The Last Poets are often heralded as the “godfathers of Hip Hop.” Their politically charged brand of poetry served as inspiration for a bevy of notable artists such as Marvin Gaye, Parliament-Funkadelic, Kanye West, Nas, Common, Curtis Mayfield and Public Enemy.
On Tuesday (May 19), the Universal Hip Hop Museum and Video Music Box in association with the Seeds of The Last Poets Productions will host a virtual event titled “Bridging The Gap: An Evening of Conversation with the Last Poets,” honoring the 50th anniversary of the groundbreaking group’s self-titled debut.
Special guests include Rakim, KRS-One, Chuck D, Black Thought, Chubb Rock, Doug E Fresh. Jadakiss, Rapsody and Smif-N-Wessun, among others.
The event, which is hosted by Ralph McDaniels of Video Music Box, features dynamic footage from Rakim, Chuck D, Chubb Rock, filmmaker Michael Holman and spoken word artist Jessica Care Moore in a conversation with the surviving members of the group Abiodun Oyewole, Umar Bin Hassan and Don Babatunde.
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Founding member Jalal Mansur Nuriddin — also known as the “Grandfather of Hip Hop” — died in June 2018 at the age of 74.
"Grandfather Of Rap" Jalal Mansur Nuriddin Of The Last Poets Dead At 74
Established in 1968, The Last Poets have witnessed a resurgence in popularity beginning in the early 1990s, appearing alongside such acts as the Beastie Boys and A Tribe Called Quest and collaborating with Common on the Grammy Award-nominated track “The Corner” produced by Kanye.
The event kicks off at 7 p.m. EST and will be live streamed on Facebook.
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Hip Hop has been leading the way with innovating livestream events taking place throughout the pandemic. From DJ D-Nice’s record breaking DJ sets on Instagram live and Tory Lanez’ Quarantine radio, to Swizz Beatz and Timbaland’s Verzuz series, there has been no shortage of content for fans to consume while quarantining.
