Gilbert "Gil" Scott-Heron (April 1, 1949 – May 27, 2011) was an American soul and jazz poet, musician, and author, known primarily for his work as a spoken word performer in the 1970s and '80s. His collaborative efforts with musician Brian Jackson featured a musical fusion of jazz, blues, and soul, as well as lyrical content concerning social and political issues of the time, delivered in both rapping and melismatic vocal styles by Scott-Heron. His own term for himself was "bluesologist", which he defined as "a scientist who is concerned with the origin of the blues." His music, most notably on Pieces of a Man and Winter in America in the early 1970s, influenced and helped engender later African-American music genres such as hip hop and His recording work received much critical acclaim, especially one of his best-known compositions "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised". His poetic style has influenced every generation of hip hop.
The original Very Best Of.. album was released in 1984. This is the CD version with a few key adjustments. The Bottle was replaced with the proper studio version (from 1974's Winter In America album) and the abridged B-Movie was replaced with the full 12 minute opus. "Bonus" tracks were also added to this version.
Many refer to Gil Scott Heron as the godfather of rap. Whether you see him as a genuine soul-man, a militant, a poet, a drugged up jazz player, or even just a thorn in the side of the political classes - his musical legacy is immense.
Tracklist: Inspired by an album released on Arista Records (206 618) in 1984, bonus edition edited by Everything Starts
01. The Revolution Will Not Be Televised 02. The Bottle 03. Winter In America 04. Johannesburg 05. Ain't No Such Thing As Superman 06. Re-Ron 07. Shut 'Em Down 08. Angel Dust 09. 'B' Movie 10. Washington D.C. 11. H20gate Blues 12. Fast Lane 13. Lady Day And John Coltrane 14. Your Daddy Loves You (For Gia Louise) 15. A Legend In His Own Mind