Saul Williams to tour, release CD/vinyl Tardust

Saul Williams is what you might call a modern-day renaissance man. He acts, he writes, he dances, he slams, he raps. And, thankfully, he's scheduled some summer tour dates.

As a musician, Williams has carved out his own niche, pulling from different genres and often addressing social issues with spoken word flow. His upcoming tour will support his latest effort, The Inevitable Rise and Liberation of NiggyTardust!, released in November as a digital download. The album, produced by Nine Inch Nails frontman, Trent Reznor, recently had a sp ike in sales that correlated to Williams' "A List of Demands" earning a spot in a Nike commercial.

Tardust also features a new spin on U2's hit "Sunday Bloody Sunday,"and its namesake derives from a Bowie album. When Williams chatted with Paste back in May, he expounded on his genre-defying work:

"The only rules that we paid attention to were the rules of song structure, like there should be a verse here, there should be a chorus here, there should be a bridge. For me, the whole experience was a dialogue on freedom."

The album will become available on CD and vinyl on July 8. Catch Williams on tour on the dates listed below:

July

3 - London, England @ 02 Wireless Festival

4 - Arvika, Sweden @ Arvika Festival

5 - Oslo, Norway @ Oslo Live Festival

6 - Turku, Finland @ Klubi

7 - Tampere, Finland @ Klubi

8 - Helsinki, Finland @Tavastia

10 - Feldkirch, Austria @ Poolbar, Austria

11 - Zurich, Switzerland @ La Rote Fabrik

12 - Bruges, Belgium @ Cactus Festival

13 - Montmartin-sur-Mer, France @Chauffer dans la Noirceur