ABIODUN OYEWOLE:
'25 Years'
Rykodisk Music / Black Arc Series RCD10335
By Katharina Jallow
I think it was mostly the slightly older generation, who remembered and recognized The Last Poets, when they played their gig at Roskilde Festival this summer. For more than a quarter of a century, these now middleaged gentlemen have inspired and influenced such prominent figures of African-American culture as Spike Lee, John Singleton, Amiri Baraka, Public Enemy and Ice Cube. While other black musicians have striven to achieve commercial success in the form of contracts with mainstream record companies, this group has made black consiousness and pride their top priority, while laying the ground for the continuing popularity of hip-hop. Not without reason, they are referred to as 'the forefathers of rap' but there is a world of difference between these living legends and the gangsta rap, which so often dominates the hip-hop scene. 25 years after their first album, Abiodun Oyewole, one of the originally three Last Poets, has released this solo album, to which the other Last Poet, Umar Bin Hassan, lends his voice, while Bill Laswell, who produced and plays bass on The Last Poets' recently released album 'Holy Terror,' their first album in twenty years, is present in the same function.
Then as now, Abiodun uses his poetry as his political weapon and has no fear of becoming a guiding light for bringing about change in the black community. His lyrics still call for revolution, while warning his brothers and sisters, that it will not come by itself.
In this way, the first cut on the CD 'When The Revolution Comes' sounds suspiciously like 'If the revolution comes': Black people must take responsibility and feel pride in who they are to make it come about. In spite of the bloody history of slavery and unsatisfying social conditions, African-Americans must remember and draw strength from their African heritage, stand tall with dignity, and develop self esteem. Just hanging out with your homies will not make political change happen, you'll catch the revolution on TV "with chicken hanging out of your mouth."
'Brown Sugar' is a beautifully poetic tribute to the black woman, while reggae number 'Dread Brother' is a critique of the rasta scene, where many can be found wearing their dreadlocks for a variety of superficial reasons without being aware of the political implications: black awareness runs deeper than decorating a body with African paraphernalia.
This CD is yet another demonstration of the musical process which African music has undergone by having been taken to North America. Its variety of styles draws from a wealth of musical and conceptual influences. I don't know how much sampling there is on the CD, but all in all it's jazzy, funky and with contemporary hip-hop passages, but also with African drum rhythms, performed by Senegalese percussionist Aiyb Dieng and Don Babatunde playing a central role. The slightly less than 40 minute duration makes '25 Years' shorter than the average CD, but the artistic content, the technical quality and Abiodun Oyewole's dedication far outweigh this fact. Anyone tired of the endless repetitions and often meaningless lyrics of commercial music, anyone interested in the development of black music, anyone who deems Abiodun's righteous truths as imperative, should make '25 Years' a part of their CD collection.
This review is published on print in Djembe Magazine, no. 18, October 1996.
Feel free to quote or reproduce any article in Djembe under condition of
stating source. Photos are stricly copyright of the photographer. Contents
of the article are purely the opinion of the author, and do not in any way
reflect the official position or thoughts of Djembe on those issues. Consider
Djembe an uncensored, open "bulletin board"
