Gil Scott-Heron, A Poet in Every Sense of the Word

When Pieces Of A Man was recorded in 1971, Gil Scott-Heron was only 22 years old. Scott-Heron was first a student of the English language at Lincoln University, after being inspired by the works of Langston Hughes at such a vital time for Black inspiration.

While developing his technique for innate lyrical ability, he dropped out and teamed up with a good friend, multi-instrumentalist Brian Jackson, and recorded one of the most essential albums of the 1970s.

At this point, Scott-Heron could already call himself a poet. He released a few musical projects beforehand, as well as a thrilling novel. For at some point, all his talent was translated at the right time and place. Pieces Of A Man was recorded in April of 1971 and was released later in the year.

Enriched with fourteen consciously potent and luscious tracks, this could have been recognized as just a very good Soul album. Although, when tracing down the lineage of lyrical music and the birth of Hip-Hop, many students of the genre trace back to this album. Why is that?

The first Hip-Hop record to gain commercial notoriety was Sugarhill Gang’s Rapper’s Delight in 1979. Rapper’s Delight held the essential components that translated Hip-Hop’s birth, with the 808 drums breaks and dance-worthy grooves. Pieces Of A Man is not something to dance to, but to invariably rejoice to.