Legendary poet and musician Gil Scott-Heron has died in hospital in New York at the age of 62. The artist, best-known for his track ‘The Revolution Will Not Be Televised’, is believed to have become ill after a recent trip to Europe, although the cause of his death remains unconfirmed. Scott-Heron’s spoken word poetry has frequently been cited as a major influence on modern rap music and many even referred to him as “the Godfather of Hip-Hop".
Known for the strong political messages included in his lyrics, Gil Scott-Heron often spoke about subjects such as racism, poverty and the apartheid in South Africa in his songs. He released his debut album ‘Small Talk at 125th and Lenox’ in 1970 and, until very recently, he had continued to frequently make music throughout his career. He released his 13th and final album ‘I’m New Here’ in 2010 through XL Recordings, reaching Number Six in the UK R&B Chart. The album featured a guest appearance from Damon Albarn on keyboards. Earlier this year, ‘I’m New Here’ was remixed and re-released by Jamie xx of The xx with the title ‘We’re New Here’. Scott-Heron visited the UK during 2010 for a number of live dates following the release of ‘I’m New Here’, including a headlining set at WOMAD festival in Wiltshire.
Artists including Talib Kweli and Public Enemy’s Chuck D have led tributes to Gil Scott-Heron on Twitter.
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