“The Revolution Will Not Be Televised” – Gil Scott-Heron (April 1, 1949 – May 27, 2011)
Perhaps Gil Scott-Heron’s best-known piece, “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised” is a ground-shaking body of work from the American soul and jazz poet. Widely considered the godfather for contemporary soul and hip-hop, the late musician and author will be honoured with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2012 Grammy Awards. “For more than 40 years, Gil Scott-Heron generated an international following with his dynamic, revolutionary musical performances, unforgettable voice, and profound lyrics,” noted the Grammy Committee in a statement.
The “bluesologist”
Born in Chicago to an American opera singer mother and Jamaican soccer player father on April 1, 1949, Scott-Heron’s formative years saw him primarily raised by his mother and grandmother in Jackson, Tenn., before moving to New York City. It is in this environment where he developed a love for poetry and aptitude for piano playing.
The self-described “bluesologist” officially kicked off his recording career in the late-1960s. By the time he was 23, Scott-Heron had three albums, two novels and a poetry book to his credit. His first recording project was in 1970 with the socially conscious Small Talk at 125th and Lenox. He would then release The Revolution Will Not Be Televised, a satirical spoken-word poem that was later released on the 1974 compilation album of the same name. The album, with its insightful treatise on current world affairs, socio-economics and contemporary blackness had a huge influence on the sensibilities of contemporary soul music and the emerging hip-hop movement at the time. The 1970s saw Scott-Heron (along with long-time collaborator, composer and pianist Brian Johnson) develop a unique and free-flowing fusion of jazz, funk and soul to find success on the R&B charts with 1971’s Pieces of a Man, 1972’s Free Will and 1974’s Winter in America.
Much like R&B contemporaries Marvin Gaye, Isaac Hayes and Curtis Mayfield, Scott-Heron’s soulful and jazzy music was a sincere attempt to mirror the intensely turbulent and distrustful societal vibe of the day. In doing so, songs like “Johannesburg,” “Angel Dust,” and “The Bottle” reinforced Scott-Heron as a solid new voice in the world of modern black music.
The progenitor of today’s soul and hip-hop
In the 1980s, Scott-Heron saw moderate success with R&B singles “B Movie” and “Re-Ron” (a damning statement on the administration of then-American president Ronald Reagan). He would later stop recording and drop out of the musical and performing spotlight, at which time he would unfortunately battle drug addiction and subsequently be hit with a series of drug possession charges. In 2010, however, Scott-Heron re-emerged with the well-received and critically acclaimed project I’m New Here. He ultimately wouldn’t get to fully enjoy his return to mainstream prominence; on May 27, 2011, Scott-Heron passed away in New York City shortly after returning from a trip to Europe.
Described as both “the godfather of rap” and “the black Bob Dylan,” Scott-Heron’s musical and poetic sound can rest be described as eclectic: a lush, bluesy soul, a melismatic vocal flow, and powerful street poet political sensibilities. It’s an innovative sound that has influenced many of today’s artists in the worlds of R&B and hip-hop (think Kanye West, Common, Mos Def and The Roots, along with neo-soul artists like D’Angelo, Maxwell and Lauryn Hill). Scott-Heron’s family formally released a statement acknowledging the Lifetime Achievement Grammy: "We deeply appreciate the 2012 Lifetime Achievement Award bestowed upon Gil Scott-Heron by the National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Gil believed deeply in the eternity of the spirit; and we believe his spirit is at peace and pleased.”
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