Slam is a 1998 independent film starring Saul Williams and Sonja Sohn. It tells the story of a young African-American man whose talent for poetry is hampered by his social background. It won the Grand Jury Prize for a Dramatic Film at the 1998 Sundance Film Festival.
Raymond Joshua (played by Saul Williams) is a young man growing up in the fictional Southeast, Washington, D.C. neighborhood of Dodge City. Despite his innate gift for poetry and his aspiration to be a rapper, he finds it difficult to escape the pressures of his surroundings: violence and drug dealing.
While participating in a drug deal gone bad, Ray's close friend, Big Mike, is shot, and Ray is caught by the police and sent to the District of Columbia Department of Corrections' central detention facility. He is arraigned for possession of a controlled substance at the H. Carl Moultrie Courthouse and bail is set at $10,000. When his public defender explains the his 'options' ("cop out" (plead guilty), "rock" (stand trial), or cooperate (serve as an informant)) Ray despairs, particularly as he is being pressured to participate in a drug culture "inside" very similar to what he was a part of "outside." Ray is unwilling to take a "side", unwilling to believe that his options are limited to the choices he's being presented with.
I've been dishonest with myself
Causing more pain than leave
I've been feeling sorry just for me
Blinded by love, you see
I was too scared to tell the truth that you would turn around and walk away
I was as blinded by my heart, I didn't the chance to say stay
It was a lot easier to lie to me
I wasn't telling you the truth, can't you see
It was a lot easier to lie to me
Instead of hurting you, I'd just hurt me
I wasn't thinking who'd get hurt
I thought I could live with another distrust
I wondered how I could make you stay with me
protecting our love, you see
I was too scared to tell the truth that you would turn around and walk away
oh no
I was as blinded by my heart, i didn't the chance to say stay
eay eay
It was a lot easier to lie to me
I wasn't telling you the truth, can't you see
It was a lot easier to lie to me
I wasn't telling you the truth, can't you see
It was a lot easier to lie to me
I wasn't telling you the truth, can't you see
It was a lot easier to lie to me
I wasn't telling you the truth, can't you see
Ah ah ah ah ah, oh (x 17)
It was a lot easier to lie to me
I wasn't telling you the truth, can't you see
It was a lot easier to lie to me
I wasn't telling you the truth, can't you see
It was a lot easier to lie to me
I wasn't telling you the truth, can't you see
It was a lot easier to lie to me