Gil Scott-Heron died yesterday in a New York hospital aged 62, after becoming sick on returning from a European trip.
His style melded jazz, blues political expression and spoken-word poetry on songs such as "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised", which critiqued mass media in the 1970s.
His influence on generations of rappers and hip-hop artists has been demonstrated through sampling of his recordings by artists, including Kanye West.
Although Scott-Heron was often called the "Godfather of Rap", it was a title he rejected.
“It might have been that there was music in certain poems of mine, with complete progression and repeating 'hooks’ which made them more like songs than just recitations with percussion,” he wrote, in an introduction to a collection of poems, in 1990.
Instead, he referred to his work as “bluesology” or “black American music”.
Scott-Heron’s most recent album "I’m New Here", released last year, was widely acclaimed and brought him to the attention of a new generation. As news of his death was announced, modern artists including Chuck D of Public Enemy paid tributes.
Throughout his musical career, the poet and musician took on political issues of his time, including apartheid in South Africa, and nuclear arms. Before turning to music, he was a novelist, who published a murder mystery, called The Vulture, at the age of just 19.
Scott-Heron’s most recent album "I’m New Here", released last year, was widely acclaimed and brought him to the attention of a new generation. As news of his death was announced, modern artists including Chuck D of Public Enemy paid tributes.
Throughout his musical career, the poet and musician took on political issues of his time, including apartheid in South Africa, and nuclear arms. Before turning to music, he was a novelist, who published a murder mystery, called The Vulture, at the age of just 19.
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