Considered “The Godfather of Rap” (which is an insult to the artist), Gil Scott-Heron’s music and world view is on display here on a fascinating 1982 documentary that finally makes it to DVD. Since he just recently left earth to receive his reward (or punishment?), it’s fitting that we get to see him at his apotheosis of creativity.
The film mixes some swinging and soulful concert footage as his rich baritone voice works amazingly well on the songs with the air-tight band. His monologues are poignant and at times hilarious, poking fun at just about everyone and everything both black and white. Spliced in between these concert scenes, we get Scott-Heron walking around Washington DC, singing along with a boom box of his own material and giving editorials on Reagan’s politics and American history. The irony of blacks being better off during that era than with the presidential administration would have been fodder for a current set of monologues, but we have to appreciate what we’ve got, and we get a lot here, both musically and culturally.
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