Slam - "Sha-Clack-Clack" by Ray aka Saul Williams

[MarlonOwnsYourCake]

the style united commercial before this is so out of place.

[iowemillionsNig]

"where my niggas at" "oh shit!" HAHAHHAH he knows those are words of wisdom

[purplesmoke420]

please make this video available on mobile I do not have a computer in this is 1 of my favorite videos but I cannot view from cellphone

[combicleaner]

@purplesmoke420 get a youtube app

[slaminuss]

Nuff resspect..........

[ilovethykitty]

what if blacks were the real Jews? because they escaped from Egypt, (pyramids were built by slaves weren't they?) and don't we come from black people since they are the darkest and therefore most likely earlier type of evolving homosepian? What if Europeans are the Egyptians who also migrated but went back to Africa to exile the Jews from their land through slavery and because the Egyptians are still in power as the currency points it out on the US $ the nigg@$ are still serving their time.

[Shermthe1st]

This man made me proud of who I am I would like the opinion of all who love him as I do to check out my page

[mrbiggerdreams]

ctfu my mans said "oh shit!" u know thats deep



[professorsockpuppet]

I've taught in public schools with little family involvement. If I taught in a public school with overprotective parents who think I might be poisoning their children with dirty words in a poem, I might have gotten chewed out. My students generally like what I teach, so I don't have any problems.

[DarkSnP]

shit i forgot what i was thinking

[TheOkayCommenter]

this poem was almost 3 minutes long. but his poem got me lost in time. it felt like it really was an eternity

[vetiarvind]

Psychedelics baby

[landland44]

Who the FUCK disliked this video. They have problems.

[eerawb]

I went to a public school in downtown San Diego..... and my english teacher made us read the Dead Emcee Scrolls.

Not all teachers are cogs in the machine.

[blackswanlight]

His words gives me such visions! incredible! SAUL WILLIAMS!

[10timeworld]

I was watching "the N word" and ever since that movie he inspired. Man he killed this poem. SHA CLACK CLACK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Blacklight1025]

@ZombieSlaver i see what you mean. most kids parents freak out about shit like that hahah

[Blacklight1025]

@ZombieSlaver Those kids are in 8th grade. Almost in high school. They've probably heard worse in the movie theater and from other rappers. One day they'll learn the world is cruel. You get dealt a lot of bullshit. What's the problem with introducing them to a poet who can completely change their view of life and prepare them for what their up against? Idk, just throwing in my two cents. This is one of the strongest poems and deliveries I've ever heard. I wish more people would think like Saul.

[ZombieSlaver]

@Blacklight1025

As I said, not that I object.

My point is, it seems highly unlikely that this is being in taught in school. The schools simply wouldn't allow it.

[MoonmanCometh]

@ZombieSlaver Maybe what the schools don't know doesn't have to hurt them. Besides, there's plenty of alternative schools that would have no problem with stuff like this and may even encourage it. And I don't think it's out of the question that such a school would exist in San Francisco of all places.

[ZombieSlaver]

@MoonmanCometh

I doubt it. I've been to several alternative schools, and while they are generally more lax, they do still have rules.

[whatthefob4191]

I think I learned more about life just by watching this video

[whatthefob4191]

Saul Williams > Eminem Lil Wayne, and Kanye combined

[TheBoneLESS]

I had heard a part of this poem on his song "Twice the first time" and the original is indeed great! The passion in his voice always gets to me. Beautiful.

Oh, and the sound/video quality of the video is amazing, thank you.

[fahQ928]

i love this movie and to speak with such conviction gives me chills he is an inspiration!!!!

[TheWill69pool]

Trapped in time, In mind, in prison, in life. That's deep! Free yourself from time!

[sigmun25]

@TheWill69pool How???



[nick5751]

2:24 lol

[mistermikeyangelo]

Time is an illusion. There's only ever the NOW, the Eternal Moment ("there is no Death there is only Eternity"), which is why he refers to himself as "that timeless nigga". He's speaking of those suffering from physical & mental decay because of their disconnection from the Eternal Source of All.

[vetiarvind]

@mistermikeyangelo Well said. Time is indeed an illusion, but until people experience the eternal moment that is 'now', time will always appear real.

[Mo2477]

@vetiarvind How is time an illusion, change is created through time so it has to be real

[TopGunOriginal]

@Mo2477 Time as we perceive it is "real" but science shows time is relative to the speed of the observer. Thus my reality and your reality can coexist but be different. The problem is what's reality? Does time exists in static frames that one "travels" through, or is it a manifestation of our own existence? It doesn't really matter.

[chinapoochbitch]

@TopGunOriginal ??????????????? :(

[chinapoochbitch]

@Mo2477 :) there you go !

[citizenzombie]

Sonja Sohn = Sexy

[luketurd]

I am going into the ninth grade and people like Saul Williams, Bob Marley, Taylor Mali, Trent Reznor, KRS-One, Gandhi, Sergei Rachmaninoff, Leonard Cohen, and Roger Daltrey are the type of people who influence me. And the people who influnce most kids my age: 50 Cent, Justin Bieber, and Lady Gaga. WTF is happening to the world?

[nunoooooooooo]

@luketurd Don't know but ur on the right track so keep it up and spread the word. atract 2 hope to reach 1 !

[royiscool88]

@luketurd Good for you man

[bugstrut]

@luketurd Listen to an album called 'Tricks of the shade', by a group called The Goats

[luketurd]

@bugstrut I may start to listen to them.

[FollowxYourxDreamsx]

@luketurd I think everyone respects your inspirations, but we are all different and are inspired by different people based on our personalities. For example, many people who fight for gay rights are inspired by gaga. I'm personally not a justin beiber fan, or a 50 cent fan, but i'm sure their fans have very good reasons to love them. You have amazing inspirations, but just remember, that even though others might not love the same people or music, it does not make them wrong. :)

[TechniqueLee]

@luketurd leonard cohen, he's the shit. Get some Dylan in there dude.

[JustusTubes]

when at 2:05 i really had an overwhelming urge to cry...and i did a little. must be the liquor. this gave me chills 4-5 times. AMAZING

[shredfaster]

This guy has probably saved hip hop, his poems have meaning, they're not about what normal music is about. Saul, you are the single best spoken word artist out there!

[nuknuknuk111]

will somebody please upload the entire movie

[cj06feb]

Oh I feel you brother you on fire .......... Mmmmm

[shakeyourdimsims]

thats damon waynes i think

[PLAF666]

@shakeyourdimsims its saul williams

[Sagefrakrobatik]

This shit sounds slick if you play it and have Wu Tang Triump insturmental playing at the same time.

[Sagefrakrobatik]

evidently saul is popular in Alaska. who wouldve thought

[madzcass]

hot damn. he always amazes me.

[scarfacenwt]

bunch of crap

[scarfacenwt]

stupid shit...

check out the last poets fo the real shit

[kRiSpYKeEm1]

i think it mean jail time or time being wasted

[sheilareynolds]

it's in one of his books. i would recommend getting all four...

[caramelzappa]

This particular version of it has never been released. He released a vinyl in 1972 called Elohim that has a song called "Twice the First Time" It has parts of this poem but it is a work in it's own.

[dudco2003]

what does "time" mean or symbolizes in this poem????????

[dbecks51]

the uneducated masses that continue to use prejudice and hate instead of seeing us all as one and treating each other as such

[MashkaTekoa]

@dudco2003 time in the poem means time,,,,when you get older youll be able to understand it more

[LeftCoastLester]

@dudco2003 it literally means time. 

[CreepMeev]

He's never officially released it, which is such a damn shame.

[ShaktipatSeer]

made my whole body tingle

[goat8524]

This is the last scene of the movie

[FatManPoetry]

SO GOOD!

[FatManPoetry]

I own Slam, I do not remember this part in the movie. Where is it? I guess I will have to re-watch it. Slam is awesome though, especially that poem he performs in the exercise yard.

[spartawasp]

@FatManPoetry this is the end of the movie. this ending is just amazing. if you watched the movie and you didnt see this you didnt really see the movie.

[FatManPoetry]

@spartawasp I just rewatched this weekend, thank you.

[wikkedchik90]

Oh Merde

[Scoobylasha]

I love this movie. This movie is how I fell in love with Saul Williams work. I think that he is very talented. I love this poem. Can't get enough of it.

[318ray]

this is very nice

[Shiftee88]

Kima from the wire!

[CoolCat2527]

Where can i watch or find this movie?

[professorsockpuppet]

I'm an 8th grade teacher in San Francisco, and I teach this poem every year.

[GhostVirusx90]

wish i had a teacher that taught decent poems other than half-cast.

[falsepride]

Teachers have to teach the shit that they are told to teach. That's why most teachers teach in college to teach what they want to with out any one getting offended.

[markushollywood]

@GhostVirusx90 That Agard geezer is on borrowed time.

[jh09c2m]

@GhostVirusx90 fucking well said

[SeekinOne]

@professorsockpuppet nice dude, i wish i had teachers like you when i was still in school... but we had to do 20 pushups every time we used a swear-word and nothing controversial was ever discussed. so props to you from germany, for not only being a cool guy (obviously), but to teach something what young people really could be interested in ;)

[ooooooooooooO111]

@professorsockpuppet that's as beautiful as this poem , please keep on pushing the truth. please.

[bloodspade4444]

@professorsockpuppet then I would like to thank you.

[ZombieSlaver]

@professorsockpuppet

Not that I object, but you teach a poem with the words nigga and ass and shit, and talk of killing children, to 8th graders?

[cariosgyrl]

@ZombieSlaver Is it realistic to think that eight graders don't know these words and worse? They see children die in the news every week,some by their own parents. This poem is about overcoming the stigmas of things that happen everyday and i think our children need all the knowledge they can get to fortify them against all the worldly things they see and hear in the streets.

[ZombieSlaver]

@cariosgyrl

As I said, not that I object.

My point is, it seems highly unlikely that this is being in taught in school. The schools simply wouldn't allow it.

[cariosgyrl]

@ZombieSlaver

[911TRUTHBRIGADE]

@professorsockpuppet i signed in just to give this thumbs up.

[korn47382]

@professorsockpuppet Wow, that's awesome. I wish the literature/English teachers I had, actually knew great poets like Saul Williams.

[surfsoccerart]

@professorsockpuppet

i wish i went to san francisco schools.... 

[shsfootball54]

@professorsockpuppet you must have really gifted students! there are so many subliminals and allusions in this poem...

[chillbrotha01]

@professorsockpuppet i love to read that

[M3G4FR34K]

@professorsockpuppet

do you ever get any problems for using this poem?

this is great, by the way, using this poem as part of your curriculum!!

=]

[415AintNobodyBetta]

@professorsockpuppet what school

[NanetteSings]

@professorsockpuppet my teacher showed my class this too....

[felfelfelicus]

gets me every time...

[icefenixxx]

HEY!!! Kema

[WordzSpoken]

i remember this, this changed my life

[afrikahnoir]

time does not exist but were still being destroyed by it. "Time is an illusion with purpose."

[dkdkssks]

Does anyone have a link to the comedic poem "jazz is good" that references this poem?

[YEMbyphish]

Lol.. This is unreal tight, thanks for your light man. Wow.

[myiafoo]

i love this movie omg

[damoorical1]

slam is probably one of the most underrated movies of all time. I wish every wanna be thug would watch slam

[runningbravado]

tru dat, slam should be played in every school in the world. tru education.

[skinnyfistz]

I gasped at the end when he said, "Where my niggas at?"

[rassclaat23]

Damn... what he's talking about is beyond what we can comprehend....

[nssjchino]

watch the movie.

it sets up for this.

[broseph127]

that gives me shivers at the end when hegoes where my niggaz at and that dudes like OH SHIT..such a simple moment between poet and audience but it seams to bear significance in relation to the rest of it

[davedoug]

this always brings tears

[daMindNdaMuscle]

Lookn round at da ppl dat i see now. If i cuud go back i wuud go back n make their now betta. but ertime i do dese confused ppl ask me who am i. i say i back 2 come 2 free ur mind. n im free cuz im b4 slavery "sha clack clack". slavery een dat bad in comparison 2 death. n i overcame death...so dey named me afta it...n i get 2 the end. but my ppl r killin demslves..wid food and endulgences.n so i warn them.n i survive. n i look round but n'body is here wid me b'cuz a da same tings i told dem b4.

[TopGunOriginal]

why do you purposely type in a way that makes it so difficult to understand what the fuck you are saying?

[diybrun]

Don't worry, there's subtitles.

[daMindNdaMuscle]

I have heard that hundreds of times....but i just got the part about the uncle ben and aunt jemima shooting the children...dang...THAT NIGGA WAY AHEAD OF EVERYBODY ELSE!!!!

[DenMyster01]

daMindNdaMuscle

? Quick question from me here in Ireland...

Obama has been in office what 100+ days what do you think he will achieve in term for minority groupings and do you think he is going to be as big a success as We all need him to be?

He comes across very polished but is there any strenght and depth?

never heard of this guy Saul but will check out his stuff (must admit I lost the flow and lyrics in middle).

[papakilatube]

He has shown a black man can be elected President of the United States. That alone is more than any President in the last 40 years has done for "minority groupings". And make no mistake. He did it. He runs his own show. Nobody is "running" him.

He's going to do great things. Bet on it.

[DenMyster01]

Thank you for the reply... and a fantastic achievement... it is a great pity that our eyes see colour rather than the person... but I don't think that you or I will be able to fix that... maybe our childrens' children...?

I will get my money out... he looks like a sure bet and much more coherent than that semi illiterate clown Bush.

Good luck... and I wish you all the very best.

[ez344]

thats some real stuff

[cdphatty]

man, saul takes poetry to a whole new level

[crankyanker157]

7 by 7

[Sabbatai]

Saul kills it again. My very first exposure to him was through this movie, but once I heard he had albums and writings I scooped up everything I could.

I loved this when I saw it but have to say to those doubting him... pick up his self titled album and listen to "Talk To Strangers"

Jesus had a wife and she was HIS messiah like that stranger may be yours who holds the subtle knife that cuts through worlds like magic doors.

[miaradivaforlife]

this poem is vishease

[Aciremet]

oh...my...

[Danashae101]

awesome, dude i love this poem keep doin wat u do best rhyming

[dolphintwinkle]

when was this? is he talking about racism thats still around nowadays? i dont quite get it. but he has a great presence.

[turntostone]

Its from the movie called Slam from 1998

If you like this, you should check out his CD's..i can def. recommend his self-titled album "Saul Williams"

[dolphintwinkle]

thanks a lot!

[joshgibson]

No, not quite.

[kezman2003]

honestly i think he gets too caught up in rhyming that he goes off track and tries to link it back by repeating words/phrases a whole lot,

maybe it's good if you like being overwhelmed by lyircal noise but i'm unimpressed really,

though i just criticize his lyrics not him personally,

yup, 2 cents for ya

[Danashae101]

i disagree and personally u need to shut ur mouth

[kezman2003]

just wondering...

are you a pussy or a cunt?

[ahaiku]

It's a technique.

[PhoenixCrusar]

my deep balls in ur cute little pussy

[artynorms]

oh shit

[MashkaTekoa]

time, like what he was doing in prison in earlier scenes. he's also wearing what's quite similar to the prison uniform

[AbattoirDream]

duh.. he sed my niggas are servin unjust time..

which generally means hes talkin about prison lol

[Philipergrits]

or it could mean when they are not in prison?

[quantumdivider]

or perhaps a prison for their minds....

[hiphopbwwsoccer]

it's not just that, but also how other races have held back black people in the past, preventing their advancement. Confinement takes many forms.

[1PostPoMoMaN1]

Et je suis comme j''etais et serai parce que je suis et serait toujours. Ce negre.

[VirgiltheDarkSlayer]

Loved it. . . inspiring and uplifting for my sad, sad soul.

[sharaifjones]

I met Saul when The Dead Emcee Scrolls came out. This dude is a beast. He makes it look so effortless.

[teepacsamir1]

DAMNNNNNNNNNNNN

[profit511]

where my niggas at......damn

[dam024]

Got dagg dat was bout deep ... DEEEEPPPPPP!!!!

[Dylanzonfire]

This is the stuff that sparks amazing things and opens eyes

[CJmanmanguy]

always bringsa tear....evin if your white this should mean a hole lot

[miggy221]

i get the message; of the once powerful orignal ppl aka 'niggers' have faced a decline in hierachy thus power.

[wwxoxww]

please please... anyone can tell me where i can find or download slam, i mean the movie, with italian subtitles? i need to show it at school... (and i know it exists for i saw it at a festival) thanx

[karofinne]

i love this. especially the rhytm when he says i am not the son of sha clack clack, i am before that, i am before, i am before before

[ThisScreen4Rent]

WOW

[Ajapam]

funny video

[miggy221]

funny comment from a funny fool...

[Amarra2012]

I remember when I first heard this, I was like damn I wanna write a poem like that.

[Outlaw4Life390]

I believe that stereotyping is not human nature, but rather the nature of society.

Society has always created opposing forces, black v white, republican v democrat, gay v straight.

Society uses these forces to buy, sell, create, and destroy.

We are brought up in a group, and told that certain other groups are "good" or "bad".

We are all affected by the world we are born into.

Stereotypes keeps us separate instead of living together in harmony.

It's a cycle that must be broken.

[Ezkeel]

word

[Boutreality]

Beautiful.

[IndianVampire]

Is the basic message:

"I am now free and i can see, but my niggas are still trapped by human nature."?

[Markay40]

More like "I am now free and I can see, but my niggas are still trapped by racism and bigotry. The system is against them, therefore time is against them."

[IndianVampire]

I'm sort of... Hobbesian regarding my view of mankind. :D racism and bigotry and the corrupt systems... might all be part of human nature...

i meant the human nature of those enslaving them...

[Markay40]

Oh I see, interesting. Very pessimistic view, how do you make it through the day lol jk. I would say I am a bit of a cynic, I think mankind is inclined to evil through the temptation of power but it's not inherently in our nature to be evil. Stereotyping is inherent, however, racism and bigotry are not. :)

[IndianVampire]

Ah.. that concept is quite a bit more appealing. I think i'll go with that.

I wish there were more such discussions on youtube (oddly enough, i see youtube as a place for discussions). Any time i try to express my opinion on youtube, i get attacked... or sometimes defended by people who attack my attackers. Still annoying.

Thanks

[Markay40]

I agree with you completely. I always enjoy entering a conversation about a video but I am quickly disheartened by the stupidity many posters exhibit when they comment. It always degenerates into profanity and closed-minded insanity.

[Switchbldekitten]

I also get the message that 'niggers' (or NGH's, in Saul speak) existed before they were considered to be so, and will continue to be that which they were after the fact, but that many will be lost along the way, and the detrimental affect those occurrences will have will be significant.

[Silverback47]

I always listened to this a little more literally: that this poem was a summary of the racial divide the the movement for equality. The end part may have been him talking about how when JFK was around and there were these strong black leaders, how they were moving forward. Then 'time makes dreams defer' and everything goes off track, and he wonders 'where my niggas at?' What happened, why are we so far off track?

[jaydogg408]

The basic message depends on each individual, it's what you get from it not what others tell you you should get from it.

[fallingwaterbead]

:)

lovely:)

[upside15]

i heard this was whole movie was taped all freestyle and this was at a free-poetry, nothin planned and nothin written...n e 1 kno if there's n e truth behind this?

[Amarra2012]

In his book The Dead Emcee Scrolls he talks about when he went to a poetry reading he read Amethyst Rocks, and he was approached by Marc Levin who was a director and he wanted to make the film Slam.

[ubicuoubicuo]

stAnk nuts

[karofinne]

wow he is one of my top 3 heroes

[tuphin3]

Time is beating my ass.

[nochic504]

my favorite poem of all time =]

[Mycaelis]

Brought tears to my eyes, truly inspiring.

[MattaFact07]

shit is fire!