Grenades in Their Eyes

I have just been listening to an enthralling programme on Radio4 about the late 60s "Last Poets". The group of black beat poets affiliated to the 1960s black civil rights movement in the USA essentially proto "rappers" but much more stylish, and with a much more eloquent and politically aware agenda which of course also broached anti Vietnam sentiment. The programme, presented by Lem Sissay, also shed some light on the origin of the low key rap style poetics of Galliano and a hundred and one other mysterious and interesting samples which I have heard in contemporary Jazz recordings; The white man's got a god complex!. This is definitely where the true cool of the 60s resides and it was immediately evident that this form of lyricism combined with jazz percussion was instrumental in the development of early 70s avant-garde Jazz & jazz-funk fusion styles...the only "cool" form of the early 70s!!. Real fighting talk, and proper trouble making shilarny, much respect to the Black Panthers, and Malcolm X, etc and remember; the revolution will not be televised...Can you dig it!!...right on!.