Gil Scott-Heron Dead At 62

According to his U.K. publisher Jamie Byng (via The Daily Swarm), Gil Scott-Heron, the celebrated poet, musician, and author, died today. He was 62 years old.

Scott-Heron’s cause of death remains unknown. The influential poet and musician is often credited with being one of the progenitors of hip-hop, and is best known for the spoken-word piece “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised.”

In 2010 Gil Scott-Heron released his first album in 15 years I’m New Here which featured a haunting video for the song, “Me and The Devil.” Kanye West also closed out his My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy album with “Lost In The World,” which sampled Gil Scott-Heron’s “Comment 1.”

In the interview below he explains the meaning behind “The Revolution Will Not Be Televised.”