History Music / GilScottHeron

Gilbert Scott-Heron (April 1, 1949 – May 27, 2011) was an American poet who rose to prominence during TheSeventies when he released readings of his poetry on record, accompanied by congas and bongo drums. This gave these albums the same repeated listenability as regular music. The man was praised for his political and social consciousness. He addressed both racial and social problems within the United States, as elsewhere. He criticized UsefulNotes/RonaldReagan's politics, as well as the [[UsefulNotes/TheApartheidEra Apartheid]] system in UsefulNotes/SouthAfrica.

* CareerResurrection: After a 16-year hiatus owing to personal and legal issues regarding drug addiction, he reemerged with ''I'm New Here'' an album which re-established him as a CoolOldGuy one year before his death.
* CoolOldGuy: What he became following his CareerResurrection.

His GreatestHitsAlbum ''Music/TheRevolutionWillNotBeTelevised'' (1974) compiles all the best tracks from his previous albums and has become a CultClassic. It was added to the UsefulNotes/NationalRecordingRegistry in 2005. The album title has become so iconic that most people [[PopCulturalOsmosis might not even be aware of its origin]]. Even here on Website/TVTropes it inspired no less than '''five(!)''' [[PunBasedTitle punny titles]]: TheResolutionWillNotBeIdentified, TheResolutionWillNotBeTelevised, TheRevolutionWillNotBeBureaucratized, TheRevolutionWillNotBeCivilized and TheRevolutionWillNotBeVilified.

* AngryBlackMan: He was definitely very socially conscious about injustice in society, specifically to Afro-Americans.

His GreatestHitsAlbum ''Music/TheRevolutionWillNotBeTelevised'' (1974) compiles all the best tracks from his previous albums and has become a CultClassic. It was added to the UsefulNotes/NationalRecordingRegistry in 2005. The album title has become so iconic that most people [[PopCulturalOsmosis might not even be aware of its origin]]. Even here on Wiki/TVTropes it inspired no less than '''five(!)''' [[PunBasedTitle punny titles]]: TheResolutionWillNotBeIdentified, TheResolutionWillNotBeTelevised, TheRevolutionWillNotBeBureaucratized, TheRevolutionWillNotBeCivilized and TheRevolutionWillNotBeVilified.

'''Albums'''

* DrugsAreBad: "Home Is Where The Hatred" is about an AddledAddict trying to quit, and "The Bottle" follows several characters whose lives were ruined by [[DrowningMySorrows alcoholism]].
* UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfHipHop: He is seen as proto-hiphop, but despite his influence on the genre Scott-Heron was very critical of a lot of rappers whom he saw as people who didn't focus on a good balance between vocal delivery and music enough and did more posing than actually engaging in action.

* SpokenWordInMusic: He always recited his poetry, rather than sing them, but it still comes across as singing, because there is musical accompaniment in the background.
* TakeThat: "B-Movie" was aimed at UsefulNotes/RonaldReagan's administration.

* DrugsAreBad: "Home Is Where The Hatred" is about an AddledAddict trying to quit.

* ConsciousHipHop and PoliticalRap: Scott-Heron's recordings are considered to be a precursor of politically and socially conscious hip hop.

His GreatestHitsAlbum ''Music/TheRevolutionWillNotBeTelevised'' (1974) compiles all the best tracks from his previous albums and has become a CultClassic. It was added to the UsefulNotes/NationalRecordingRegistry in 2005. The album title has become so iconic that most people [[PopCulturalOsmosis might not even be aware of its origin?]]. Even here on Wiki/TVTropes it inspired no less than '''five(!)''' [[PunBasedTitle punny titles]]: TheResolutionWillNotBeIdentified, TheResolutionWillNotBeTelevised, TheRevolutionWillNotBeBureaucratized, TheRevolutionWillNotBeCivilized and TheRevolutionWillNotBeVilified.

Gilbert "Gil" Scott-Heron (April 1, 1949 – May 27, 2011) was an Afro-American poet who rose to prominence during TheSeventies when he released readings of his poetry on record, accompanied by congas and bongo drums. This gave these albums the same repeated listenability as regular music. The man was praised for his political and social consciousness. He addressed both racial and social problems within the United States, as elsewhere. He criticized UsefulNotes/RonaldReagan's politics, as well as the [[UsefulNotes/TheApartheidEra Apartheid]] system in UsefulNotes/SouthAfrica.

* FunnyAfro: Scott-Heron sported one.

* TheResolutionWillNotBeTelevised: TropeNamer, and thus indirect trope namer for...
** TheResolutionWillNotBeIdentified
** TheRevolutionWillNotBeBureaucratized
** TheRevolutionWillNotBeCivilized: TropeNamer. In this musically accompanied poem Scott-Heron predicts that the revolution will not be broadcast on TV for you to enjoy from your lazy seat, but it will indeed be a real society changing revolt that not to be taken lightly.
** TheRevolutionWillNotBeVilified: TropeNamer. The album announces a revolution in a cool, but self-assured way that makes the listener believe that it will be a just event.

Gil Scott-Heron (1949-2011) was an Afro-American poet who rose to prominence during TheSeventies when he released readings of his poetry on record, accompanied by congas and bongo drums. This gave these albums the same repeated listenability as regular music. The man was praised for his political and social consciousness. He addressed both racial and social problems within the United States, as elsewhere. He criticized UsefulNotes/RonaldReagan's politics, as well as the [[UsefulNotes/TheApartheidEra Apartheid]] system in UsefulNotes/SouthAfrica.

'''Gil Scott-Heron''' (1949-2011) was an Afro-American poet who rose to prominence during TheSeventies when he released readings of his poetry on record, accompanied by congas and bongo drums. This gave these albums the same repeated listenability as regular music. The man was praised for his political and social consciousness. He addressed both racial and social problems within the United States, as elsewhere. He criticized UsefulNotes/RonaldReagan's politics, as well as the [[UsefulNotes/TheApartheidEra Apartheid]] system in UsefulNotes/SouthAfrica.

* ConsciousHiphop and PoliticalRap: Scott-Heron's recordings are considered to be a precursor of politically and socially conscious hiphop.

'''Gil Scott-Heron''' (1949-2011) was an Afro-American poet who rose to prominence during TheSeventies when he released readings of his poetry on record, accompanied by congas and bongo drums. This gave these albums the same repeated listenability as regular music. The man was praised for his political and social consciousness. He addressed both racial and social problems within the United States, as elsewhere. He criticized UsefulNotes/RonaldReagan's politics, as well as the [[UsefulNotes/TheApartheidEra Apartheid]] system in South Africa.

Scott-Heron's importance within the Afro-American and black consciousness movement can't be overstated. He is regarded as a lyricist and ProtestSong writer on the same level as Music/BobDylan. Together with Music/TheLastPoets, he is also seen as a precursor to {{Hiphop}}, because his [[Creator/TheBeatGeneration beat poetry]] backed by a musical background is very similar to the later practice of rappers doing the same over a sample. As a result he has been cited as an inspirational hero to rappers as diverse as Music/PublicEnemy, Music/{{Usher}}, Music/{{Eminem}}, Music/LupeFiasco and Music/KanyeWest who all refer to him as "the godfather of rap". Naturally, Scott-Heron's voice is SampledUp to this day by ConsciousHipHop and PoliticalRap artists.

His GreatestHitsAlbum ''Music/TheRevolutionWillNotBeTelevised'' (1974) compiles all the best tracks from his previous albums and has become a CultClassic. It was added to the UsefulNotes/NationalRecordingRegistry in 2005. The album title has become so iconic that most people [[PopCulturalOsmosis might not even be aware of its origin?]]. Even here on TV Tropes it inspired no less than '''five(!)''' [[PunBasedTitle punny titles]]: TheResolutionWillNotBeIdentified, TheResolutionWillNotBeTelevised, TheRevolutionWillNotBeBureaucratized, TheRevolutionWillNotBeCivilized and TheRevolutionWillNotBeVilified.

* UsefulNotes/TheGoldenAgeOfHiphop: He is seen as proto-hiphop, but despite his influence on the genre Scott-Heron was very critical of a lot of rappers whom he saw as people who didn't focus on a good balance between vocal delivery and music enough and did more posing than actually engaging in action.

* TheResolutionWillNotBeIdentified: TropeNamer.
* TheResolutionWillNotBeTelevised: TropeNamer.
* TheRevolutionWillNotBeBureaucratized: TropeNamer.
* TheRevolutionWillNotBeCivilized: TropeNamer. In this musically accompanied poem Scott-Heron predicts that the revolution will not be broadcast on TV for you to enjoy from your lazy seat, but it will indeed be a real society changing revolt that not to be taken lightly.
* TheRevolutionWillNotBeVilified: TropeNamer. The album announces a revolution in a cool, but self-assured way that makes the listener believe that it will be a just event.

* TheGoldenAgeOfHiphop: He is seen as proto-hiphop, but despite his influence on the genre Scott-Heron was very critical of a lot of rappers whom he saw as people who didn't focus on a good balance between vocal delivery and music enough and did more posing than actually engaging in action.

His MagnumOpus is ''Music/TheRevolutionWillNotBeTelevised'' (1974), a GreatestHitsAlbum which compiles all the best tracks from his previous albums and has become a CultClassic. It was added to the UsefulNotes/NationalRecordingRegistry in 2005. The album title has become so iconic that most people [[PopCulturalOsmosis might not even be aware of its origin?]]. Even here on TV Tropes it inspired no less than '''five(!)''' [[PunBasedTitle punny titles]]: TheResolutionWillNotBeIdentified, TheResolutionWillNotBeTelevised, TheRevolutionWillNotBeBureaucratized, TheRevolutionWillNotBeCivilized and TheRevolutionWillNotBeVilified.