Gil Scott-Heron

USA, 1970–2011

American poet and musician (1949-2011) who put plain political speech over jazz and soul rhythm sections. 'The Revolution Will Not Be Televised' and Pieces of a Man made a form that rap grew out of, a decade before it had a name — a debt he spent his life declining to accept.

MusicRoots documents 5 artists who influenced Gil Scott-Heron and 0 artists Gil Scott-Heron influenced in turn. Every connection cites a published source.

Who influenced Gil Scott-Heron?

• The Last Poets — They played Lincoln University in 1969 and Scott-Heron went up afterwards and asked Abiodun Oyewole whether he could start a group like theirs. He could.
• John Coltrane — One of the musicians Scott-Heron named as an influence — the jazz his spoken verse is set against rather than sung over.
• Otis Redding — Named among his influences, and the soul end of a voice usually discussed as poetry.
• Billie Holiday — Named among his influences — phrasing that puts the words ahead of the note.
• Nina Simone — Named among his influences, and the closest precedent for what he did: politics stated outright inside a musical performance.