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The Last Poets evolved out of a 1969 Harlem writers' workshop known as "East Wind." Jalal Mansur Nuriddin , Umar Bin Hassan , and Abiodun Oyewole , along with percussionist Nilaja , are generally considered the primary and core members of the group, as they appeared on the group's 1970 self-titled debut (contracted by noted Jimi Hendrix producer Alan Douglas ) and, in various combinations, on subsequent releases. Other early East Wind alum, however -- Felipe Luciano , Gylan Kain , and David Nelson -- recorded separately as " The Original Last Poets ," gaining some renown as the soundtrack artists for the 1971 film "Right On!". Having reached top-10 charts success with their debut album, the Last Poets went on to release the follow-up, '' This Is Madness '', without then-incarcerated Abiodun Oyewole, an album which featured more politically charged poetry and which resulted in the group being listed as part of the Counter-intelligence program (founded by then-President Richard Nixon ). Hassan left the group following ''This Is Madness'', to be replaced by Sulieman El-Hadi in time for '' Chastisement '' ( 1972 ). The album introduced a sound the group called " Jazzoetry ", leaving behind the spare percussion of the previous albums in favor of a blending of Jazz and Funk instrumentation with Poetry . The remainder of the 1970s saw a decline in the group's popularity. In the 1980s and beyond, however, the group gained renewed renown with the rise of Rap , often being name-checked as grandfathers and founders of the new music movement, and themselves collaborated with Bristol based British Post Punk band The Pop Group , among others. Nuriddin and El-Hadi (El-Hadi is now deceased) worked on several projects under the Last Poets name, including 1984's ''Oh My People'' and 1988's '' Freedom Express'', after which Oyewole and Hassan began recording seperatedly under the same name, releasing ''Holy Terror'' in 1995. More recently ''The Last Poets'' found their fame again refreshed for collaborated with rap artist Common on the song "The Corner," as well as with on Wu-Tang Clan-affiliated political rap group " Black Market Militia " on the song "The Final Call." SELECT DISCOGRAPHY
:: (Poets: Abiodun Oyewole, Alafia Pudim (a.k.a. Jalal Mansur Nuriddin), & Omar Bin Hassan)
:: (Poets: Alafia Pudim (a.k.a. Jalal Mansur Nuriddin) & Omar Bin Hassan)
:: (Poets: Jalal Mansur Nuriddin & Sulieman El-Hadi)
:: (Poets: Jalaluddin Mansur Nuriddin, Sulieman El-Hadi, & Omar Bin Hassan)
:: (Poets: Jalaluddin Mansur Nuriddin & Sulieman El-Hadi)
:: (Poets: Sulieman El-Hadi & Jalaluddin Mansur Nuriddin)
:: (Poets: Sulienman El-Hadi & Jalaluddin Mansur Nuriddin)
:: (Poets: Sulieman El-Hadi & Jalaluddin Mansur Nuriddin)
:: (Poets: Abiodun Oyewole & Umar Bin Hassan) BOOKS Vibes from the scribes - Pluto Press 1985 Foreword to "Ordinary Guy" by Mark T. Watson (a.k.a. Malik Al Nasir )- Fore-Word Press 2004 EXTERNAL LINKS |
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