'HISTORY OR HIS STORY?’ - RAP PIONEER

Today we celebrate the birthday of the brilliant conscious poet and godfather of rap, Gil-Scott Heron (1949-2011). This brother left a permanent mark on music, poetry and culture at-large with his profound lyricism and jazzy instrumentals. Some credit him with being, if not among the originators of hip hop, then certainly a source of inspiration for the music.

Heron’s work was inherently and deeply political. Writing and performing with a purpose, his voice wailed for revolution and the liberation of Africans worldwide. While his most popular poem, "The Revolution Will Not be Televised,” served as the perfect ballad to the Black Power Movement, his song, “Johannesburg,” raised awareness of the conditions for Black South Africans under apartheid.

In this poem, 'His Story,' recited during his 1982 concert Black Wax, Heron shows how mainstream colonial rhetoric and language shapes our perception of Africa and the world. Performed over forty years ago, it remains relatable and relevant. Though born in Chicago, Heron’s poetic stanzas focus uniquely on the African continent.