Another of the modern day greats, poet and musician Gil Scott-Heron, has passed on. He died Friday afternoon in New York according to his book publisher. He was 62. As an influential poet and musician, Scott-Heron is often credited with being one of the founding fathers of hip-hop, and is best known for the spoken-word piece “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised.”
Scott-Heron struggled publicly with substance abuse in the 2000s, and spent the early part of the decade in and out of jail on drug possession charges. He began performing again after his release in 2007, and in 2010 released a new album, “I’m New Here.”
At posting time, the specific details of his death had been released other than he was hospitalized after taking ill upon returning from a European trip.
