Abiodun Oyewole facts for kids
Abiodun Oyewole (born Charles Davis in February 1948) is a talented poet and teacher. He is also a member of The Last Poets, an important African-American spoken-word group. Many people believe The Last Poets helped create hip hop music. Critic Jason Ankeny said that their political raps and strong rhythms helped lay the foundation for hip-hop. They also worked to raise awareness for African-American people.
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Abiodun Oyewole's Early Life
Oyewole was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. When he was three years old, he moved to Queens, New York, with his aunt and her husband. At age 15, he went to a Yoruba Temple in Harlem. It was there that he received the name Abiodun Oyewole, which means "one who comes back with joy."
When he was young, Oyewole loved jazz and gospel music. His parents often played these types of music. He was also inspired by the poems of Langston Hughes, a famous poet.
The Last Poets: A Groundbreaking Group
The Last Poets group started on May 19, 1968. This was the birthday of Malcolm X, a very important leader. Oyewole, David Nelson, and Gylan Kain read poetry together to honor Malcolm X. The group focused on black nationalism, which is about pride and unity for Black people. They quickly became well-known in the African-American community.
The Last Poets are often given credit, along with Gil Scott-Heron, for greatly influencing the start of hip hop. They showed how powerful spoken words could be.
At one point, Oyewole had to take a break from the group to focus on his studies and personal growth. During this time, he continued his education at Shaw University in Raleigh, North Carolina. He earned his first college degree there. Later, he went on to earn a higher degree from Columbia University in New York City. He even taught at Columbia University for a while.
Abiodun Oyewole's Later Work
In 1994, Oyewole was featured on a special music album called Stolen Moments: Red Hot + Cool. This album was put together by the Red Hot Organization. He performed an updated version of a song called "This is Madness" with Omar Ben Hassen and Pharoah Sanders. Time magazine even named this album "Album of the Year."
More recently, Oyewole has traveled around the world. He gives talks about poetry and politics. He also hosts a weekly "Open House" for new and upcoming poets. He has taught at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in Harlem too. In 2022, he released his own solo music album called "Gratitude."
See also
- Black Nationalism
- Gil Scott-Heron
- Hip hop music
- Jalal Mansur Nuriddin
