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Legends like Rakim, KRS-1, and Black Thought will join the conversation.
Live events are off-limits due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, that isn’t stopping “one of the most important conversations in hip-hop history.”
On Wednesday, the Universal Hip-Hop Museum released its plans for 50th-anniversary celebrations of The Last Poets‘ debut album.
On Tuesday at 7 PM Eastern time, Video Music Box and Seeds of the Last Poets will host a live stream to honor the milestone. Hip-hop legends like KRS-1, Chuck D, Black Thought, Doug E. Fresh, and many more will appear on the live stream. Ralph McDaniels will host the evening’s festivities.
The group emerged in Harlem towards the end of the 1960s. The group took its name from a poem by South African poet Keorapetse Kgositsile, also known as the father of Earl Sweatshirt. The collection of poets are widely recognized as some of the earliest influencers of the hip-hop genre. Former members include Felipe Luciano, who would eventually leave the group and establish the Young Lords.
The group’s 1970 debut reached the top ten charts in the United States. After their politically charged sophomore album, This is Madness, the FBI added The Last Poets to their COINTELPRO program. After varying levels of success in America and abroad, the group resurfaced in 2005 with an appearance on Common’s “The Corner.” That same year, they appeared on Nas’ “You Can’t Stop Us Now” and “Project Roach.”
Stream the celebratory events on the Universal Hip-Hop Museum or Video Music Box‘s YouTube channels.
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