Also, in honor of Mr. Iverson, try to catch ESPN's 30 for 30 presentation No Crossover: The Trial of Allen Iverson.
Back to threes... Approximately three months ago this sunday, Gil Scott-Heron released his first official recording since 1995. Titled I'm New Here, the record plain BRINGS it. There's a Smog cover, Kanye's Flashing Lights is sampled (to excellent effect...), and Mr. Scott-Heron sounds focused, relevant, and desperate all at once. It's an urgent twenty-eight minutes of sit down, shut the fuck up, and listen.
I'll spare you any in-depth reviews of my own, and allow you to be the judge. Here are three glimpses into Mr. Scott-Heron's work: Small Talk at 125th and Lenox (RCA, 1970), Pieces of A Man (RCA, 1971), and I'm New Here (XL Recordings Ltd., 2010). And for those on the literary bent, seek out The Vulture and The Nigger Factory, Heron's 1970s novels. Hopefully these show you where a man was, and where he came to be. Stretch your head, listen, and go do something today.
Let us end with a request from the artist (found in the liner notes from I'm New Here):
There is a proper procedure for taking advantage of any investment.
Music, for example. Buying a CD is an investment.
To get the maximum you must
LISTEN TO IT FOR THE FIRST TIME UNDER OPTIMUM CONDITIONS.
Not in your car or on a portable player through a headset.
Take it home.
Get rid of all distractions, (even her or him).
Turn off your cell phone.
Turn off everything that rings or beeps or rattles or whistles.
Make yourself comfortable.
Play your CD.
LISTEN all the way through.
Think about what you got.
Think about who would appreciate this investment.
Decide if there is someone to share this with.
Turn it on again.
Enjoy Yourself.
Gil Scott-Heron
- M. Beazy aka Mr. Buonocore
