Remembering Gil Scott Heron

Just last week, poet/musician/author Gil Scott Heron died at the age of 62. He was one of the earliest "rappers", who spoke his mind by putting his anger into song. Since this relates to my junior theme, I figured I would talk about this a little bit.

Living in New York at a time when the inner city was just about the worst place you could be in, Heron was angry at the disparities that existed been whites and blacks as well as upper-class and lower-class. Because of these disparities, many youth in New York resorted to violence as a means of letting out their anger. Heron, however, had a different method. A talented young writer, he put poems and stories to a beat, hoping that somehow they would reach the attention of the world. His songs "The Revolution Will Not Be Televised" and "Whitey on the Moon" are two of the best examples of these themes (and also his most popular).

His music not only became the roots of rap music, but he helped change New York. Because of music like this, kids began to express themselves in rhyme and song rather than using violence. Rap music became an escape for these kids, and, I think Heron would be quite happy to know that these stories have reached a mainstream audience. He started a revolution that not only changed how African-American kids in low-income areas view the world, but also how the world views them.