Photo: Studio Rockers
They were hailed as voices of the civil rights movement, they’re regarded as true hip hop pioneers, and, most importantly, they’re still 100% at it. It seems, in fact, like The Last Poets are more active today in 2018 than ever. The project was founded in 1968 based on the pessimistic prophecy that poetry would one day be replaced by weapons. But even half a century later, the Last Poets continue fighting to prevent the development of language into mere accessory, and fighting for its function as a means of analysis, criticism, and change. In the middle of May, the collective, which consists of Abiodun Oyewole and Umar Bin Hassan (both involved since the first release in 1970) and Baba Donn Babatunde, reached out into the world again with the release »Understand What Black Is«. As far as celebrating goes, there’s their 50th birthday; as far as critique goes, well, there’s a lot. But none of them would ever think of giving up. There’s too much to say and too much to do, now more than ever.
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