A decade has passed since the still hugely influential poet, writer, bandleader and performer influential through his body of work across genres from hip-hop to jazz Gil Scott-Heron died. Keeping the flame alive and to appear at the Wilderness festival in Oxfordshire on the Atrium Stage on 8 August under the banner of 'The Revolution Will Be Live!' are Malik and The O.G’s plus strings conducted by Orphy Robinson and featuring Noel McKoy, Michelle John and the former Amnesia Express drummer Rod Youngs.
In November last year the publisher Williams Collins announced a two book deal with lead artist Mailk, the performance poet Malik Al Nasir. The deal is for Letters to Gil and Searching for my Slave Roots. Malik says: ''It’s hard to believe it’s been 10 years since Gil’s passing. But during that time, I’ve tried to do as much as I can to help keep his legacy alive. Orphy Robinson has been a big part of the musical side of this journey, taking Malik & The O.G’s from the studio to the stage in 2012, so it’s wonderful to perform together for this special show.''
Letters to Gil as reported in marlbank last November is a coming of age memoir by the Liverpool born poet who at 9 was taken into care and who later had his life turned around meeting Scott-Heron. The book tells a story of empowerment and awakening in the highlighting of how institutional racism can debilitate and disadvantage a child.
In the second book searching for his roots Malik uncovers a lineage linking slave holdings to high sheriffs, mayors, a late Prime Minister and bankers whose companies formed major modern-day financial institutions.
Researching for a PhD in history at St Catherine's College, Cambridge Malik commented at the time of the book deal: ''These two titles are my way of giving voice to the voiceless, whilst unpicking some historical injustices that persist today, as a legacy of slavery and colonialism, rooted in racist ideologies.”
Further dates featuring soul singer Ka'Ba will follow at the Jazz Cafe, Camden, London on 1 September and Blues Kitchen, Manchester on 2 September the same day as Letters to Gil are published. Malik Al Nasir, top. See the Wilderness website
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