Gil Scott-Heron dies age 62; influential poet/musician helped inspire rap

Gil Scott-Heron, who had a hit with The Revolution Will Not Be Televised, has died in New York City at the age of 62.
Scott-Heron's mix of poetry, politics, jazz, blues and soul is widely credited as helping to shape hip-hop.
The spoken word soul performer, who was in his prime in the late 1960s and early 1970s, passed away on Friday. The cause of death has yet to be released.
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Trailblazing style: Gil Scott-Heron, pictured in 1974, is credited with helping to shape hip-hop

A friend, Doris C. Nolan, confirmed that he died Friday afternoon at a hospital, saying that became sick after returning from a European trip.
Jamie Byng, Gil Scott-Heron’s publisher in the UK, released the information via Twitter.
He teweeted: 'Just heard the very sad news that my dear friend and one of the most inspiring people I’ve ever met, the great Gil Scott-Heron, died today.'

Scott-Heron mixed minimalistic percussion and spoken-word performances that were loaded with politics.
He sometimes referred to his style as bluesology, calling himself a bluesician. .....

Looking frail: Scott-Heron performing in Britain in September of last year

He recorded more than a dozen albums and wrote a handful of books.
Scott-Heron is best known for the critically acclaimed “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised,” first recorded as a spoken-word piece for his album Small Talk at 125th and Lenox.
He also co-wrote and produced more than a dozen albums with jazz and funk legend Brian Jackson. The fusion of jazz, blues and soul in these albums is credited with influencing hip hop and neo soul.
Known as 'the godfather of rap,' Scott-Heron’s music was a mix of poetry and politics.

Celebrity fans: Rapper Mos Def, left, and Kanye West were influenced by Scott-Heron with West sampling one of his numbers for the single The People

His lyrics, full of social and political themes, were often associated with black militant activism.
He performed at the No Nukes concerts, held in 1979 at Madison Square Garden.
The concerts were organised by a group called Musicians United for Safe Energy and were protesting the use of nuclear energy following the meltdown at Three Mile Island.

A contemporary: Jackson Browne performed with Scott-Heron at the No Nukes concerts held in 1979 at Madison Square Garden

The group included singer-songwriters such as Jackson Browne, Graham Nash and Bonnie Raitt.
Scott-Heron’s song We Almost Lost Detroit, written about a previous accident at a nuclear power plant, is sampled on rapper Kanye West’s single The People.
His 2010 album, I’m New Here, was his first new studio release in 16 years.
The album’s remix, We’re New Here, featuring reworking by English music producer Jamiexx, was released earlier this year.

Troubled life: Scott-Heron, seen outside New York's Chelsea Hotel, battled a cocaine addiction and was jailed on drug possession charges

Scott-Heron battled an addiction to cocaine and other substances for most of his career and spent time in and out of jail on drug possession charges. He was HIV positive.
Rapper Mos Def said: 'He’s one of my heroes, an incredible source of energy, power, and truth in the world.'
Born in Chicago on April 1, 1949. He was raised in Jackson, Tennessee, maternal grandmother, Lillie Scott.
He moved to New York at the age of 13 when she died.
The first song on I'm New Here is titled On Coming From A Broken Home, which is an ode to Lillie.

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Revolution Will Not Be Televised singer Gil Scott-Heron dies at 62 | Mail Online