Gilbert Scott‑Heron (April 1, 1949 – May 27, 2011) was an American jazz poet, singer, musician and author, known for his work as a spoken‑word performer in the 1970s and 1980s. His collaborations with musician Brian Jackson blended jazz, blues and soul with lyrics addressing social and political issues of the era, delivered through both rapped passages and melismatic vocal styles. He described himself as a “bluesologist,” his term for “a scientist who is concerned with the origin of the blues.” His poem “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised,” performed over a jazz‑soul groove, is regarded as a major influence on hip‑hop music. Scott‑Heron’s recordings — particularly the albums Pieces of a Man and Winter in America in the early 1970s — influenced and anticipated later African‑American genres including hip‑hop and neo‑soul. His work received significant critical acclaim, especially for “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised.” AllMusic’s John Bush called him “one of the most important progenitors of rap music,” noting that his direct, street‑level poetry inspired generations of socially aware rappers, while his songwriting also earned him success on the R&B charts later in his career. Scott‑Heron remained active until his death. In 2010, he released I’m New Here, his first new album in 16 years. His long‑gestating memoir, The Last Holiday, was published posthumously in January 2012. He received a posthumous Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award that same year.
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Me And The Devil
I’m New Here
Angola, Louisiana
The Bottle
We almost Lost Detroit
Angel Dust
Inner city blues
Revolution Will Not Be Televised
Home Is Where the Hatred Is
Winter In America
Lady Day And John Coltrane
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