Raised to be Lowered Saul Williams NiggyTardust

[rivethead999]

fuck obama, fuck pelosi, fuck ried, fuck nepolitano! give me back my freedoms!!!!!!

[nickabokka]

Trent reznor is an amazing producer, He's changed a lot in the last ten years but i always highly respect him and love all his music. Of course the Downward spiral was where nin was at but listen to the music he's capable producing.

[kasrit]

just dl'ed album, its really a great piece, such a good duo

[JennieMPC]

This is more than a song to me, it's like a prayer. It's something we can aim to be in our lives yet at the same time it allows for the inevitable failures we face with the line "was I raised to be lowered?"

[antjuanoden]

WIT YA COME!!!

[choreograffiti]

man, i love saul williams' poetries...

But when thinking of him doing music, Trent Reznor is the last person i would have thought him collaborating with...

But it is a perfect combination - aside from straight up tribal drumming of course.

absolutely perfect in imperfection!

[InsectRoyalty]

Shit, nice lyrics!

[strict9mind]

Werd... ONE!

[pslipy]

or maybe...he is an musician who is trying to send a strong message to us...hmmm maybe its music....i think im going to listen to it and enjoy it.

[fumunshu]

Despite what many detractors may say, Saul Williams is ahead of his time. Anyone who disagrees with this is one of "them" and not one of us. Period.

[SaeberONE]

ahead of his time..?

this sounds like early 90s NIN with a bit of flavor to it...don't get me wrong, this track is great, but...it's nothing new, and nothing gripping.

seems to me you're like one of the people you're trying so hard to not be.............

[fumunshu]

Perhaps I should have been more specific. I was referring to his lyrical content. And I'm sorry but it sounds nothing like broken/pretty hate machine era NIN. I'm sure I'm not alone on that.

Leave it to a Canadian to know nothing about music.

[SaeberONE]

right.

and I'll leave the arrogant comments to bitter old men like you. Get a hobby. This hardly constitutes as one.

[NeonSaurian]

Agreed.

[Jcolinsol]

At first I admired this song, for commenting on the phenomenon of a people whose forefathers worked so hard for their liberation, self destructing to violently, and futilely.

But now I think this song can be seen in a wider sense. As the the world is slowly being claimed by a new aristocracy, are we all to descend back into tyranny? Were we raised to be lowered? Were we given our freedom and human dignity, only to give it away to the highest bidder?

[vurtuality]

Possibly so. To me one of the major things about listening to music is about the personal experience and the memories connected. I bet those who made this had many reasons, a complex thing... Did the track notes have any about it? This song has grown on me past weeks but I don't listen to the album every day any more =) Happy it brings you those thoughts, I respect brains in others.

[ritualfunk]

I've not made up my mind on this yet.. downloading the album so I can . hehe.

[applicator3000]

Trent did a good job on producing this album. I like this shit it reminds me how much I hate the man and what a joke the government is.

[themindfuck]

this music is refreshing, i luv it...new to it too! fuck! im amazeded.

[Jcolinsol]

This song works so well as an expression of modern malaise and helplessness of the modern man. Especially the American modern man (were we raised as freemen to be lowered back into tyranny?).

[sagetosomeone]

Excellent, way to put it "Raised to be lowered into tyrants!"

I think that's pretty much sums up how culture emphasizes values that aid more to our destruction than liberation.

[etymradic]

This song isn't on the album I downloaded from his website, wierd, it's fantastic!

[HaphazardJoy]

Uhhh, this is on the album, track 14.

[Bremsstrahlung1]

BRING ON THE ART!

[Y34RZ3R02022]

So glad Rez is workin with Saul, gives me more NIN-like music. Love it

[213millst]

That background music starting around 35 seconds sounds so familiar, but I can't place it. I think it's sort of like "Hyperpower" from Year Zero...

[vurtuality]

I think some of that is discussed over at saulwilliams. com, unless the song-by-song notes has info on that?

[213millst]

Thanks for the info. I'll head over there now to check it out. I listened to Hyperpower and it's exactly the same. :)

[liquid1122]

Album is awesome. This is what it would sound like getting Trent to record a rap track. Real, quality rap of course, not the crap from today.

[strictlycalloused]

Why someone gave this comment a thumbs down i don't know, but i do agree that a lot of "hip hop" today has turned into mainstream rap mtv bullshit with meaningless lyrics that took maybe 10 minutes to come up with. saul's work is an excellent example of what hip hop should be and stand for.

[happysmellyfish]

I'm just discovering SW through the NIN connection - been trying to get into rap recently and I've gotta say hes the first really interesting artist I've heard. Is anyone else doing stuff this good/clever?

[NeonSaurian]

OutKast is pretty good if you like rock but have started listening to rap.

[butihavenone]

Try the Roots, and Wu-Tang Clan.

[XombiePuma]

The Roots, totally! Another good one is Busdriver.

[Nireves33]

@XombiePuma The Roots can't really ever be recommended enough.

[Blinkingts]

dex jux!

[the1produkt]

@happysmellyfish Atmosphere, The Roots, A Tribe Called Quest, Eyedea (right up to his death man), Brother Ali, The Grouch & Eligh...

[deathneedslove]

Very good, I'm really in love with it and I've only heard a few songs.

[GeoffChang]

Great music. Listening to this brings me back to The Fragile... excellent stuff. It's funny, when I got into Reznors' music in 99 I felt like I was getting in late. It was really just the beginning.

[hobopowerlazer]

The beginning?? They released 3 platinum albums, 2 remix albums a slew of singles within the 10 years prior to your discovery of Trent Reznor's music. I'd say you WERE getting in late.

[iagentrevi]

People like this are annoying. "I'm cooler than you cause i knew about it before you!" There is more than 2 remix albulms too, get your facts straight before you make a sad attempt for self validation.

[hobopowerlazer]

I never said shit about being cooler or better than anyone, I was just saying it's rediculous to suggest they were just "getting started" in 99. Jeez, relax a little.

[Draykid]

You, iagentrevi, are a moron.

[Jlbcrash]

You, Darykid, receive a hello.

[Draykid]

YOU DUMBASS NIGGA

[Jlbcrash]

;.;

[Jlbcrash]

Indeed.

[strictlycalloused]

Well I'm not going to be an elitist prick or anything, but hobo does have a point, NIN were gaining a fanbase and popularity long before The Fragile.

[vurtuality]

Ha, yes - I think I mostly ignored NIN after The Downward Spiral, and it's still one of the bands I listened to the most past decade-and-a-half.

[JennWright]

Amazing fucking album.... Trent is a genius.

[DownwardSpiral84]

Saul's album is great. Thank Trent.

[isareturns]

Because i've heard much of King Saul's work, I have to say that His album would've been great with or without Trent. I'm glad that they combined forces because this one song here is pure platinum.

_ Peace.

[vurtuality]

Yep, as they keep saying - a collaboration. As Saul keeps saying - 'it's just the way I wanted it to be'.