I first got an ear of these folks in the film PERFORMANCE in a scene that is as powerful in its message as the film itself is in its style and incredible visual style that became famous. This was in late 1969.

THE LAST POETS were something special and although many would not consider it "rap" ... it was more thought of as "poetry", but its strength was in its vision and ability to create something that no one else really wanted to hear or think about!

The film makes a link to other things on the political theater of the times, though I tend to think that it was more than just that, even though we do not think of a lot of "rap" as meaningful when compared to stuff like this, which had beeper connections and conceptions than the popular brand of "rap" that sometimes lacks the authenticity that it should.

In many ways, this is a sort of Black History that many folks do not want to read or get a hint of because their "progressive" this and that is a sacred cow that must be milked and made as famous as possible. It's hard to take some of those folks within a listing as serious and meaningful when looked at something like this.

I'm not sure that the "militancy" that the film shows is something that was as important as it became, but it was a way for many Black folks to get noticed at a time when they were still sent to the back of the bus and into the port-a-potties down the street by the dumpster! In our top five thrown, we can't even understand this history, and our usual attitude is to ignore it.

I can not ignore the HUMAN SPIRIT in its most powerful and important force ... something a lot more than just a simple "song" about this or that that we like. 

There is something very important here that should not, and can not be ignored, and I believe this is really the "mother" of a lot of arts, and their importance in our lives. And that makes a lot of songs not valuable to my experience and appreciation for the arts in general. The "preference" for a top ten (which folks here cynically say it is just for fun, and then they continue doinng it!!!) takes a back seat really quick when life interferes and has a lot of bigger priorities to deal with ... like the existence of your spirit ... and this is the SOUL of a lot of music that is missing in the context of what we listen to and appreciate.

... poetry is the strongest language ...