Gil Scott-Heron
1 catalogued object connected to Gil Scott-Heron.
Biography
Person.
Photograph: mikael altemark. Existing Commons crop by Calliopejen1; colour balance by Robman94.
CC BY 2.0 · via Wikimedia Commons.
Gil Scott-Heron (1949–2011) was an American poet, musician and novelist whose work brought spoken poetry into dialogue with blues, jazz, soul and funk. His writing addressed racism, politics and mass media, and his rhythmic delivery became an important influence on hip-hop.
His first album, Small Talk at 125th and Lenox, included The Revolution Will Not Be Televised. Alongside recordings such as The First Minute of a New Day and Reflections, he published poetry collections, novels and a memoir. He also worked with Stevie Wonder to support a national holiday honouring Martin Luther King Jr.
His late work included I'm New Here (2010), produced by Richard Russell. We're New Here (2011), credited to Scott-Heron and Jamie xx, reworked those recordings alongside material from his earlier career. Jamie xx placed Scott-Heron's voice within UK garage, dubstep and electronic textures, drawing on his experiences in clubs including Plastic People. The album created a direct connection between Scott-Heron's poetry and contemporary British club culture.
Reviewed 2026-09-06Selected sources
- Poetry Foundation — Gil Scott-HeronLife dates, poetry, recordings, prose and political activity.
- Rock & Roll Hall of Fame — Gil Scott-HeronMusical forms, satire and social commentary.
- Guardian — I'm New HereRelease; producer.
- Jamie xx — We're New HereJoint artist credit and February 2011 release.
- Martin Clark / Blackdown — Jamie xx interviewRemix project and Plastic People influence.
- Fact — Jamie xx on the Scott-Heron remix albumUse of earlier recordings alongside I'm New Here.
- The National — We're New Here reviewUK garage and dubstep elements.