He met musician Brian Jackson at Lincoln University, Pennsylvania and formed the Midnight Express Band, who performed a mixture of soul, jazz and what would later be described as rapping. Their first release, 'Small Talk At 125th and Lenox' was mostly made up from poems, but as further releases followed, Scott-Herons versatility shone through, leading to many other artists choosing to cover his songs.
In 1973 he had a minor hit with 'The Bottle', which has since become a classic of the jazz-funk genre and has seen many re-releases. The lyrics depicting alcoholism reducing a man to life on the street are contrasted with an upbeat jazz tune, which helps add to the message as the song and the desperation of the character in the song builds throughout.
Several subsequent albums stuck more rigidly to his jazz roots, but later releases showed a willingness to enter the pop arena, although his characteristic lyrical protests remained throughout. In 1976 this formula bore fruit with a disco influenced anti-apartheid hit, 'Johannesburg'.
A 1981 album, 'Reflections', featured an excellent cover version of Marvin Gaye's 'Inner City Blues', but his forte remained the protest song allied to insanely catchy funk songs. American politics were attacked in 'B-Movie', which was another minor hit in the Reagan era of 1982.
Issues addressed by Scott-Heron's lyrics have included nuclear power, apartheid, poverty and the failings of America in general, and the more politically minded members of the rap community such as Public Enemy were quite obviously influenced by his output. He once described himself as an 'interpreter of the black experience', which sums up both his importance as a social commentator and his awareness that there are many sides to any discussion he may have entered into on his recordings.
Unfortunately, problems with addiction caught up with Gil Scott-Heron in the late 90's and he has spent time in prison for drug offences in recent years, although this does not seem to have affected his standing as a huge influence on funk and soul music, and the consciousness of the Afro-American community in general.
IF YOU LIKE THESE, YOU'LL LIKE GIL SCOTT-HERON: Public Enemy, Disposable Heroes of HipHoprisy, Spearhead, Linton Kwesi-Johnson, The Last Poets, Jamiroquai, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Outkast.