The Last Poets - Niggers Are Scared of Revolution

Shortly after the death of Dr. Martin Luther King in 1968, The Last Poets were born in the form of Jalal Mansur Nuriddin, Omar Ben Hassan, and Abiodun Oyewole. They are widely considered the first official hip-hop artists, the original purveyors of the "spiel," men whose mere existence paved the way for three generations of soul and hip-hop artists to express themselves as true griots of the inner city. If you're a fan of A Tribe Called Quest, you might have first been exposed to The Last Poets as I was when Tribe sampled their poem "Time Is Runing Out" on the track "Excursions," Born out of Nuriddin's choice to go to jail rather than to fight in Vietnam, the three men's passionate responses to their own experiences gestated while they were encarcerated together. Upon release from prison, they developed The Last Poets into a musical happening, sharing their common and uncommon experiences on street corners all throughout Harlem. Over the last 27 years, the Poets' attacks on the middle class, racism, and even on their own community have been more than just influential. The Last Poets were not just the voices of revolution; they were the revolution. This classic piece, "Niggers Are Scared of Revolution," comes from their first album, simply entitled The Last Poets. This is a must-own piece of history for any true fan of hip-hop.

Thanks to Snally Gaster and allmusic.com