The original Last Poets were formed on May 19, 1968 (Malcolm X’s birthday), at Marcus Garvey Park (formerly Mount Morris Park) in the East Harlem neighborhood of New York. The original members were Felipe Luciano, Gylan Kain, and David Nelson.
The group continued to evolve via a 1969 Harlem writers’ workshop known as East Wind. Jalal Mansur Nuriddin, Umar Bin Hassan, and Abiodun Oyewole, along with percussionist Nilaja Obabi, are generally considered the primary and core members of the group, as it appeared on the group’s 1970 self-titled debut and, in various combinations, on subsequent releases. Luciano, Kain, and Nelson recorded separately as The Original Last Poets, gaining some renown as the soundtrack artists of the 1971 film “Right On!” See also Performance (1970 film) soundtrack song “Wake Up, Niggers.” #blackhistorymonth
Comments