Last Poets

The Last Poets is a poetry collective and musical group that arose in the late 1960s as part of the African-American civil rights movement and black nationalism. The name was inspired by revolutionary South African poet Keorapetse Kgositsile who believed he was in the last era of poetry before guns took over.
The group originally composed of Jalaluddin Mansur Nuriddin, Umar Bin Hassan and Abiodun Oyewole. Lineup changes and departures led to offshoots, including The Original Last Poets composed of Oyewole, Gylan Kain and David Nelson. The versions of the group led by Nuriddin and Hassan had the largest impact on popular culture. The Last Poets were one of the earliest influences on hip-hop music. 
Critic Jason Ankeny wrote: "With their politically charged raps, taut rhythms, and dedication to raising African-American consciousness, the Last Poets almost single-handedly laid the groundwork for the emergence of hip-hop." The British music magazine NME stated, "Serious spokesmen like Gil Scott-Heron, The Last Poets, and later Gary Byrd, paved the way for the many socially committed Black [emcees] a decade later."
==Links to Peel==
Peel on his 09 May 1970 show strongly recommended the band's self titled Last Poets album, but said the track ('On The Subway') he included on the show is the only one he could play, because the other tracks contained swear words. Their track, 'Wake Up, (N)(i)(g)(g)(e)(r)(s)', was released on the movie Performance soundtrack, 'Performance: Original Motion Picture Sound Track', which Peel mentioned on his 05 September 1970 show as the best soundtrack album he had ever heard. He continued playing the band's material well into the 80's.
==Shows Played==
;thumb|220x220px1970
*09 May 1970: On The Subway (LP – The Last Poets) Douglas
;1982
*01 September 1982 (BFBS): True Blues (album - This Is Madness) Douglas
;1984
*26 April 1984: Long Enough (12") Kee Wee
*09 May 1984 (BFBS): Long Enough (12") Kee Wee
==See Also==
*Poetry
*Reaction
*Radio Geronimo
*Record Collection: V&A LPs
==External Links==
*Wikipedia
*Discogs
Category:Artists