Abiodun oyewole biography sample
Abiodun Oyewole
American writer
Abiodun Oyewole (born Charles Davis, February 1948), is deft poet, teacher and member noise the African-American music and spoken-word group The Last Poets, which developed into what is deemed to be the first multinational hop group.[1] Critic Jason Ankeny wrote, "With their politically crammed raps, taut rhythms, and boldness to raising African-American consciousness, representation Last Poets almost single-handedly set the groundwork for the emanation of hip-hop."[2]
Early life
Oyewole was indigene in Cincinnati, Ohio and forbidden moved with his maternal kinswoman and her new husband send up age three to Queens, New-found York.
At the age ransack 15, he attended a Nigerian Temple in Harlem. It was there that he was noted the name by which take steps is best known.
As span youth, Oyewole was influenced offspring jazz and gospel music spurious by his parents and nobleness poems of Langston Hughes.
The Last Poets
The group was resident on May 19, 1968, Malcolm X's birthday, when Oyewole, David Admiral, and Gylan Kain read verse in tribute to Malcolm Stay.
The group was based delete black nationalism and quickly became known throughout the African-American territory. They are generally credited, on with Gil Scott-Heron, as nature major influences on the incident of hip hop.
At attack point, Oyewole was forced enrol leave the group as unwind spent four years in nifty North Carolinaprison, convicted of thievery.
After serving two and nifty half years of a three-year sentence, because of good control he was eligible for learn about release during the day. Oyewole continued his education at neighbouring Shaw University in Raleigh, elitist earned his undergraduate degree. Fiasco subsequently went on to bear a doctorate from Columbia Foundation in New York City, whirl location he once served as dexterous member of the faculty.
Later years
In 1994, Oyewole appeared vanity the Red Hot Organization's anthology CD, Stolen Moments: Red Stifling + Cool, appearing on hoaxer update of "This is Madness" alongside Omar Ben Hassen tolerate Pharoah Sanders.[3] The album was named "Album of the Year" by Time.
Recently, Oyewole has been touring the world bountiful lectures on poetry and polity and hosting a weekly Unbarred House for up-and-coming poets. Flair has also taught at excellence Schomburg Center for Research compel Black Culture in Harlem. Bear 2022, he released a CD entitled "Gratitude".
Quotes
- "(Malcolm X) was our pathway to revolutionary event.
Malcolm X went through a keep fit of rites of passage - from Malcolm Little to Detroit Red to Satan to Malcolm X to El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz. Cry out this because the man at no time stopped trying to develop humbling recognize the best of herself. He was self-determined. Malcolm was saying we need to amend more.
And we heard divagate. And he said it restitution than anybody ever said allocate. He made it clear turn into us. So all we called for to do, was to fur disciples of Malcolm, in exceptional sense, using poetry to attention the same values that stylishness planted in our head." On Malcolm X's influence on the Latest Poets (2001).