Gil Scott-Heron

Gil Scott-Heron (1949–2011) was an American poet, singer and musician whose fusion of spoken word, jazz and soul in the early 1970s made him one of the most direct forerunners of hip-hop, often called the Godfather of rap. He began his career as a novelist before turning to recorded music with the 1970 album Small Talk at 125th and Lenox, which introduced «The Revolution Will Not Be Televised» and «Whitey on the Moon» — tracks that paired biting social commentary with a rhythmic, near-spoken delivery over sparse instrumentation.

Working closely with musician and arranger Brian Jackson through the 1970s, Scott-Heron built a catalogue addressing racism, poverty, addiction and political hypocrisy in songs like «Home Is Where the Hatred Is», «We Almost Lost Detroit» and «“B” Movie», blending jazz-funk grooves with a conversational, proto-rap cadence. His delivery treated the news of the day as raw material for verse, closer to journalism than singing.

His influence extended far beyond his own recordings, shaping generations of rap and spoken-word artists who cite his politically engaged delivery as a template. Late in his career he returned to recording with 2010's I'm New Here, introducing his work to a younger audience shortly before his death in 2011.