Whipping through Washington, D.C., Afro-punk meets with rock legends- Living Colour!

Creeping up to their halfway point on the Afro-punk national tour, the group of musicians -- Headliner- Saul Williams and his crafty bandmates, electro-beats geneous -CX Kidtronik, Atlanta-based host and rapper- Tchaka Diallo, and in a minivan trailing behind them- the Houston guys in American Fangs, were getting into their groove of being on the road. Tonight's show at The Black Cat in Washington, D.C., would be full of surprises, with the pioneers of Afro-punk culture, Living Colour, joining the already bubbling line-up.

Loads of people in Afro-punk online community came out, including John Ellison, better known as "GhettopunkRocker" and his fiancee, Crystal Houston, known as "Candypink." Tagged for his controversial discussion topics, John was one of Afro-punk's first 25 online members out of the now almost 4,000 members on Afropunk.com. "The Afro-punk community is like a second family to me. Being able to express myself freely without judgement is cool," John said at the D.C. show. Here is Ghettopunkrocker and his fiancee, Candypink.

No stranger to preparing backstage for a show, the guys in Living Colour tuned up their instruments and met with up their family. One reporter attempted to sneak in through the backdoor to get an interview with Vernon Reid, founder of Living Colour, but he didn't get past security. No surprise though, Living Colour's rap sheet is extensive. Formed on the New York punk scene more than 20 years ago, this all black rock band is noted for their politically charged lyrics bashing racism in America. Even before the term "Afro-punk" was coined, Vernon Reid created The Black Rock Coalition, a non-profit organization aimed to promote the creative freedom of black musicians. They've got two "Best Hard Rock Performance" Grammys underneath their belt for a sound that the group has yet to classify- even after 25 years of playing together. Here is Living Colour backstage at The Black Cat with the Afro-punk tour manager, from left to right, Will Calhoun (drummer), Corey Glover (vocals), Doug Wimbish (bass), Doreonne Stramler (tour manager), and Vernon Reid (guitar). Doug Wimbish was also caught tuning his gear in a pair of classic black and white Chucks.

Some of the performers, including Doron Flake, lead singer of The Smryk, and Saul Williams, had a chance to individually meet with Living Colour members, asking their opinions about the future of the music industry and about life on the road-- Living Colour is currently on tour after the release of their 2009 album, "The Chair in the Doorway." Doron said Corey Glover was the reason he began singing, so Afro-punk set up an interview between the two artists and let the cameras roll. Saul also briefly caught up with Will Calhoun backstage right before Living Colour went on to perform.

When Living Colour got on the stage, they wasted no time playing their 1988 hit "Cult of Personality" that won them their 1989 MTV music award. "Why not start off strong," Vernon said. "This crowd deserves a good show, so that's what we are here to do," he said. During their performance, they intertwined songs that mirrored their long history, playing tunes from their 1988 album, "Vivid" to their popular 2003 album, "Collideøscope." Wearing a casual red jump suit, Corey's voice didn't miss a note, while Vernon and Doug played rifts only skilled musicians could hit. Here are the guys on stage.

Before Saul Williams came out on stage as Niggy Tardust, he surprised the guys from Living Colour backstage with an on camera interview. Seeing the guys chat was like a mix of old school Afro-punk raw style with a new wave of electric industrial funk. The guys talked about old school MC's, like Kool Mo Dee, and Special K. They also discussed the continuing process of breaking down racial barriers in the music industry and not limiting their creative sounds. Closing the conversation, Vernon Reid bowed down to Saul Williams, saying "what you are doing for the new generation of music can only be praised, brother." A full video interview between the artists will be posted on Afropunk.com soon!

Saul's conversation with Living Colour swiftly ended when he heard his cue to get on stage and he ran up the stairs just in time for his performance, opening his set with "Coded Language." Tonight was the last night that his daughter, Saturn, would perform with him on stage, and Saul's mom was in the audience tonight, cheering him on.