It was predominantly 20-something white kids. Granted, this is Portland, but I realized that Saul occupies an interesting niche. I can't help but wonder what he thinks and feels about that.

It was, BTW, an amazing show. I highly recommend it. I found myself bouncing up and down in a mass of people in front of the stage. I hadn't done that in years.

Two big burly white guys that were mid-30s were next to me and I kept thinking how surreal yet awesome it was that one of them kept yelling, "We love you, Saul!" Then, during the last song, one grabbed the other from behind and nuzzled into his neck. Ah!! They're gay bears! Now it all makes sense. I wonder how many of his fans are queer.

Another thought: I recently read that only a small percentage of people actually cough up the five bucks for the album instead of downloading it for free. I bet that you could make some relatively accurate assumptions about levels of development based on those who contributed versus those who did not.