Gil Scott-Heron

Gil Scott-Heron (1949-2011) was an influential American poet, musician, author, and social critic, known as a pioneer of spoken word and jazz poetry, fusing jazz, soul, and funk with potent political and social commentary on racism, inequality, and injustice, making him a "Godfather of Hip-Hop" and the "Black Bob Dylan" for his work like "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised". Raised in Tennessee and New York, his early experiences with racism and exposure to Black literature shaped his powerful, activist voice, which became a cornerstone of Black consciousness and counterculture through albums with his band, The Midnight Band.