CRITIC'S CHOICE

Gil Scott-Heron, Friday, June 24, at the Ogden Theatre, may not be the father of rap music, but he's certainly been a major influence on those current hip-hoppers who are trying to push the genre forward. Scott-Heron was combining jazzy music and spoken/sung poetics a generation ago, and his current...

By Michael Roberts

June 22, 1994

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Gil Scott-Heron, Friday, June 24, at the Ogden Theatre, may not be the father of rap music, but he's certainly been a major influence on those current hip-hoppers who are trying to push the genre forward. Scott-Heron was combining jazzy music and spoken/sung poetics a generation ago, and his current TVT album, Spirits, offers persuasive evidence that what he has to say is still worth hearing. Whether or not the revolution will be televised, Scott-Heron will be there to comment on it. You couldn't ask for a wiser or more generous pundit.

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Michael Roberts began his career with Westword in 1990 as music editor. In 1999, he took on a new role, full-time media reporter, as author of a column called The Message. In 2008, he became the lead writer for Westword's news blog, The Latest Word, a position he held until January 2023. Michael continues to freelance for Westword, covering everything from business to sports and the media; he also contributes to Jazziz, a national music magazine. He holds a bachelor's degree from what is now Colorado Mesa University and master's degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles, and Northwestern University.

Contact: Michael Roberts

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