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Obituaries Top Stories
Gil Scott-Heron dies
By CMU Editorial | Published on Tuesday 31 May 2011
The legendary Gil Scott-Heron died on Friday afternoon, aged 62, after falling sick during his recent trip to Europe.
Born to a football playing father and musical mother, Scott-Heron spent his early years in Tennessee before moving to New York with his mother aged twelve. There a teacher spotted his potential as an emerging poet and writer, and helped him win a scholarship to the private Fieldston School. He subsequently attended Lincoln University in Pennsylvania, where he met his long-time musical collaborator Brian Jackson, though he dropped out of college to work on his first novels, ‘The Vulture’ and ‘The Nigger Factory’, and a collection of poetry.
His first musical project, ‘Small Talk At 125th And Lenox’, was released in 1970 and, despite everything that followed, may well be the work for which he is most remembered: politically-charged spoken word over a musical backing. It also included what is probably his most famous track, ‘The Revolution Will Not Be Televised’. Four albums followed in the next five years – ‘Pieces Of A Man’, ‘Free Will’, ‘Winter In America’ and ‘Midnight Band: The First Minute Of A New Day’ – in the main more musical than the debut, as Scott-Heron and Jackson explored the potential of the soul, jazz and funk genres.
As the eighties began Scott-Heron’s work became ever more influential, especially on the emerging hip hop scene, earning him the oft-used title of the Godfather Of Rap. Despite that, Arista Records decided to drop the Godfather from its roster in 1985, and though he continued to tour, Scott-Heron’s recorded output halted for a time. He maintained his political edge throughout though, supporting both the anti-nuclear and anti-apartheid movements, and becoming a regular critic of Ronald Reagan’s government during the 80s.
And when he briefly returned to recorded music via a deal with TVT in 1993, he made another of his more famous tracks, ‘Message To The Messengers’, calling on the increasingly violent hip hop fraternity to focus their lyrical efforts on pushing for political and social reform, rather than pursuing personal vendettas. Although he continued to write, record and perform, and to garner acclaim, in his later years Scott-Heron struggled with drug addiction, and ran into trouble with the law on various occasions as a result. His output declined, despite promises of new work being in the offing.
But then, in 2010. he released his first studio album in sixteen years, over two years in the making, the widely acclaimed ‘I’m New Here’. Seemingly back on form, many were excited about what was to come, though his health was always an issue, he having admitted to being HIV positive in 2008. The exact cause of his death last week is not known, though it was very likely linked to that condition.
Among the many artists paying tribute on the internet this weekend were Eminem, who tweeted “RIP Gil Scott Heron, he influenced all of hip hop”, while Chuck D wrote “RIP GSH… and we do what we do and how we do because of you, and to those that don’t know, tip your hat with a hand over your heart and recognise”. One time Black Star member Talib Kweli added: “I met Gil Scott-Heron at SOBs in 1993, I went to see him perform, he completely influenced me as an artist”.
XL Recordings chief Richard Russell, who worked on and released ‘I’m New Here’, wrote a tribute on his blog, remarking: “Gil meant a massive amount to me, as he did to so many people. His talent was immense. He was a a master lyricist, singer, orator, and keyboard player. His spirit was immense. He channelled something that people derived huge benefit from. He was incredibly generous in how he dealt with me, encouraging me to write and produce with him and rediscover my own creativity through him. He never questioned my ability to do these things, even when I did. I have shared some of the best experiences of my life with Gil, and I feel so privileged to have known him”.
