Last Poets

There was nothing even remotely like the Last Poets when the trio of New York wordsmiths (Umar Bin Hassan, Abiodun Oyewole and Jalaluddin Mansur Nuriddin) and their percussionist (Nilaja) burst on the scene in 1970. For the first time, here was an outfit that understood African chanting and free-jazz dissonance; with the accompaniment of just hand drums, the group was able to express the message of black nationalism in frenetic howls and galvanizing taunts, using images so true to the streets they could not be denied.

TRACKS & PERSONNEL:

• SIDE A
• 1. GET MOVIN'
• Suliaman El-Hadi - vocals
• Bernie Worrell - synthesizer
• Aiyb Dieng - chatan, cowbell
• Bill Laswell-- DMX, AMS

• 2. THIS IS YOUR LIFE
• Jalaludin Mansur Nuriddin - vocals
• Suliaman El-Hadi - vocals
• Bernie Worrell - synthesizer
• Aiyb Dieng - talking drum, chatan, cowbell

• 3. WHAT WILL YOU DO
• Jalaludin Mansur Nuriddin - vocals
• Suliaman El-Hadi - vocals, congas
• Aiyb Dieng - talking drum, congas, chatan, cowbell

• SIDE B
• 01. OH MY PEOPLE
• alaludin Mansur Nuriddin - vocals
• Suliaman El-Hadi - vocals
• Jamal Abdus Sabur - bass
• Kenyatti Abdur Rahman - congas
• Aiyb Dieng - talking drum, chatan, cowbell
• Phillip Wilson - cymbals, percussion

• 02. HOLD FATS
• Jalaludin Mansur Nuriddin - vocals
• Suliaman El-Hadi - vocals
• Bernie Worrell - synthesizer
• Aiyb Dieng - talking drum, shaker, cowbell
• Phillip Wilson - cymbals, percussion
• Kenyatti Abdur Rahman . DMXV

• 03. PATRING COMPANY
• Jalaludin Mansur Nuriddin - vocals