The legendary Gil-Scott Heron, the black radical poet, musician, composer, author, purveyor of spoken word and singer (whom many refer to lovingly with titles like “the black Bob Dylan” and “the godfather of rap”), has been long presumed dead due to his conspicuous absence from music. Though kept alive through retrospectives and reverential referencing of him by those whom he influenced, Scott-Heron himself seemingly vanished 15 years ago after an experimental and efficacious music career which spanned four decades. Like several of his contemporaries, Scott-Heron accrued a tremendous following and much of his success during the 1970’s and 1980’s, a short time after which he seemed to all but disappear. When Scott-Heron began failing to show up for scheduled concerts, rumors began to circulate over the course of many years about his cocaine abuse & health troubles. MORE »