RIP Gil Scott-Heron April 1, 1949~ May 27, 2011

Sad news for the music and poetry world. Gil Scott-Heron has died at the age of 62. Gil was an amazing musician, singer, and most importantly writer. He talked about what it really felt like to be Black in America after the 60's. The struggles to keep an identity and thrive in a world where we were considered "others". He talked about wrong doings in politics, the seasons, and having a good time being alive. He was in essence the perfect package with all the right words and the dopest beats.

I learned about him from my mom who had long known of him and saw him perform as a kid. My little brother dances wildly when his music comes on, it's so soothing and beautiful and perfect. More and more he became my motivation to seek a truer form of myself and figure out my identity and role in our American society. He also just made me want to look outside and see beauty :) Me and my mom are so bummed we didn't make it to Coachella last year when he performed to promote his newest and last album I'm New Here.

He wrote with Stevie Wonder and has been sampled by Kanye West and Jay-Z and now that he's gone... I don't know what to make of music. Michael Jackson is dead, Led Zeppelin defunct and Stevie Wonder is a freaking talk show host. Gil, you're gonna be hella missed here. I wish I could have seen you live with your cool afro and old man hat.

When I broke the news to my mom she was stunned, the whole fam sat and listened to his cd and had an impromptu party, by morning she was in tears. He was her favorite artist, and one that will stay a part of our musical vocabulary forever. Rest in Peace Gil, I hope it's better than you could ever have imagined. You were the truth articulated to the open eared masses.