By Robert Blair • April 1 2019

Even if you’re not familiar with Gil Scott-Heron, it’s likely you’ve unknowingly encountered his work in some form. The late artist’s poeticisms have taken on a life beyond their architect, from his extensive sampling in hip hop music, to cover versions like soul singer Leon Bridges’ recent resurrection of “Whitey On The Moon” for Damien Chazelle’s 2018 film First Man. This is no clearer than in the piece of socio-political sloganeering that the late poet, musician, and novelist is best known for.

“The Revolution Will Not Be Televised”, which appeared on Scott-Heron’s debut live album Small Talk at 125th & Lenox, addressed the dangers of commercialisation and complacency with its prophetic stanzas. The track transcended the real life nightclub on the corner of Harlem’s 125th Street and Lenox Avenue (the future Malcolm X Boulevard) that Scott-Heron honed his provocative material to ignite minds across the world. The phrase has since become a part of the collective cultural vernacular, and while it’s been somewhat disembodied from the man that coined it, Scott-Heron’s wider catalogue of polemical musings and artistic dissension remains as vital as ever.

Born 70 years ago today, Scott-Heron may no longer be here to personally reprimand society for its many transgressions (he died on May 27, 2011, aged 62), but his disciples come from every corner of the modern music sphere. Prolific in the 1970s and elusive thereafter, Heron’s bricolage of jazz, soul, and assertive spoken word would have a seismic effect on the music and popular culture that arrived in its wake, even if he was eager to downplay his contributions.

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