Even while on a 20-year hiatus, their influence could still be felt. The likes of Notorious B.I.G., NWA, A Tribe Called Quest, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg and countless others have sampled their timeless sound. A sound crafted in East Harlem in the 1970s that shaped hip-hop during it’s earliest stages.
The Last Poets, comprised of Abiodun Oyewole and Umar Bin Hassan are back and unapologetically supplying the masses with the sound that inspired a wave of black consciousness years before it was cool to be “woke.”
In light of Donald Trump’s current reign, Hassan and Oyewole decided to resurrect the group to create a brand new record, to reflect the times in true Last Poets fashion.
‘Understand What Black Is‘ is as powerful as it’s title intends. The 10 track record, set to be released May 18th, is laced with free-flowing trumpet, saxophone and flute melodies, drum patterns and a rocksteady reggae beat that draws you in as the poets effortlessly orate the elements of the African American diaspora, without ever skipping a beat.
The Last Poets are proving that 20 years later, their talent is as relevant and needed in the digital music space as ever. Providing a refreshing rhetoric that quenches the thirst of those searching for answers to appease the consciousness of today’s racial climate, The Last Poets declarations of self-love, awareness, and vulnerability in ‘Understand What Black Is’ proves that love for liberation in oneself will never go out of style.
For more from Abiodun Oyewole and Umar Bin Hassan aka The Last Poets, stay updated on the release of their 10 track project ‘Understand What Black Is‘ on Facebook here.
