In Memoriam
Gil Scott-Heron
April 1, 1949 – May 27, 2011 · aged 62
Spoken Word · Soul · Jazz
Often hailed as the 'Godfather of Rap,' Gil Scott-Heron was a brilliant poet, novelist, and musician whose fiercely intelligent spoken-word pieces laid the ideological groundwork for hip-hop. Born in Chicago in 1949, his 1970 masterpiece, 'The Revolution Will Not Be Televised,' was a biting, satirical, and intensely rhythmic critique of American media and systemic racism, delivered over sparse, funky percussion. Fusing jazz, blues, and soul, Scott-Heron spent the 1970s chronicling the Black American experience with unparalleled eloquence, tackling topics from apartheid to substance abuse in tracks like 'The Bottle.' Despite his profound intellect, he battled a severe, decades-long addiction to crack cocaine, a struggle he documented with haunting honesty on his acclaimed 2010 comeback album, 'I'm New Here.' He died on May 27, 2011, at the age of 62. He remains one of the most vital, fearless voices in African American cultural history.
Milestones
The Revolution Will Not Be Televised, The Bottle, Pieces of a Man
Also remembered in 2011
- Amy Winehouse (1983–2011)
- Clarence Clemons (1942–2011)
- Gary Moore (1952–2011)
- Nate Dogg (1969–2011)