Umar Bin Hassan facts for kids
Umar Bin Hassan, born Gilbert Jerome Huling in Akron, Ohio, in 1948, is a famous American poet and recording artist. He is well-known for being part of a group called The Last Poets. He became a poet by following his dreams, even selling his sister's record player to buy a bus ticket to New York City to join the group.
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About Umar Bin Hassan
Umar Bin Hassan was born in 1948 in Akron, Ohio. He grew up with a love for words and music. When he was young, he made a big decision to pursue his passion. He sold his sister's record player to get a bus ticket. This ticket took him all the way to New York City. There, he joined a very important group of artists called The Last Poets. This group used poetry and music to talk about important social issues.
His Solo Music and Collaborations
In the mid-1990s, Umar Bin Hassan released his own album. It was called Be Bop or Be Dead. This album came out on Axiom Records, which was part of Island/PolyGram.
In 1994, Bin Hassan was featured on a special music collection. This collection was a CD called Stolen Moments: Red Hot + Cool. He performed on a song named "This is Madness." He worked with Abiodun Oyewole and Pharoah Sanders on this track. The album was very popular. Time magazine even named it "Album of the Year."
Bin Hassan also appeared on the 2013 album by Dead Prez. This album was called Information Age (Deluxe Edition).
Documentaries and Books
In 2018, a documentary film was made about Umar Bin Hassan. It was titled Scared of Revolution. A Dutch filmmaker named Daniel Krikke wrote and directed this movie.
More recently, in 2023, Bin Hassan wrote a special kind of book. It was a memoir, which is a story about his own life. This memoir was in the form of a comic book. It was called Up South in Akron and was published by Music Arkives.
Solo Discography
- Be Bop or Be Dead (Axiom Records, 1993)
- To the Last (Baraka Foundation, 2001)
- Life Is Good (Stay Focused Records, 2002)
External Links
- Biography of Umar Bin Hassan, from Poetry International Web
- Umar Bin Hassan's website
